Student Attendance - Policy, Routines and Documentation
Introduction
A challenge for the school is to develop the accessibility of its operations, which means adapting the pedagogical, physical and social environment in relation to students' learning. It is the responsibility of the school to adapt the school environment to the needs of all students.
The Swedish National Agency for Education has issued general advice for the work of promoting attendance and noticing, identifying and correcting absences at school (Skolverket 2012). At the upper secondary level, there is no compulsory schooling, but the student is entitled to study grants received for full-time studies. The School Act states that all students must be assured of a school environment characterized by studies and security. How the school environment itself is designed can in itself promote attendance or contribute to absence. A good learning environment with good teaching that is adapted to the needs of the individual student promotes motivation to participate in the education.
Attendance at the upper secondary school is mandatory and necessary for students at Mora gymnasium to have good conditions for obtaining passing grades. Full-time studies are required for a student to be entitled to study allowance, extra allowances and enrollment allowances (for students residing in Sweden). This means that the student must participate in all teaching. The school has an obligation to report to CSN Länk till annan webbplats, öppnas i nytt fönster. when a student is truant for more than a few hours during a month and if it happens repeatedly. The same applies if the student goes away during the semester without the approval of the school.
A valid student absence does not affect the student's ability to receive study grants. Illness that has been reported by the student of legal age or his guardian as well as leave granted by the school is a valid absence. In case of suspicion that the reported absence is not valid, the principal may decide to report the absence to CSN as invalid. In cases where the student has high absenteeism, the student supervisor must, in collaboration with the home, take appropriate measures that are documented. This may, for example, involve conversations with counsellors, study and vocational counsellors, student health teams and special teachers or an individual education plan (IEP; Inclusion policy).
Student/guardian
Pre-IB – system Skola 24
Absence reports are made to telephone number: 0515-869 06
Absence reports can currently only be made for one whole day at a time if you call in the absence. If you call after 12, absence will be registered for the following day. Should you report an absence for part of the day, you should contact the student supervisor.
Absence must be reported every day. It is possible to cancel the absence notification at any time during the call. When the registration is complete, a confirmation will be sent. If you hang up before, the registration will be cancelled.
The student's social security number must contain only numbers (TF number does not work). Students who do not have a complete social security number must notify their student supervisor when they are absent. No parental account is needed in Skola24 to use the service. The only thing needed is a push-button telephone. Absence notification dialed in is displayed in the comments field with the phone number used.
When you report your child sick via Skola24, you will receive a message via text on your mobile phone, if the mobile number is registered, which state that your child is "absent". If the child has not been notified of absence, "invalid absence" is reported. You do not need an account to be able to receive notification of absence, what is needed is a current mobile number.
IBDP (year 2 and 3)
Managebac is used. The same routines as for the national programmes are used. For administrative help Länk till annan webbplats, öppnas i nytt fönster..
Shorter leave
Shorter leave (a maximum of 3 days/semester) can be granted by the student supervisor for individual matters such as visits to the dentist, health center or similar. Longer leave is granted by the principal.
Valid absence for sports students
Sports students have the right to be free from lessons for the following sports activities: Individual sports: national cups, JSM, JEM, JVM, EC, WC, regional championships, DM and national team assignments as well as camps, intensive lessons and national team camps organized by the school. Team sports (ice hockey, floorball, soccer): Series matches, national cups and national team assignments.
Routine (see also flowchart routine below)
- Teaching teachers must register student absences in Skola24 on the same day.
- Sports students' absence (according to the above) is entered as an approved sports activity. (However, must be approved by the special sports teacher in the relevant branch).
- Before mentor time, the student supervisor must draw up a compilation of student absences from the absence program and act based on the routines.
- Valid student absence does not affect the student's opportunities to receive study grants. Illness reported by the student or his guardian and leave granted by the school are valid absences.
- In case of repeated sickness absence, the student supervisor must contact the student health team (EHT and EHM) for an investigation (see routine point 3). If the absence due to illness continues, the headmaster can request a sickness certificate from the student in order for the absence to be valid.
- If an investigation into a student's absence is initiated, the principal must report this to head of the municipality. If a student from another municipality has more than 20% absence, this must be reported to the head of the municipality.
- If the principal considers that the reported absence is invalid, the principal can decide to report this to CSN.
- The student supervisor must report to home in cases where the guardian has not been reached by SMS (pre-IB).
- If CSN is withdrawn due to invalid absence, the student supervisor monitors the attendance during the coming time period and notifies the student Administrators when the attendance is reassessed to full-time studies.
The student supervisor must talk to the student and guardian about the study situation and the absence. In the conversation, the student supervisor must:
Explain the attendance routine.
- Emphasize that the routine aims to support the student so that she/he will succeed in her schooling.
- Inform about the consequences for the studies if the absence continues for a longer period of time.
- Inform about CSN's regulations (the school has an obligation to report to CSN if the invalid absence is repeated and if it amounts to more than a few hours per month). Add-on allowances or extra allowances from CSN are lost. NOTE: Contributions from Försäkringskassan (english) Länk till annan webbplats, öppnas i nytt fönster. can also be affected, for example housing allowance, maintenance and multi-child allowance.
- Show documentation from Skola24 or Managebac regarding the absence.
- Document the conversation (Student absence documentation form below).
When? | What? | Who? |
|---|---|---|
Every school day | All absences are registered by the subject teacher in Skola24. | Subject teacher |
1. First occasion of invalid absence | Report to legal guardian through text to mobile phone from Skola24. For student of legal age the text will be sent to the student if the student has not given consent of access to their guardian. | Subject teacher |
2. Second occasion of invalid absence. | Mentor/supervisor notices the student and guardian of the absence and make sure to state the importance of being present in school and also the absence routines of Mora gymnasium. Date for the conversation is to be documented in the form: ”Student absence- investigation) | Mentor/supervisor |
3. Repeated absence or valid absence of concern. | The principal is informed that an investigation has begun. Investigate reasons for absence. The student supervisor has a conversation with the student and guardian, documentation of the conversation In connection with this meeting, the student and guardian are informed that the school has an obligation to report the absence to CSN. The student supervisor, student and guardian come up with support measures that are evaluated within two weeks. If a major problem emerges during the conversation, the report must be made directly to EHM. Information about the absence is submitted via the form “Information to home municipality” (over 20% absence) and in the event of a change of principal. | Principal reports the investigation to head of municipality. Mentor/supervisor calls for a meeting that is documented in the form ”Student absence- investigation) |
4. When the conversation has taken place and the support measures have not reached results. | The case is taken up at EHM. The form "Student absence investigation" with the attachment and excerpt from Skola24 or Managebac. EHM decides on further measures | Mentor/supervisor reports Principal/ EHM can decide to report the absence to CSN or a doctor´s note is to be turned in. |
5. | The mentor/supervisor turn in the report to the student administration which sends it to CSN. | Mentor/supervisor |
6. EHM-meeting after the investigation is done. | The person/those who have carried out the investigation report back to EHM. Decisions are made on further measures. Absence is followed up every 14 days. An IEP (see inclusion policy IBDP Mora gymnasium) may be decided upon. | EHM
Mentor/supervisor Principal |
7. Time for support measures to be in place. | It is important not to let go of contact with the student and guardian and to evaluate efforts. | EHT-personal i samverkan med elevhandledare |
8. At continued absence. | Student tutors report again to EHM. Discussion at EHM. Based on previous surveys and efforts, continuation is determined. Possible actions: the base team, registration with social service, contact with BUP, network meeting with external actors. | Mentor/supervisor, EHM, School doctor, school nurse, school curator and SEN staff. Principal is responsible for noticing the social service. |