Attendance Expectations

Children are happy and settled at school when parents and caregivers value their education.

To get the most out of their education they need to be on time and attending school EVERY day.

At Pakuranga Heights School it is expected that students will attend school every day unless they are ill.

Legally, any enrolled student must attend every day and it is the responsibility of parents and caregivers alongside schools to make sure they attend.

The Ministry of Education advises that every day at school counts for every child. A day away from school or time missed through being late to school is time missed from learning. The Ministry of Education state that regular attendance is when a child is at school for 90% of a school term.

Parent/Guardian Responsibilities:

• Encourage good attendance habits
• If your child is going to be absent from school you must let the school know on the day they will be absent, preferably before 9am. You can notify the school via phone (09 576 9209), by using the report an absence function on the school website, or on the Schoolzine app.

School Responsibilities:

• If the school receives no notification of your child’s absence, the school will contact you, first via text message, and then if the school receives no response to the text message, this will be followed up by a phone call

• Attendance is reported on twice yearly in the formal school report

• Letters are sent each term to all parents and caregivers of students whose attendance is below 80%

• If there are ongoing concerns about school attendance, the next step is to refer the family to a Ministry of Education Truancy Officer

Justified reasons for children to be away from school include:

• Short term illness - after five days, the school will ask for a medical certificate to explain an extended medical absence
• Attending a doctor or dental appointment – it is expected that the student will come to school either prior to the appointment or after the appointment. If they do not come to school, half the day will be recorded as an appointment and the rest of the day will be recorded as medical
• Leave to attend a funeral or tangi (up to three days)
• Religious holidays or festivals (up to three days)
• When special permission has been granted by the Principal
• When the school is closed for any reason

Unjustified reasons for children to be away from school include:

• Family holidays or extended weekends
• When children have no lunch – if your child has no lunch, please contact the school and we will ensure they have lunch for the day
• To avoid school activities
• To look after siblings or other family members
• To visit friends or whanau
• Going shopping

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

Lateness

To benefit as much as possible from learning opportunities it is important that students arrive at school on time.
Classrooms are open for children from 8.30am and the school day starts at 9am. If your child arrives at school after 9.10am they will be marked late and be required to sign in at the school office.

By working together we can ensure your child gets the best start on their educational journey.