Attendance Management Plan

At Wainuiomata Primary School we are committed to ensuring every student attends school regularly so they are able to actively engage in their learning.

The government has set a target that 80% of students will be regularly attending school by the end of 2030.

This attendance plan aligns with the Ministry of Education’s requirements for mandatory attendance plans and the Stepped Attendance Response (STAR) framework.

Wainuiomata Primary School’s attendance fluctuates each term with lower attendance rates in the winter months (term 2 and 3).

Our attendance rates for 2025 were:

Term 1 - 62% regular attendance
Term 2 - 53% regular attendance
Term 3 - 46% regular attendance
Term 4 - 53% regular attendance

Our annual rate of regular attendance was 53.5%

In order for us to meet the government's target of 80% we will need to meet the following targets each year:

2027 - 62% attendance
2028 - 68% attendance
2029 - 74% attendance
2030 - 80% attendance

To achieve our targets we will ensure that we:

Are proactive and highlight the importance of attending school.
Build strong, trusting and respectful relationships with our students, their whānau and the wider community.
Act promptly when a student’s attendance declines and address any barriers with empathy and compassion before they become chronic issues.
Work with our attendance service officer(s), outside agencies, community groups and the Ministry of Education to provide holistic support for our students and their whānau.
Acknowledge and celebrate regular and improved attendance to ensure we are reinforcing the importance and value of attending school regularly.

Roles and Responsibilities

Board of Trustees

Oversee the implementation of our School Attendance Plan and ensure it is reviewed regularly.
Ensure the plan is published on our school’s website.
Set an annual attendance target for the school.

Principal / Senior Management

Lead the implementation of the attendance plan and provide professional development for staff.
Monitor school-wide attendance data and trends.
Act as the primary contact for moderate and chronic absence cases.
Liaise with our Attendance Officer and other support agencies.

Teachers

Record attendance accurately at the start of each day (before 9:15am) and straight after lunch break (before 2:10pm).
Build strong relationships with students and their whānau.
Be the first point of contact for whānau of students with irregular absences.

Office Staff (Receptionist)

Record and update absence notifications daily.
Check teachers have completed the roll by the designated time - ring through to classes to remind teachers to complete their roll if not done.
Contact parents / caregivers on the first day of unexplained absence.
Maintain accurate contact details for all students.

Whānau / Caregivers

Ensure their child/ren attend school everyday, unless they are unwell.
Notify the school promptly of any absence.
Where possible book appointments and holidays out of school hours.
Work collaboratively with the school to address any attendance concerns.

Attendance Category	Definition	School Response
Regular Attendance	90% or more (absent less than 5 days per term)	Acknowledged and celebrated through class and school wide recognition. Teachers maintain positive communication with whānau. Actively promote regular attendance through social media e.g. What's good about going to school. What other students worry about for their mates missing school. Activities that are fun learning. Thanking whānau for getting them to school.
Irregular Attendance	80% - 89% (absent 5 - 9.5 days per term)	The teacher contacts whānau to understand the reasons for absence. The school offers support to address any identified barriers (e.g. transport). Attendance is monitored closely for improvement.
Moderate Attendance	70% - 79% (absent 10 - 14.5 days a term)	Principal / senior management to meet with whānau and student. A formal attendance improvement plan is created, with clear goals and check-ins. This plan may involve connecting the family with community resources. Referral may be made to attendance services.
Chronic Absence	Less than 70% (absent 15 or more days a term)	All previous steps have been documented and a referral is made to our Attendance Service. The school continues to work closely with the Attendance Service and whānau.

Stepped Attendance Response (STAR) Framework

We follow the Ministry of Education's STAR Framework to identify and respond to student absences.

Procedures for Absence Notification and Follow-up

Daily Attendance Reporting.

Teachers will mark the electronic attendance register on eTap by 9:15am each morning and 2:00pm each afternoon.
Relievers will collect the paper roll from the office, completed the roll by the above times and return to the office.
Office staff will transfer the information from the paper roll onto eTap.
The refreshed set of attendance codes will be used as required by the Ministry of Education.

First-Day Absence Follow-up.

If a student is marked absent without a prior explanation, the office receptionist will contact the student's primary caregiver via phone by 10:00am.
If the caregiver can not be reached alternative contacts may be tried.
Unexplained absences that remain unresolved at the end of the school day will be coded as ‘E’ (Explained and unjustified) or ‘T’ (Truancy based on the situation and prior communication). We will avoid leaving any ‘?’ codes on the register.

Absence Notification by Whānau.

Whānau are expected to notify the school of an absence by 9:00am on the day of the absence.
This can be done by phoning the school office (04 939 8677), emailing the school office - admin@wainuiomata.school.nz, of texting on 022 310 9434.

Justified vs Unjustified Absences.

Justified - the following reasons are considered justified:
- Medical certificates (for prolonged illness)

- Bereavement

- Religious observances

The code ‘M’ or ‘J’ will be used.

Unjustified - the following reasons are considered unjustified:
- Planned holidays during term time

- Extended family visits

- Unapproved sporting events

The code ‘E’ will be used.

Attendance Barriers to Attendance

We will address common barriers to attendance:

We will work closely with whānau to identify any transport issues and connect them with other whānau nearby who may be able to support them getting to school e.g. walking together, ride to school.
We will maintain strong connections with community groups, e.g. Oranga Tamariki, police youth aid. These groups can provide a valuable resource for supporting families facing complex challenges.
We will adopt a culturally responsive approach, ensuring all interactions with whānau are empathetic and uphold mana.

Addressing Late Students

Students and /or caregivers sign in though Vistab in the office with a reason for being late.
Lateness is reviewed weekly by the Senior management team to identify students with frequent lateness.
The teacher contacts whānau to understand the reasons for lateness.
The school offer support to address and problem solve any emerging barriers.

Data Monitoring and Plan Review

Attendance data is reviewed weekly by the principal / senior management team to identify students in the Irregular and Moderate absence categories.
The Board will receive termly attendance reporting (Everyday Matters report). This report will highlight any emerging trends, barriers to attendance and areas of concern for the Board’s consideration.
This plan will be reviewed annually by the Board of Trustees in consultation with staff, whānau, and the school community.

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