If a student misses one day of school every two weeks, they miss a whole year of school by 16 years of age. As a parent or caregiver, you, alongside our school, play a key role in building strong habits of regular school attendance.

All students are legally required to attend school every day, and it is a shared responsibility to ensure students attend and engage in learning from when they first start school. As we enter 2024, every day of school matters.

You must let the school know if your child will be absent for a day or intends to be absent for a portion of the school term for whatever reason, like a tangi or medical procedure. Family holidays or taking time off for extracurricular activities (not organised by the school) are not acceptable reasons for being absent. Please inform the school via email at absences@tgc.school.nz or phone 075788114.

If you're struggling at home with getting your child to school, talk to us! Our school is committed to supporting your child to attend school and building a culture that fosters excellent attendance by having:

• School staff who have strong relationships with students and whānau.

• A school culture that recognises your child and your family for who they are, where they come from and who they want to be.

• A school community that does everything to ensure students are at school, participating, and progressing in their education.

Also, for health and safety reasons, students are not permitted to leave the school grounds during the day. This does not apply to Year 13 students. There is a school canteen, or students should be encouraged to be prepared with refreshments for the day, whether purchased or made with ingredients from the home pantry.

Parents and caregivers can find more information from `the Ministry of Education Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga Student Attendance: a guide for parents and caregivers.