Attendance is Important
Low Attendance figures across the country have made headlines
Student attendance figures across the country make for dismal reading. The reasons for absenteeism are many and varied across communities, with Covid19 having been another reason not to be at school.
An attendance rate of 90% is considered to be Regular attendance. Nationally this figure sits at 60% and the Ministry has set a goal to raise this to 70%. Our Regular attendance rate is 66%, a little better than the national picture, but with room for improvement.
An attendance rate of 70% or lower is considered to be Chronically absent - Nationally this figure sits at 8% and the Ministry has set a goal to lower this to 5%. Whilst we have some 'chronically absent' students, there is another group that we are concerned with - 10% of students whose attendance rate is above 70% but below 80%.
Last week you may have received a letter from us about your child's attendance. This was an information-sharing exercise in the first instance. We are sharing this information to create an awareness that continued absence creates long-term consequences for students and that we cannot leave this as it is. We will need to work together and support families to improve this.
We all know that 'every day counts'. We have heard that messaging for a number of years.
The attached image clearly shows the potential consequences of absenteeism.
If you would like any support or guidance around matters relating to attendance, please contact Kylie Chambers and we will do what we can to assist you.