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Attendance matters#
Attending school regularly is essential for student success.
In New Zealand, the number of students attending school regularly is lower than other countries. Lifting attendance is a shared responsibility. School leaders, boards and parents all play a role in supporting students to be at school and learning.
All state and state-integrated schools in New Zealand have been required to have an attendance management plan since the beginning of Term 1 2026. These plans aim to improve student attendance by providing clear pathways to identify and address absences.
Attendance management plans should be developed in line with the STAR framework and tailored to the needs of each school community.
Attendance management plans and the STAR#
In your school's attendance management plan, any student reaching a certain number of absences will trigger a response – an action you need to take. The STAR helps you outline the series of actions you will take to address the absences. This may include:
- what you will do to support the student and their family
- whether you will work with external agencies.
Attendance management plans#
What school boards need to do#
You need to:
- develop and implement an attendance management plan
- publish it online
- follow the STAR
- periodically review your plan.
What plans need to include#
An attendance management plan needs to include:
- key objectives and any strategic goals related to attendance
- a statement that the board will investigate, respond and record actions taken in relation to absences in line with the plan's process and strategies
- a clear process to identify and respond to student absences
- strategies, actions or interventions at different attendance thresholds based on numbers of days absent in a term
- how you will identify and respond to attendance barriers and underlying causes of absences
- how you will monitor and measure progress in attendance, including any targets set by the board or the Government
- how you will review the attendance management plan.
Recording information in your SMS#
Your school or kura must record attendance management plan 'response data' in your school management system (SMS) each time a student reaches an attendance limit. This means you will document all response activities taken.
There is new SMS functionality that supports this process, making it easier to monitor attendance patterns, identify students who meet thresholds and record required responses.
Your SMS submits this information to us, giving us clearer insights and ways to offer practical support.
For help with SMS functionality, contact your SMS provider.
Publishing your plan online#
Your school is required to publish your attendance management plan on a website. If your school or kura does not have its own website, we will host your plan on the Education Counts website. Email us a board-approved request.
Email: [email protected]
Before publishing your plans online, it is your board’s responsibility to make sure your documents do not contain any information that may breach any individual’s privacy.
Stepped Attendance Response (STAR)#
The STAR framework lifts school attendance by:
- setting clear expectations
- guiding effective responses
- supporting schools and communities to act early and consistently.
The STAR supports schools to:
- set a clear direction – no student should be allowed to keep missing school without timely and appropriate support
- help us work toward the Government’s target of 80% of students attending at least 90% of the term by 2030
- define expectations and actions – it outlines what should happen when students are not attending school regularly.
The STAR clarifies:
- that attendance is a shared priority for students, families, schools and us
- that parents are expected to engage with the support offered and work with schools, with us, and with other agencies to return their children to regular attendance
- that schools will act when attendance becomes a concern
- why attendance matters for students.
STAR resources#
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