School Hours (updated January 2023)
| 8.30 am – 8.35 am | Play ceases, children get organised for school day |
| 8.35 am – 10.30 am | Classes commence |
| 10.30 am – 10.50 am | First Break – Playtime |
| 10:50 am – 11.10 am | First Break – Eating |
| 11.10 am – 1.10 pm | Classes resume |
| 1.10 pm – 1.30 pm | Second Break |
| 1.30 pm – 2.55 pm | Classes resume |
| 2.55 pm – 3.15 pm | Classes cease for the day, children depart school grounds |
| 8.15 am – 3.30 pm | SCHOOL OFFICE OPENING HOURS |
Student Absence
If a child will be absent for the day, or part of, parents are required to notify the school office with the reason for the absence. This can be done by
- calling the school office on 4258 4100 (option 1 for absences), or
- emailing secretary.gordonvale@cns.catholic.edu.au, or
- notifying through the Parent Portal.
If a child is absent with no explanation, parents will receive an SMS notification. This is for the safety of our students and a prompt response is requested.
Section 176(1)(b) of the Education (General Provisions) Act provides that each parent of a child of compulsory school age has the obligation to ensure their child is attending school on every school day, for the educational program in which the child is enrolled. Failure to comply with the obligation in s.176(1)(b), without a reasonable excuse, is an offence.
Before and After School
Students are not to be on school grounds prior to 8.00 am. Students arriving between 8.00 am and 8.15 am are to sit quietly outside the supervised Tuckshop Area. At 8.15 am active supervision commences and students can begin organising themselves for the school day.
After school, teachers are on duty from 2.55 pm to 3.15 pm in the Stop, Drop, Go area on Mill Street at the front of the school, and at the designated school bus area on Muir Street from 2.55 pm until all buses have departed.
Any students remaining after 3.15 pm will be brought to the school office to sit quietly and parents must collect children from there. If parents are unable to collect their children prior to 3.15 pm arrangements must be made ahead of time and the school office advised.
Before School Care (6.30 am to 8.30 am) and After School Care (2.55 pm – 6.00 pm) is available through our St Michael’s Outside School Hours Care service. Vacation Care is also available.
Late Arrivals and Early Departures
Students arriving after the bell at 8.35 am are considered late and must sign in at the school office to collect a late slip before proceeding to class.
Parents collecting students before the end of the school day (eg doctor’s appointment) must sign students out at the school office. An advance phone call or email to the office to notify of an early departure is appreciated. The office will contact the classroom to arrange for the student to meet parents in the office. Parents do not collect children directly from the classroom.
Attendance Matters
A day here or there may not seem like much, but your child missing one day a fortnight will miss four weeks in a year, and nearly 1½ years of school by Year 12.
Our attendance goal is 90% or more of students attending 90% or more of the time and 0% unexplained absences. Let’s work together!
