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Government directive to schools regarding attendance
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2026 is the year schools are directed to share attendance data with whānau when your child passes over set thresholds of attendance. The thresholds have been set up and shared with schools in the form of a STAR (Stepped Attendance Response) to attendance.
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Good - Good chance of success - Less than 5 days of absences in a term
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Worrying - Less than 10 days absent in a term
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Concerning - Less than 15 days absent in a term
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Serious concern- More than 15 days absent in a term - Very hard to make progress
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When children are absent, schools check in and that hasn't changed.
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However, when children pass over the set thresholds, schools are required to act - record actions taken, discuss absences, share data and work together with whānau to find solutions and commit to shared future steps together.
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Often schools work on plans but these are now required to be formalised and recorded.
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Whānau are a critical part in these action plans regarding attendance, working in partnership to address attendance.
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This is a two way street.
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Schools are more likely to be successful with achieving success for children if there is a commitment and partnership between home and school.
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The reality is schools don’t have all the answers, they do not have unlimited resourcing and are they able to sustain individual programmes for every child to get them through the door without whanau working on it too.
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Simply, if work isn’t being done at home too, school won’t have success on its own. We need to work together.
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Our goal isn't just to track numbers, but to ensure every student is able to reach their potential. When a student is at school regularly, they find it easier to build and maintain friendships, find comfort in knowing routines and what is expected, stay confident in their learning, gain the support to work alongside their peers within their learning environment and socially.
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The Attendance Data
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As we are directed to share data of attendance we are not expecting or needing whanau to defend it. It is what it is.
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If your child has been away for a period of sickness, they will cross over the threshold, If your child is late each day after 9.15am they will cross over the threshold, If your child is away on holiday during term time, they will cross over the threshold. If there is no contact made to explain why your child is not at school, they will be marked truant and will reach the threshold if this pattern continues. If you keep your child home from school for events and activities or weather, they will cross over the threshold.
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For every type of absence we will need to inform you when they collectively add up to more than 5 days, 10 days, 15 days and more.
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However, it is often more critical when days off for birthdays, rest days, early pick ups or long weekends are taken after longer absences are already recorded within the term. These are the days that need to be considered whether they should be taking place.
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It is critical for whanau to be in partnership with schools - value attendance, know that schools are working hard to support your child and all children within the school and support that work at home.
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We all have a role to play in your child’s success.
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We use our school values of Ako, Hauora and Community and explicitly teach social and emotional skills to help grow the heart of our community and a collective sense of belonging to our school community.
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As members of our school community we need whānau support to make attendance matter for their children during their primary years.
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What does our data tell us?
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This term we have sent over 50 attendance letters in the last two weeks when children have crossed over thresholds. This equates to just under 20% of our school community.
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Holidays during term time are increasing. The numbers of "one day won’t hurt"are adding onto sickness, lateness, explained and truant days and therefore children are passing over the threshold of good to worrying or into concerning and very concerning.
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Sickness happens and we can't change that. But there are absences that we can.
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Let’s try and end the term positively and respectfully.
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