Attendance Management Plan

Purpose: To ensure that all tamariki at West End Te Kura ō Mōrere attend regularly, supporting their right to access education and reach their full potential. Our goal aligns with the government’s national target: 80% of students attend more than 90% of the time.
This plan outlines proactive and responsive strategies to improve and sustain student attendance.

1. Clear Expectations for Attendance

Attendance expectation: Tamariki are expected to attend school every day they are able.
Attendance expectations will be communicated:
- At enrollment.
- At the beginning of each year and each term.
- Via newsletters, School Website, HERO and social media updates.
- Through individual conversations when necessary.

2. Roles and Responsibilities

Parents/Guardians

Ensure tamariki attend school daily unless sick or otherwise excused.
Reinforce positive attendance habits.
Maintain communication with the school regarding any absence.
Engage in school attendance processes and support when attendance issues arise.

School

Communicate clearly and regularly about attendance expectations and processes.
Monitor and record attendance daily.
Notify parents of all absences promptly (via text, phone call, or email).
Provide attendance updates to parents regularly.
Support tamariki to overcome barriers to attendance (e.g. food, counselling).
Report attendance patterns to the Board.
Use a tiered response system aligned with the STAR framework.

Ministry of Education

Monitor attendance data and school compliance with attendance policies.
Support schools with tools, data analysis, and attendance services.
Facilitate multi-agency responses for chronic attendance issues.
Provide direct support for complex cases, including legal action if necessary.

3. Stepped Attendance Response (STAR)

Step 1: Good Attendance (Less than 5 days absence per term)
➔ Monitor attendance as part of normal practice.
➔ Celebrate and acknowledge good attendance through certificates, class rewards.
➔ Communicate with whānau about the importance of attendance.

Step 2: Worrying Attendance (Up to 10 days absence per term)
➔ Contact parents to discuss reasons for absence.
➔ Support students to catch up on missed work.
➔ Offer in-school resources to help address barriers (e.g., counselling, food).
➔ Formal notification if concerning patterns emerge.
➔ Record interventions and monitor attendance closely.

Step 3: Concerning Attendance (Up to 15 days absence per term)
➔ Escalated formal notification to parents.
➔ Hold face-to-face meetings to discuss reasons for absences.
➔ Collaboratively develop a plan tailored to the student and whānau situation.
➔ Engage external agencies as appropriate (e.g., Attendance Service, Oranga Tamariki, Public Health Nurse).
➔ Review and monitor progress regularly (fortnightly check-ins).

Step 4: Serious Concern (15+ days absence per term)
➔ Formal warning letter and urgent parent meeting.
➔ Initiate multi-agency response.
➔ Implement and monitor an Intensive Attendance Plan.
➔ Consider Ministry-led support or legal action if all interventions are unsuccessful and support is refused.
➔ Unenrol only if all options have been exhausted and following Ministry guidelines.

4. Day-to-Day Operations to Support Attendance

Review attendance records weekly in leadership meetings.
Share attendance trends with staff termly to identify patterns and implement strategies.
Survey students and whānau annually to identify engagement and barriers.
Ensure a welcoming and safe school environment.
Actively minimise disruptions (e.g., avoid unnecessary interruptions, plan non-academic events outside of core learning times).

5. Community and Agency Collaboration

Work with Attendance Services, Public Health, Oranga Tamariki, RTLB, and other agencies as needed.
Participate in local attendance hui with other schools and the Ministry.
Share strategies and resources with whānau and community partners.

6. Communication and Reporting

Attendance expectations and data will be reported to the Board each term.
Regular updates in newsletters and via the school website to inform the wider community.
Individual attendance reports for each student are shared with parents at least twice yearly (or more frequently for at-risk students).

7. Review and Improvement

Annual review of attendance plan and data trends.
Gather feedback from staff, whānau, and students to improve practices.
Align with SchoolDocs Attendance Policy and update as required.
Key Targets: 80% of students attending over 90% of the time.
Reduction in students at "concerning" and "serious concern" levels.
Increased whānau engagement and partnership in attendance solutions.

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