The decline in attendance has been for every ethnicity, every decile and every region. Right now, two in every five or 40% of our tamariki are not attending school regularly.

Who is responsible for school attendance?

Our tamariki need to feel like school is a safe community where they belong and can thrive. Improving the attendance of most students is largely our responsibility as parents and caregivers, working with schools and kura.

Schools and kura are responsible for taking all the steps they can to ensure our tamariki are not only attending but are engaged and actively involved, and their schools are places where ākonga and their whānau feel like they belong. In our research with parents, you told us that one of the keys to improve attendance is to have stronger connections and involvement between yourselves and your local school.

Ensuring regular attendance and engagement for all our young people is a complex issue. We know it’s not a quick fix and will require a whole-of-government and community-wide approach to re-engage children and young people in learning following Covid.

What about my five-year-old?

Even though you don’t legally have to enrol your child at school until they turn six, most children in New Zealand start school when they are five.

Once your child has started school, they need to attend every day. School used to be compulsory from age six, but the law changed in July 2017, and now children need to attend every day from when they first start school.

If your child is going to be away from school for any reason you should always follow the school’s process to let them know. They also need to know the reason that your child is away.

If your child doesn’t turn up to school they will be concerned for their safety. If the school doesn’t hear from you, they may get in touch with you to make sure your child is okay.

Can I take my child out of school during term time to go on holiday?

No, while we all enjoy a break as a whānau, a holiday is not a good enough reason to take your child out of school, so holidays should be planned outside of term times.

Events like a birthday or a special day’s shopping aren’t considered valid reasons for being away from school either.

What can I do to make sure my child is going to school?

To make school a priority, there are things you can do at home, and things you can work alongside the school on.

• talk to your children about why it is important to go to school every day – ask them what they want to be in the future. Their education is the key to doing well in life
• be positive about school
• set good habits about going to school from day one
• prepare your children the night before for school – have they have done their homework, do they need to take anything along tomorrow?
• have a consistent good morning routine, so its not too rushed and they have time to get everything they need
• don't let them have the day off just because they would rather be at home
• don't keep them at home when you know that they are just nervous about school – talk to your child and talk the school about how they are feeling
• check in regularly with your child, listen to what they are telling you or not telling you - this may make it easier to pick up on any worries they have
• keep family holidays outside of term-time, every day at school is an opportunity to build their knowledge and skills, and repetition is critical for learning – especially for primary school children
• don’t overload them – school may be exhausting for some children so make sure they have some downtime after school to relax and have a break.

What can I do if my child refuses to go to school?

This can be really upsetting. Talk to your child about why they don’t want to go. And be supportive. Talk to your child’s teacher or principal. Whatever the reason, you won’t be the first parent to talk to the school about that type of situation. Your school will have some good advice, and you’ll be able to work together to help your child. If you have more serious concerns you can contact your local Ministry of Education office