As a specialist school, Southern Health School supports young people who are unable to attend their regular school due to illness. A pattern of illness-related non-attendance is one of the criteria for enrolment at Southern Health School. Students do not usually participate in a full-time programme of learning, but are generally scheduled to attend at least two one-hour learning sessions each week.

Our priority is to support young people to attend these scheduled sessions while ensuring we work in accordance with their treatment plan and immediate health needs.

Your school will receive confirmation from Southern Health School when a student is dual enrolled while they are unwell. The student will remain enrolled at your school. During this time, please record their attendance as ‘A’ when they are not at your school. Your attendance record and Ministry funding for the student will not be affected.

Some students may begin a gradual return to their regular school on a part-time basis. When this occurs, the Southern Health School teacher will communicate the student’s plan with your team. The student should be marked ‘P’ when they are present at your school and attending scheduled lessons.

If a student is at a session with their health school teacher or at home and remains on the Southern Health School roll, they should continue to be marked ‘A’, as they are following their medical treatment plan.

In some cases, a Southern Health School teacher will update your team if there are changes to the student’s transition plan.

If you are unsure, please contact the Southern Health School teacher supporting the student from your school, or call our main office on 03 366 6739 for further support.

Link to MOE attendance website:

Attendance code tree v12B