Links Between Senior High School Indigenous Attendance, Retention and Engagement: Observations at Two Urban High Schools

This paper aims to provide some insight into the links between attendance, retention and engagement of Indigenous senior students in an urban environment. A study of 58 students from two urban high schools during the period 2009–14 was undertaken. The study used data from a variety of school records, as well as informal interviews with students. It is argued that while the broader comprehensive statistical studies are useful there is a need to have some more, in depth, localised studies in urban schools. Results of the study support the link between absences and student disengagement. There was a clear positive link between retention to Year 12 and superior attendance. In many individual instances, the links between attendance, retention and engagement were complex. There was also a need to place emphasis on alternative paths for some of the disengaged group rather than just trying to improve attendance. These paths included employment opportunities, Technical and Further Education (TAFE) and post school traineeships or apprenticeships. This paper points to the need for further longitudinal studies in urban high schools to study the long-term life outcomes for Indigenous students.