Important Information for Parents and Carers
Parent/Carer Handbook
2024 Parent/Carer Handbook: DOCX | PDF
BSSS Information Page
The ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies maintains the following page, outlining everything students and parents need to know:
Attendance Policy
The Education Directorate and the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies have strict attendance guidelines:
Students who are absent from school must have a 'reasonable excuse' for being absent. Reasonable excuses include:
- IIlness, including recovery from major illness, injury or medical condition
- Medical or dental treatment
- Bereavement
- Religious or cultural observation
- Sanctioned extended absence in relation to children of traveling families
- Attendance at court or other legal hearings or meetings associated with hearings
- Participation in sanctioned debates, eisteddfods, sports, musical or theatrical
- Productions not directly arranged by the school, or
- Participation in interstate, national, or international sporting event or equivalent.
The following common reasons found on DC leave forms that are not considered valid include:
- Driving lessons
- Miscellaneous appointments
- Part-time work
- Studying for a test, or completing homework or assignments
- Missing the bus
- Sleeping in
- The student is away (we know that - we need to know why)
ACT Youth Commitment or 'Learn or Earn' legislation
The ACT Government requires that students remain in school full-time until the age of 17. Students who do not comply with this legislation need to apply for an exemption certificate from the Education and Training Directorate. Circumstances that would warrant an exemption certificate include:
- Part-time study due to ill health or other circumstance.
- Part-time employment
- Non-attendance at school/ lack of engagement with no alternative in place.
Non-compliance with learn or earn legislation may impact on Centrelink entitlements.
Applications for Approval Statements are necessary if the student is either undertaking full-time training, full-time employment, or a combination of employment and training that totals more than 25 hours per week.
Applications for both Exemption Certificates and Approval Statements can be obtained from Student Services or the ACT DET website.
Below you will find links to some useful documents that provide some guidance for parents/carers as we work together to support our students so that they develop and thrive at DC.
Student Absences
Parents and carers can email dicksonc.absences@ed.act.edu.au
ACT Senior Secondary Certificate information
At the DC Information Evening in February each year, Principal Caitlin Horan delivers a presentation for parents and carers about Dickson College and the ACT Senior Secondary System. A presentation can be downloaded here.