Part-time students
What is a part-time student?
A part-time student is a person who satisfies the student definition but who undertakes a workload less than that usually undertaken by a full-time student (as determined by the school) for that year. A part-time student has an FTE of less than 1.0.
A part-time student can be included if the student:
- is formally enrolled at the school; and
- is acknowledged by the school as having attended the school for at least the Minimum Period Part-time ('MPP')* of the program or course of study for which the student is enrolled during the relevant period ('RP') [The RP is the number of days between the first day of the school year and Census Day]
A part-time student is also taken to have attended the school if:
- the student attended the school for less than the MPP because of the student's absence from the school; and
- the student's absence was for a reason that was beyond the control of the student's parent or guardian, or the student (if living independently).
Enrolment and attendance records, and all associated documentation used in determining eligibility for students to be counted on the Census form, must be retained by the school/governing body for a period of five years from Census Day, and in a way that ensures the integrity and security of the data and documents.
A part-time student must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident, or person with appropriate resident status.
In each case where a student has attended the school for less than the MPP and been included in the Census form, there must be documented evidence confirming the reasons preventing the student from attending the school during this period. All students who have not met minimum attendance requirements and are included in the Census are to be listed in the Part-time students who did not attend the school during the relevant period for at least the Minimum Period Part-time (MPP) of the program or course of study for which the student is enrolled section of the Census form.
For 2022, the days the student is enrolled to attend the school on a part-time basis from 31 January 2022 to 4 February 2022 can be counted as attendance for all students regardless of whether students are:
- not at school due to the school not providing education;
- at school for supervision as they are vulnerable or their parents are essential workers unable to work from home; or
- undertaking remote learning.
For example, if a student attends 4 days per week Monday to Thursday, the four days from 31 January 2022 to 3 February 2022 can be counted as attendance.
Students to be excluded
- students who are not formally enrolled at the school;
- part-time students who have attended for less than the MPP from the first day of the school year up to Census Day unless the absence was beyond the control of the student's parent or guardian, or the student (if living independently);
- part-time distance education students;
- full-time students;
- students who are registered, or provisionally registered, in Queensland for home education;
- children who are prohibited from engaging in studies as a condition of a visa;
- overseas students (refer to Overseas students in these Instructions);
- students on visitor visas, bridging visas with study limitations or no visa (refer to Students on visitor visas, bridging visas with study limitations or no visa in these Instructions);
- underage Prep Year students, unless the student is enrolled under the provisions outlined in section 17 of the Education (General Provisions) Regulation 2017;
- students who attended the school for specialist or sporting activities, but are not formally enrolled at the school; and
- students who have left the school. Schools must keep verifiable information on the date the student exited the school, that is, the student’s last day of attendance.
Further information is available in Appendix 2.
>> Completing the part-time students page
Last updated 25 January, 2022