Going to school or early learning every day is important for tamariki | children. It helps:

• build their confidence and social skills
• to achieve their education and life aspirations.

This information will help you understand when it is okay for a child to still be at school or their early learning service and when an unwell child should be at home.

Knowing if a child is well enough to be at school – Health New Zealand

Information for parents and whānau#

Te reo Māori#

Gagana Samoa (Samoan)#

Lea Faka-Tonga (Tongan)#

Information for schools and kura#

This winter there are a lot of flu cases putting extra pressure on doctors and health services.

We encourage schools to use discretion when you are deciding whether to ask for a medical certificate for a student's absence. Rather than regularly asking for a medical certificate, consider each request on a case-by-case basis.

If students are sick, they should stay home until they are well enough to return to school. This helps them recover and reduces the risk of spreading illness to other students and staff.