Rules and policies are in place to make sure your child remains safe and well at school.
Visit the NSW Department of Education’s policy library for all current operational policies.
Our school uses the department's School Community Charter to ensure all of our communication is collaborative and respectful.
Attendance and absences
Students must attend school regularly so they can achieve their educational best and increase their career and life options.
In NSW, all children from the age of 6 are legally required to attend school or be registered for home schooling through the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). All students must complete Year 10, or its equivalent.
Young people below the age of 17 who have completed Year 10 must be:
in school, or registered for home schooling
in approved education or training, such as a traineeship, apprenticeship or TAFE
in full-time paid employment (average 25 hours a week)
in a combination of work, education and/or training (average of 25 hours a week combined).
Students 17 years and over who are enrolled in school must attend school regularly to meet HSC course requirements.
As a parent or carer, you are responsible for ensuring your child attends school every day when they are of compulsory school age. You must explain all absences to the school within 7 days.
For more information about compulsory school attendance, visit:
SMS notification system
Birrong Girls High School uses a mobile phone short messaging service (SMS) to send text messages to parents notifying you of student absences.
At Birrong Girls, student attendance is a high priority. We know that students who attend regularly are more likely to be successful. To improve our attendance procedures, we are informing parents by SMS about any unexplained absences for their child.
What do I do if my child is absent from school?
If your child is marked absent from school a SMS will be sent to you in the morning. You need to reply to the SMS and provide a reason for the absence.
Alternatively, if you know in advance your child will be away from school you can send a SMS to the school's number. If you do this then you will not receive a SMS from the school on the morning of your child's absence.
School's Phone Number
The text number for Birrong Girls is 0419 157 299. Messages from the school will be from this number only.
When did it begin?
The SMS notification system began at the start of Term Two on 28 April 2011.
Advantages
- Improves your daughter's safety with early notification of absence
- Improves the school's ability to reach and contact parents
- Faster communication between the school and parents
- A personal, confidential and discrete service
School frameworks (school rules)
As well as following the department’s operational policies, we have developed frameworks for our students in line with our school’s values and commitments.
Change of Information Form (pdf 274 KB)
Birrong Girls Mobile Phone Policy
Birrong Girls High School Interim Mobile Phone Policy 2019
Birrong Girls High School is committed to the pursuit of excellence in education and equity of opportunity for every student, reflective of their capacity and respondent to their needs.
The new mobile phone policy has taken into consideration consistent findings in research, the recent NSW DoE recommendations from the review into the non-educational use of mobile devices and student engagement with the pre-existing mobile policy and its impact on the learning and teaching environment.
In principle, the school does not support the presence of mobile phones on the premises of BGHS and/or as part of the school day. The school day includes any school coordinated activities including excursions, field trips and activities in non-school settings or on site at other schools. Any amendment to the policy related to a specific school activity will be determined by the Principal at her discretion and will follow explicit guidelines. Students bring phones onto the BGHS grounds at their own risk and we do not take responsibility for loss, theft or damage that occurs as a result.
During the school day, parents and students are required to communicate directly with the relevant school personnel to discuss emerging issues, concerns or urgent needs. Once inside the school gates, all communication between students and parents must go through the school. Parents can do so by calling our front office on (02) 96445057 and the proper communication channels will be activated.
The expectations related to mobile phones on the school premises are as follows:
§ Students may carry their mobile phones to and from school in order to communicate with their parents before or after the school day.
§ Phones must be switched off and secured in school bags at all times for the duration of the school day and/or the presence of the student on the school premises.
§ Phones must not be on the physical person at any time.
§ Students attending the Homework Centre will be permitted to check their phones from 4.15pm for the purpose of communicating about parent pick-up.
§ Apple watches or similar devices are no longer allowed at school.
§ Earphones, blue tooth ear pieces or headsets cannot be used and must be packed away with the phone.
Students who do not comply with school expectations face a series of consequences that include:
§ Immediate confiscation of the phone.
§ Phones will only be returned to a parent, guardian or emergency contact. This will occur the next afternoon for the first breach of school rules. For a second offence, the phone will be returned two days later. On the third offence, the student will have their phone returned three days later in addition to suspension. Weekends are not counted in the days of confiscation.
§ Persistent disobedience around complying with this policy will result in suspension. This includes refusal to follow staff instructions to hand over a phone.
§ Additional consequences as determined by the Principal.
This policy has been ratified by the P&C and is supported by staff.
The implementation of this policy will be reviewed in December 2019 to evaluate the correlation between policy and behaviour.