Attendance, shift and leave process for Preschools: no class short of an adult
A class short of one adult is noticed by every parent. A clear process for absence, leave and cover keeps ratios safe and lets the principal teach less and lead more.
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Share your requirementsWhy attendance, shift and leave process matters in preschools
When a teacher is ill at 7.30, the principal usually phones around and ends up in the class herself. The office, the tours and the calls wait. When two staff apply for leave in the same week of a festival, the principal hears about it after both have promised their families.
A process fixes this before it happens. It sets a minimum number of adults for each class and time, keeps a cover list, records attendance for morning and afternoon, and gives a leave calendar that shows admissions, annual day and exam weeks. Staff know the rules and the reasons, and the principal's time is protected.
How to set it up
1. Fix the minimum adults per class
Write down the number of teachers and helpers needed for each class and time of day, including meal and nap times. This is the threshold for cover.
2. Keep a cover list
Two or three trusted people who know the centre, with a note of which classes each can handle. Review it each term.
3. Record attendance twice a day
A simple register at opening and after the break. Late arrival and early leave are noted in a calm way and discussed if repeated.
4. Build a leave calendar
Mark admissions, annual day, parent meetings and festival weeks. Staff apply with the calendar in view, and the principal approves clusters early. See the HR documentation process for records.
5. Use a short return conversation
After a longer absence the principal asks if anything is needed. It is a kindness and a way to learn about problems.
Check these first
Before changing anything, find out what is true today. These take an afternoon and use your own records.
- Count how many times the principal covered a class herself last month.
- Check whether you have a written minimum adult count for each class.
- Look at the leave calendar for the next festival and annual day weeks.
- Ask the cover list people whether they know the class routine.
GullyHR can do this with you. Read how we approach attendance, shift and leave process in general, or share your requirements and we will tell you where to start.
Questions owners ask
Enough that one absence does not send the principal into a class. For a small centre that may be two trusted people who know the routine, reviewed each term.
Say in advance that these weeks are busy and agree breaks before and after them. Staff accept limits that are explained and shared early.
Start with understanding. Find out whether the cause is transport or home. Repeated lateness gets a firm talk and a plan. Treat all staff alike and write down what was agreed.