We want to emphasise the importance of regular and punctual school attendance for your child's academic success, social development, and overall well-being. Every day at school offers valuable learning opportunities that are difficult to replicate, and consistent attendance is a key factor in a student's ability to thrive.

​Here is a guide to how we are managing student attendance.
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5 days or less absence in a school term



​​PARENTS/GUARDIANS
  • Ensure student attends every day they are able
  • Reinforce good attendance habits
  • Support other parents to reinforce good attendance habits
  • Open communication with school
  • Complete the Student Leave Form for 2 or more days of planned absence
  • Follow school attendance management plan and associated policies and processes

​SCHOOL
  • Clear communication to parents on attendance expectations on enrolment, at the start of school year, and each term
  • Communicate to parents what steps the school will take in the event their child is absent from school
  • Communicate good attendance habits to students and parents
  • Monitor attendance
  • Communicate to parents about absences
  • Maintain contact details of parents
  • Provide students with regular updates on their own attendance
  • Report regularly to parents on attendance of their child
  • Support students getting to school
  • Use school level approaches to promote good social and learning environment

11 - 15 days absence in a school term

PARENTS/GUARDIANS
  • Return student to regular attendance
  • Attend meeting at the school to analyse reasons for absence and to collaborate on a support plan
  • Implement strategies at home
SCHOOL
  • Send escalated formal notification to parents
  • Hold meeting to analyse reasons for absence and to collaborate on a support plan
  • Develop and implement a plan tailored to the reasons and circumstances around the child’s absence
  • Use in-school resources as appropriate to remove barriers and request support from Ministry or other agencies as needed

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
  • Facilitate multi-agency response and support school to implement and monitor improvement plan
  • Promote resources and services to support schools to return students to regular attendance
  • Identify and respond to localised barriers
  • Monitor regional interventions
  • Facilitate involvement of other agencies.
  • Reprioritise regional support resources to where most needed/effective
  • Support parent/guardian and school to resolve conflict if needed

6 -10 days absence in a school term


​PARENTS/GUARDIANS​
  • Return student to regular attendance
  • Contact school to discuss reasons for absence
  • Support student to catch up on missed learning
  • Engage in supports offered

SCHOOL
  • Send formal notification of concern about absences​
  • Contact parents to discuss reasons for absences
  • Support students' attendance using in-school resources

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
  • Support school with formal notification where required

15 days or more of absence in a school term

PARENTS/GUARDIANS
  • Return student to regular attendance
  • Engage in improvement plan
  • Participate in regular meetings

SCHOOL
  • Send warning notice and make contact to arrange meeting with parents
  • Escalate to multi-agency response
  • Participate in multi-agency response
  • Implement and monitor improvement plan
  • Undertake school-led prosecution, or request Ministry-led prosecution, when considered appropriate if supports are offered and not taken up.
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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
  • Undertake Ministry-led prosecution when considered appropriate if supports are offered and not taken up, when requested by schools
  • Facilitate multi-agency response and support school to implement and monitor improvement plan
  • Provide direct support to parents where required
  • Coordinate regional response where required
  • Consider system-wide initiatives for high-risk attendance
  • Work with the Attendance Service to re-enrol students who are not enrolled