Attendance Matters
Every Student, Every Day.
May 2025 Update
Kia Ora koutou,
We have received important updates from the MInistry of Education (MoE) regarding attendance.
The Government's target for schools is:
The Government's target is for 80% of students to attend regularly, that is to attend school more than 90% of the time.
Here is a visual of the new stepped attendance response - STAR.
As a school we are currently sitting at 73% Regular Attendance for Term 1 2025 (up 2% from this time last year).
Reminder - how can you as a parent monitor your child/ren’s attendance:
In the Hero App at the bottom of your child’s school report is their attendance for the year.
Key:
Green - present at school
Orange - absent from school with a justifiable reason (sick, dentist visit or funeral)
Red - absent from school with an unjustified absence (family holiday or parent condoned absence)
Next steps for our Sefton School staff to support whānau with attendance is:
Our strategic goal is to focus on lowering students' unjustified absences. Steps that staff will take:
Monitor all students attendance with a termly report to the BOT
Students with 10% and/or more unjustified absences from school for the term will be followed up with a face to face conversation offering further support (if the absence was not coded as a holiday / family visiting).
Implement an individual attendance plan or support to increase attendance.
August 2024 Update
Sefton School places a high value on attendance at school. Regular attendance at school helps build and maintain a child's learning, establishes positive daily routines, and promotes well being by connecting them to their peers.
Solving the attendance challenge is a commitment that Sefton School takes seriously and is dedicated to working with whānau to improve attendance.
Please notify the office by 9:15am in the following ways:
HERO App notification (preference)
Email - office@sefton.school.nz
Call - speak to an office administrator or leave a message - 312 9755
Text - 027 3129755
Please let us know why they are absent for administrative purposes under our school policy.
Please also notify us if your child is going to be late and sign them into to office on their arrival at school.
If you need to collect your child from school earlier than 3.00pm please come to the office and sign them out on the provided sheet .
The Ministry of Education requires us to follow up on all student absences for child protection purposes. Your proactive notification helps our office administrators focus their time and energy on other essential tasks. This leads to a smoother operation and better support for all students and parents.
New Measures
The Ministry of Education has brought in three new measures.
Correctly coding absences every day
Identification of learners who may be at risk of slipping into persistent patterns of unjustified absences.
Schools have initiated timely intervention and support to keep learners engaged.
How can we support each other?
With these new measures being implemented we would love you to continue supporting us by notifying the office if your child/ren is absent and the reason why. We will continue to be open, positive and supportive regarding attendance and be there to listen and support whānau. We will do this face to face with conversations with you not with a standardised letter.
How can I monitor my child’s attendance as a parent?
In the Hero App at the bottom of your child’s school report is their attendance for the year.
Key:
Green - present at school
Orange - absent from school with a justifiable reason (sick, dentist visit or funeral)
Red - absent from school with an unjustified absence (family holiday or parent condoned absence)
Does attendance really matter?
The Ministry of Education has set guidelines that children have an attendance rate of 90% or more per term.
Sefton School Attendance Policies