Why attendance at school is so important.

The New Zealand Education Review office states that “regular school attendance makes a big difference. Every day counts, and we know that missing too many days leads to lower achievement, poorer wellbeing, and other worrying outcomes. Attendance patterns start early and carry through for a learner’s time at school”

So going to school every day is very important for a child to get the best out of school because:

• It develops good habits for going to school.

• Each day is an opportunity to learn something new.

• School offers your child help to gain the skills they need for life and secondary school.

• It teaches your child life skills like solving problems, how to work with others, and resilience.

• It is the law in New Zealand that children aged 6 to 16 years must attend school regularly.

• It teaches students to have respect for other cultures, religions, ethnicities and gender differences.

Key Point :

Children who attend school every day are more likely to have friends, to achieve success, to develop good social behaviours and learning skills, and to be ready for secondary school.

Ma te rongo ka mōhio, ma te mōhio ka marama, ma te marama ka matau, ma te matau ka ora.

Through listening comes awareness, through awareness comes understanding, through understanding comes knowledge, and through knowledge comes life and well-being.

FAMILY HOLIDAYS

In New Zealand the school holidays are 2 weeks long in April, July and October. The Christmas holidays are about 6 weeks long from December to early February. If you want your child to do well at school, it means going on holiday only in the school holidays time.

When your child is not at school because of a holiday, they will miss out on lots of learning and will get behind in their school work. If you take your child on a holiday during school time, then your child’s attendance is an ‘unjustified’ absence, which means you do not have permission for your child to be absent. If a child is going to be absent from school for more than 5 days, then you must write to the school Principal before the child is to be absent.

ARRIVE TO SCHOOL ON TIME

GEIS starts at 8:45 a.m.

A good time to arrive at school is at 8:30 a.m. Your child then has time to orgainse themselves for the day with their equipment, device and organise their phone to go into the class safe for the day.

The best time to learn is in the morning and our school timetable reflects this with reading, writing, and mathematics usually being taught in the first part of the day.

Being late for school affects your child’s learning and can be upsetting for your child. Being late for class is disrespectful and disruptive for everyone: your child, the other children and the teacher.

Attending school every day and arriving on time helps your child develop good habits for future work, where you are expected to turn up every day and on time. 

Arriving on time to school is respecting others and helps start the day well.

How GEIS families and whānau can support and help:

• Have a good routine in the morning and evening so your child is organised and prepared before school.

• Check your child has their, pens, pencils, P.E. gear and other school equipment in their bag, and have charged their chrome book the night before. Check your child has put their lunch in their bag in the morning, had breakfast or a small amount of money for food from the canteen.

• Make sure your child has plenty of sleep (8 to 9 hours).

• Make medical and other appointments after school when possible.

• If your child is going to be away for several days due to illness or a tangi (funeral), talk to the teacher about getting some work to do while they are away, so they don’t get behind in their learning.

• Talk to your child about what they have learnt at school. Attend parent-teacher meetings and school events.

• Praise and reward your child’s learning achievements.

• Make an appointment with the teacher if you need to talk about any problems, concerns or difficulties. We are here to help.

• We all want the best learning and success for your child at school.

Contact the teacher or school if your child is absent or if you have any concerns or worries about your child at school.

Glen Eden Intermediate school

www.geis.school.nz

Email: office@geis.school.nz

Phone: +64 9 817 0032