Frequently Asked Questions

Parents of school aged students, aged between six and seventeen years, who intend for their child to take an extended period of leave from school during term (ie. five 5 school days or more), are required to make formal application to the Principal. Reasons for granting extended leave include:

• exceptional domestic circumstances;

• age, where a child turns six years in October or later in a school year and is engaged in full time preschool education, participation in full or part-time accredited preschool programs for student with disabilities leading to enrolment at a government or registered non-government school, health or disability of a child necessitating the continuation of an individual program supported by medical specialists, participation in a full time apprenticeship or traineeship;

• training for elite sport, elite sport or tour event;

• other exceptional circumstances, such as health of the student where sick leave or alternative enrolment is not appropriate.

Applications are available from the Admin Office or by downloading from the school’s website. This application should be completed by the student's parent/carer and returned to the Principal seven days prior to the student taking extended leave.

Extended Leave Form

Further enquiries can be directed to the school during school hours on 4356 2888.

Students are not permitted to leave the school without the permission of the Principal or Deputy Principal. Students who need to leave school early for any reason must provide an explanatory note written and signed by their parent/carer which the student needs to have cosigned and authorised by the Deputy Principal (before school, recess or lunch time). The authorised permission note should then be taken to the Admin Office where staff will issue an early leaver’s pass. Early leaver passes are issued in conjunction with the NSW Police Department (Operation Roll Call). Passes need to be shown to the student’s teacher when the student is required to leave the class or school grounds. Students are not permitted to contact parent/carer by text or mobile telephone to organise early collection.

Wherever possible, parents/carers and students should arrange appointments (doctors, orthodontists etc.) and other activities outside of school hours.

COLES, WOOLWORTHS and other LOCAL STORES ARE OUT OF BOUNDS BEFORE SCHOOL AND DURING THE SCHOOL DAY.

Students are not permitted to leave the school grounds to attend the shops. We ask for your support by ensuring your child enters the school grounds as soon as they are dropped off or arrive by bus.

Students who arrive after 8:20am (High School) or 8:30am (Primary School) are required to “sign on” in the Admin Office and ongoing lateness will be dealt with in accordance the School’s Discipline Policy. Students are required to provide a note explaining the lateness. Lateness to school, without a note, will be recorded as an unexplained partial absence. Continued lateness is referred to the Home School Liaison Officer as it affects a student’s progress at school.

SMS messages are frequently sent to advise parents if students arrive late. SMS messages are sent the following day to advise parents/carers if their child has truanted a class.

Students who are injured or ill and require medical attention must report to the admin office with a note from their teacher. Students must not contact parents/carers themselves. If a student is not well enough to remain in class, the admin office will contact parents/carers (or nominated contact person) to request the student be collected. In case of accident, parents/carers will be informed so that they can make a decision on treatment/procedure.

In the event of an emergency an ambulance will be called. Any cost involved in transporting students by ambulance will be covered by the school’s ambulance insurance.

It is vital that contact between the school and parent/carers is continuously available and, therefore, parents/carers should designate a responsible adult as a contact when they are unavailable. Please inform the admin office of any change of address and/or contact numbers.

You can either call the Admin office on 4356 2888 or send an email to wadalba-c.school@det.nsw.edu.au explaining your child's absence. 

Regular attendance at school is essential to gain maximum benefit from schooling. Missing school means your child misses out on vital information and maintaining learning routines. This can result in a loss of confidence and missing out on forming vital friendships. Attendance is recorded each day. As a parent or carer you are responsible for ensuring your child attends school every day, including sports days unless your child:

• has an unavoidable medical or dental appointment (preferably these should be made after school or during holidays)

• is required to attend a recognised religious holiday

• is required to attend an exceptional or urgent family circumstance (such as attending a funeral)

• is sick, or has an infectious illness.

It is important that the school is advised if your child/children will be absent. You can do this several ways:

1. Online, via the Sentral for Parents app, or via the Parent Portal.

2. Call the school.

You may call the school office on (02) 4356 2888 between 7:45am - 3:00pm.

3. Email the school.

You may email the school office at wadalba-c.school@det.nsw.edu.au

4. Fill in a Student absence form in the front reception.

5. Have you child bring their note to the school teacher/roll call teacher.

Have your child submit a note from home on the first day they return to school. Please include:

• Student’s full name

• Year and roll group

• Date(s) of absence

• Reason(s) for absence

• Signature of parent/caregiver

Student attendance is monitored regularly by the school and letters sent to parents where attendance is of concern.

If your child's details have changed, please fill out the "Change of Student Details" form. This could be for a change of:

• address
• email address
• parent or carer details
• emergency contacts
• medical details

At Wadalba Community School, we recognise the importance of appropriate footwear for our secondary students. Acceptable options include white or black leather shoes that are comfortable, durable, and suitable for a school environment. We want to emphasise that Wadalba Community School is not affiliated with any particular brand, allowing parents and carers the freedom to choose shoes that best meet their child's needs and preferences. Our focus is on supporting informed decisions that promote both style and practicality in our students' daily attire.

Footwear is an important safety item. Good soles provide a sound grip on the floor preventing accidents such as slips, trips and falls from occurring. Footwear can also protect feet from damage caused by accidents such as falling objects or chemical spillages. These guidelines have been developed to assist NSW government schools in providing a safe working and learning environment. Schools which already have risk management controls in place in relation to footwear should refer to these guidelines when reviewing and evaluating those controls.

More information and examples can be found on our Uniform page.