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Attendance matters#
Regular school attendance is essential for student success. In New Zealand, the percentage of students attending regularly is low compared to many other countries. Lifting attendance is a shared responsibility. School leaders, boards and parents all play vital roles in supporting students to be at school and learning.
Attendance management plans should be developed with regard to the STAR framework and tailored to the needs of each school community. Supporting regulations are expected later this year and will take effect from Term 1 2026.
The STAR framework#
The STAR framework is designed to lift 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 left to accumulate absences without a timely and appropriate response
- support Government goals – the STAR helps 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, whānau | 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 take action when attendance becomes a concern
- why attendance matters to students, and demonstrates that they are supported by their parents, families, teachers and school leaders.
The STAR and attendance management plans#
Subject to regulations being passed, all state and state-integrated schools in New Zealand will be required to implement an attendance management plan. This must have regard to the STAR framework and be in place by the start of Term 1 2026.
In an attendance management plan, a student reaching a certain number of absences will trigger an appropriate school response. The STAR framework supports schools to develop these plans. It outlines escalating actions to address non-attendance. This may include:
- tailored support for the student and their families
- collaboration with external agencies
- in some cases, legal action, such as prosecution of parents, if appropriate support has been offered but not taken up.
We will not prosecute parents of students who are absent because of chronic illness or health conditions associated with a disability, or who are genuinely engaging with a school and the supports offered.
What will matter most is how schools use this framework to develop their own school specific response to attendance.
STAR trial insights#
In Term 2, 2025, we collaborated with 15 schools across Aotearoa to trial the Stepped Attendance Response – STAR. Alongside the trial, we also received 102 responses to a nationwide feedback survey open to all schools.
The trial confirmed that the STAR aligns well with what many schools already do to support attendance. By using the STAR’s thresholds, schools were able to set clearer expectations and communicate them more effectively with parents and whānau | families.
Schools reported that using the STAR brought greater clarity and consistency to their attendance practices. It offered a structured approach to escalating responses to absence, while still allowing flexibility to adapt the framework to their unique contexts.
During the trial, schools tailored the threshold actions to reflect their roles, values, and relationships within their communities. They emphasised that strong connections with students and families, and the ability to respond in ways that support those relationships, were key to the STAR’s success.
Revised STAR#
Feedback from the trial has shaped a revised version of the STAR, which is now available. The updated framework incorporates insights from the trial. Supporting resources have also been refreshed. These include:
- the updated STAR
- STAR in your school – examples demonstrating the use of the STAR in schools
- a blank STAR framework so schools can develop their STAR plans and local interventions.
Supporting resources#
The below resources have been developed to help schools to embed the STAR in their practice.
STAR framework survey#
Let us know how useful you found the STAR framework and supporting resources. Fill in the survey below.
