Information for Parents

Attendance is a shared responsibility between students, whānau and school.

Regular attendance is crucial for your child’s learning and wellbeing.

Schools

Schools are required to:

• take all reasonable steps to make sure students attend when the school is open
• keep an attendance record for each enrolled student
• have an absence notification process
• use an approved electronic attendance register and Ministry-approved attendance codes to record attendance.

Parents and legal guardians

Parents and legal guardians are required to:

• make sure their child attends school every day the school is open until they are at least 16 years old.

From Term 1 2026, all state and state-integrated schools in New Zealand are required to implement an Attendance Management Plan. These plans aim to improve student attendance by providing clear pathways to identify and address absences.

Click here to read our Attendance Management Plan

The government has introduced the Stepped Attendance Response (STAR) Programme, which all schools must implement in 2026 to strengthen student attendance and ensure every day of learning counts.

Regular attendance is defined as being at school more than 90 percent of the time, which means missing no more than one day every two weeks. Research shows that students who attend regularly are more likely to achieve their academic goals, stay connected with their peers and teachers, and build the confidence needed for future success.

STAR provides a clear and consistent process for how schools respond to attendance. It ensures early identification of concerns and a stepped approach to support students and whānau. At Rathkeale College, this will involve teachers, Deans and the Senior Leadership Team working closely with families to address the reasons behind absences from school.