Exemption from School Attendance and Enrolment

3. Exemption process – students who have not completed Year 10 and will participate full-time in approved education or training and/or employment

This section describes how to manage an attendance and enrolment exemption for students who have not completed Year 10 and will participate in approved education or training and/or employment on a full time basis (Ministerial Order 705 (PDF), Part 2) and who is responsible for each stage.

1. Parent/carer – Approaches the school in writing about the student seeking to leave school.
   
2. School – Speaks with the parents/carers and student about the:
   • student's goals, aspirations, issues and reasons for wanting to leave school (using a Career Action Plan)
   • student’s planned destination
   • possible alternatives to leaving school.
     
3. Principal –Must:
   • consider the best interests of the student, and
   • complete the Exemption from School Application form (DOCX) and forward to the regional director for decision.
4. Regional director – To grant an exemption, the regional director must:
   • determine that the student meets the requirements for exemption
   • consider the wellbeing and development needs of the student, taking into account:
     • the student’s aspirations and reasons for wanting to leave school, and
     • the views of the student’s family
   • assess the likelihood that the student will complete the education or training or stay with the employer while of compulsory school age
   • consider if there are possible alternate arrangements to exemption and
   • consider the best interests of the student
   • decide what, if any, conditions will apply to the exemption, for example, whether the exemption will be time-limited.
     
     In considering the best interests of the student, the regional director should consider:
     • steps taken to keep the student in school
     • the likelihood of the student completing the education, training or staying with the employer if the exemption is granted
     • whether the proposed employment (if applicable) complies with the Child Employment Act 2003 (Vic), particularly whether it contains a training component
     • the likely outcome if the exemption is not granted.
       
       The regional director should then advise the school, the student and their parent/carer of his/her decision.

If an exemption is granted, the school is encouraged to refer the student to the dedicated Victorian Early Leaver Connection Initiative Career Advice Service, outlined in Chapter 6.