We are focusing on strengthening belonging and achievement for all students. We know that being at school and attending all classes everyday makes a huge difference to the confidence, sense of belonging and achievement of young people.

The past 3 - 4 years of interruptions to school from COVID and strike days have impacted on some students' habit of getting to school regularly and on time. We continue to work to ensure our school is a welcoming place, that learning is engaging and relevant and opportunities outside of class time are fun.  We need whānau help to ensure that students attend regularly so that they feel connected at school and achieve their potential.

In reality, 90% attendance means that over 2 weeks, a student will have 1 day absent from school. They will miss seeing their friends, and miss 5 different classes, and hopefully will be able to catch up next time they're back in class. Any further absences from school, or lateness means that it will be even harder for the student to connect with their mates and keep up with their learning.

Some tips for whānau include:

• Talk to your rangatahi about why school is important, be positive about it, and help them build good habits.
• We are very keen to work in partnership with whānau to support rangatahi to regularly attend school. Your first port of call if you have concerns is your rangatahi's Whānau Teacher - they'll be in touch to introduce themselves this week and please don't hesitate to contact them at any time.
• We know that young people and families sometimes have problems, and that can make it hard to focus on school. There’s help available via your rangatahi's Whānau teacher, Dean or one of our Counsellors.