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Compass helps school managers handle enrolments, student attendance, academic results, communication with parents and processing of payments for things like excursions or canteen orders.

Compass sent all its staff home early in March and since then has changed its priorities, employing staff in remote locations and letting employees relate to users of its services at a more granular level.

Compass Education, which handles online processingfor 1800 government, independent and Catholic schools and has more than 2million users, says the online absentee rate was 4.8 per cent – less than half thenormal national absentee rate of 10 per cent.

At her eastern suburbs public school, all work will be uploaded on the Compass School Manager program and parents will be able to see what is due. Teachers will monitor progress and email parents to let them know if the child has not been completing it.

Teachers’ lesson plans and students’ homework are routinely uploaded online at many schools via tools such as Compass.

Free internet access and laptops will be on offer for vulnerable local students. “Every child that needs a laptop or a tablet will receive one,” he said. “Schools will work individually with families to work out the needs of their children.” Greater Shepparton Secondary College has asked families to register their interest for laptops via Compass.