My School > Learners > Whereabouts
The Whereabouts function acts as a vital link between absenteeism and discipline. It allows you to capture valid reasons for a learner's absence while simultaneously updating their code of conduct records if the reason is disciplinary, such as truancy or unexcused lateness.
d6 Tip: To manage late-comers effectively, you may need specific user rights. If you find you cannot enter late entries, please ask your Superuser to grant you "View-and-Change" rights for 3.2 Learner Discipline.
Capturing Learners' Whereabouts
To manage a learner's status during the school day:
Select the Date: Use the calendar icon or the blue navigation arrows to choose the correct day
Find the Learner: Group your learners as preferred and double-click the learner’s row to open their specific record.
1. Managing Absenteeism
You can record an absence and add context for the school and parents:
Select a Reason: Use the drop-down menu to categorise the absence
Add a Comment: Use the text block to provide specific details for future reference.
Parental Notification: Choose if you would like to notify parents via SMS. The specific parent contact details are pre-configured by your school's setup.
Shortcuts: Look for the picture buttons next to a learner's name for a faster way to log common statuses like "Absent" or "Late".
2. Arriving Late or Leaving Early
If a learner's status changes during the day—for example, a learner marked absent arrives late—the system makes it easy to update:
Update the Status: Click the magnifying glass icon next to the learner's name.
Arrived Late: Tick the "Arrived Late" checkbox. The system will automatically cancel the "Absent" status and prompt you for the arrival time and reason.
Time Tracking: The system defaults to the current time, but you can manually adjust this if needed.
3. Periods Not Attended (Truancy or Appointments)
This is a powerful tool for tracking learners who are on the school grounds but miss specific lessons:
Identify the Gap: Select the specific periods the learner missed.
Specify the Reason: Choose why they were not in class (e.g., a pre-arranged medical appointment or truancy).
Link to Curriculum: If your curriculum is fully set up, you can even select the specific subject they missed from the drop-down list.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I add new reasons for late-coming or leaving early?
Staff with School Administration rights can customise these reasons under My School > General > Databases: Whereabouts setup. This allows you to tailor the system to your school's specific needs.
Does this update the learner's disciplinary record automatically?
Yes. If the reason selected is linked to your Code of Conduct (like "Unexplained Lateness"), the system will update both the attendance data and the discipline module simultaneously, saving you from duplicate work.