Attendance

ST JOSEPH’S SCHOOL PUKEKOHE ATTENDANCE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2026

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

• MOE target by 2030 –  80% of students attending regularly 90% of the time
• In 2026 MOE Target – 70% of students attending regularly 90% of the time
• In 2025 our school had 65% regular attendance

BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES

The board is responsible for taking all reasonable steps to ensure that the school’s students attend the school when it is open for instruction.

The board will comply with the provisions in the legislation in relation to student attendance by: 

• having a commitment to support students return to regular attendance 
• The Board will engage in identifying trends and support the school in implementing the attendance plan 
• having an effective method in place for identifying and monitoring student absence, including identifying patterns and barriers to student attendance 
• publishing this attendance management plan on the school’s website. 

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• The Principal will report on monthly attendance, including any trends or barriers, to the Board in the Principal’s Report for each Board meeting 
• Have processes and procedures in place to support a Stepped Attendance Response to student absence that uses data-based thresholds to identify students 
• Ensure all staff, students and whaanau understand the processes and procedures that support student attendance

STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES

All staff are to be aware of and engage with the Attendance Management Plan and STEP procedures by doing the following:

• Recording all absences, and respond accordingly 
• Engaging with the attendance data shared with them throughout each term, including the Attendance Matters Report & internal tracking information 
• Teachers may be included in family meetings regarding attendance, where and if possible
• At all times, teachers will be informed when an attendance meeting or communication has been made regarding attendance 

DAY TO DAY ATTENDANCE 

• Office to send SMS text to families/whaanau of unexplained absences by 9:30 am each day.
• AFTER 3 DAYS – teachers are to phone home to ask after the child 
• AFTER 5 DAYS of unexplained absence, the school office contacts the home.
• AFTER 10 DAYS – Attendance Letter 1 and principal contacts FAS – Franklin Attendance Service
• AFTER 15 DAYS – Attendance letter 2
• IF NO RESPONSE AFTER LETTER 2 AND CONTINUED ABSENCE – Attendance Letter 3
• Office to track daily trends, weekly attendance and MOE attendance expectations of students and to forward any concerns to the Principal
• Teaching teams to track and monitor attendance and discuss school resources to support engagement 
• AP to add visual attendance updates to the school newsletter to inform the school community of trends
• Principal to track Term attendance

100% ATTENDANCE INCENTIVE 

• The school will build initiatives that will encourage students to attend regularly, i.e,  provide uniforms, food, EOTC opportunities, lunchtime clubs, etc – dependent on attendance data findings.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS & SYSTEMS 

• STEP Procedures.pdf
• Student Attendance Policy in SchoolDocs 
• Recording Attendance Procedure in SchoolDocs 
• Etap – School Management System
• Education and Training Act 2020
• Attendance Letter 1.pdf
• Attendance letter 2.pdf
• Attendance Letter 3.pdf

 

ST JOSEPH’S SCHOOL PUKEKOHE STEP PROCEDURES 2026

REGULAR ATTENDANCE  

ABSENT 1-5 DAYS A TERM

90% Attendance – Average 4 days absent a term. (19 Days over the year)

WHAANAU RESPONSIBILITY                         

• Contact the school to report and explain absence (phone, eTAP app, website)
• Provide a medical certificate if sick for 3 days or more (if possible)
• Send children to school each day

SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITY 

• Contact the family by SMS for unexplained daily absence.
• AFTER 3 DAYS of absence (unexplained or explained), teachers are to phone home to ask after the child
• AP discuss attendance with the school community by including a section in the school newsletter 
• Use in-school resources to support the family or remove barriers

BOARD RESPONSIBILITY 

• Monitor school use of teacher-only days and ensure we are keeping to the MOE allowances 
• Track attendance trends in the Principal’s report
• Support the school to improve attendance outcomes

MODERATE ATTENDANCE

ABSENT 6-10 DAYS A TERM 

80% Attendance – Average 9 days absent a term. (39 Days over the year)

WHAANAU RESPONSIBILITY 

• Contact the school to report and explain absence (phone, eTAP app, website)
• Return the student to regular attendance 
• Contact the school if support is needed 
• Support their child to catch up on missed learning 

SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITY 

• The office will monitor student attendance and communicate with the principal about students of concern at their weekly meeting. 
• AFTER 5 DAYS (not necessarily continuous) in the term of unexplained absence, the school office contacts the home. If it is still unexplained, the office will inform the principal. 
• The principal will contact the family if a trend is present without a justified explanation (e.g. Student is absent every Monday). This will be followed up with a formal email. 
• Teacher to support student to catch up on missed learning
• Use in-school resources to support the family or remove barriers (e.g. pastoral care)

BOARD RESPONSIBILITY

• Provide resources/promote initiatives to support children attending school regularly.

IRREGULAR ATTENDANCE 

ABSENT 11 – 15 DAYS A TERM 

70% Attendance – Average 14 days absent a term. (59 Days over the year)

WHAANAU RESPONSIBILITY

• Return student to school and support them to reach the regular attendance expectation (less than 5 days a term) 
• Meet with the principal to discuss reasons for ongoing absences and together create a support plan 
• Implement support plan strategies at home 

SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITY 

• AFTER 10 DAYS – principal to send Formal Attendance Letter 1 home
• AFTER 10 DAYS Principal contacts Franklin Attendance Service – FAS
• Principal and Attendance Services to meet with parents to develop a support plan
• Use in-school resources to support the family or remove barriers (e.g. pastoral care)

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION RESPONSIBILITY    

• Facilitate multi-agency response and support the school to improve student attendance 
• Support schools to access resources 

CHRONIC ATTENDANCE 

ABSENT 16+ DAYS A TERM 

60% Attendance – Average 19 days absent a term. (77 Days over the year)

WHAANAU RESPONSIBILITY

• Return student to school and support them to reach the regular attendance expectation (less than 5 days a term) 
• Meet with the school to discuss continued reasons for absence and work together to create a support plan and implement support plan strategies at home 
• Meet regularly with the school/principal to discuss the support plan and attendance requirements 

SCHOOL RESPONSIBILITY

• AFTER 15 DAYS – principal to send Formal Attendance Letter 2 home, delivered by school or community constable if required
• If there is no communication from whaanau, principal to send Formal Attendance Letter 3 home. 
• Escalated to multi-agency response
• Implement and monitor an individual attendance improvement plan
• Engage with Attendance services and/or the Community Constable to develop a multi-agency approach 
• Communicate with Ministry of Education regarding prosecution, when appropriate 
• Un-enrol students who have not returned to school after 21 continuous school days without a justified explanation 

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION RESPONSIBILITY

• Facilitate agency response and support the school to improve student attendance 
• Support schools to access resources 
• Provide direct support to parents
• Co-ordinate regional response when required