The purpose of this policy is to ensure Victorian government schools are open on school days for student instruction, to outline the process for establishing and communicating student-free days and to explain responsibilities for Year 7 orientation days.
School term dates are determined by the Minister for Education in 5 year blocks to assist school planning. For the list of school term dates, refer to School term dates and holidays in Victoria External Link
Students up to and including Year 9 will attend school until the end of the school year.
The below steps describe the arrangements where other students may be excused from attending school at the end of the year.
May finish school from a Friday in December not more than 2 weeks before the end of the school year, noting that schools must provide suitable supervision and activities for any Year 10 student whose parents wish for their child to attend school up until the end of the school year.
May finish school after completing final exams but not before the close of the school day on the last Friday in November.
May finish school following their final exam.
Important: Principals may require attendance of these students at any time up to the last day of the school year.
Each year school councils may schedule up to 5 student-free days (when student instruction does not occur) for professional development, school planning and administration, curriculum development and student assessment and reporting.
School councils may only schedule the student-free days subject to the following requirements:
Student-free common professional practice days for teachers do not alter attendance requirements for education support class employees. Principals are encouraged to discuss the work arrangements for education support class employees on this day in advance.
Schools are unable to schedule student-free days additional to the 5 allowed each year.
Where possible, schools are encouraged to coordinate activities with other local schools to promote cooperative professional development and planning and maximise the use of available resources.
Student-free days are required to be recorded in the Student Activity Locator External Link
Principals must inform parents and the broader school community of the scheduling arrangements for student-free days (using community language notices where necessary).
Student-free days should be set well in advance each year so that parents can make suitable arrangements.
Schools serviced by Department of Transport or department school bus services must advise their service providers of their student-free day arrangements. Coordinating schools must advise affected non-government schools to enable them to make their own arrangements.
Schools should use a variety of communication strategies to inform their school community of annual student-free day arrangements.
These strategies may include notices in school newsletters, on the school website and answering machine/service, emails, online parent communication tools, signage outside the school and letters to parents.
Public holidays when schools in Victoria are not open are:
For a full list of declared public holidays, refer to Business Victoria External Link
Orientation days should provide a full day program that:
Responsibility for students rests with:
Department policy on school terms dates, establishing student-free days, requirements relating to Term 4 dismissal arrangements and Year 7 orientation responsibilities