Attendance matters: A community approach

By law, kids in New Zealand aged from six to 16 are required to go to school every day - but the reality is that many aren’t. Absenteeism has been an issue for years (Covid didn’t help either) and, although the country saw a small lift in attendance last year, more action is needed. The Government has announced a plan for lifting attendance rates, including daily attendance reporting - but will it be enough? Over the coming weeks, Kate Russell will delve into the issue of school attendance, find out why our rates are so low, and what we can do as a community to lift it. This week, she speaks to five local secondary school principals who have come together to tackle the issue.

‘Just go’.

It seems like a simple enough phrase to get your kids out the door to school in the morning. It’s also the name of a just-launched community campaign aimed at lifting attendance rates of students in the Nelson Tasman region.

Nayland College, Waimea College, Garin College, Nelson College and Nelson College for Girls are all involved in the collaborative push.

The latest data (for Term 3, 2024) shows that in the Nelson region, just 48.8 per cent of students attended school regularly and almost 10 per cent were chronically absent (attending school less than 70 per cent of the time).

A report from the Education Review Office, published in October 2024, highlighted that chronic truancy was at “crisis level”, with one in 10 students chronically absent in term two of 2024, nationwide. It also said the number of chronically absent students had doubled in secondary schools and nearly tripled in primary schools since 2015.

This campaign aims to help shift and change attitudes regarding attending school and addresses the complexity of attendance issues.

“You know that old saying, ‘it takes a village’ - it’s about collaboration between schools and parents,” sums up Claire O’Fee, tumuaki/principal of Nelson College for Girls.

John Maguire, tumuaki/principal of Garin College, says the complexity of attendance is a lot greater than saying ‘just go’ – but it’s a good start.

“While regular attendance of 90 per cent or better is our target, there are students whose attendance is a lot less than that - and there’s anything from anxiety, through to other health concerns, through to blatant truancy. I think one of the things that works for me with ‘just go’, is saying: ‘just go, we want to support you’.

“It is something to start the conversation.”

Waimea College tumuaki/principal Fraser Hill also stresses the impact Covid lockdowns had on attitudes towards the importance of being at school.

Richard Washington, tumuaki/principal of Nelson College, says they are also collaborating with primary schools - as good attendance habits start young.

“We’re all in it together, and we want to support each other… strength in numbers.”

Daniel Wilson, tumuaki/principal of Nayland College, also stresses the importance of setting and maintaining good routines early on in schooling.

He says having a conversation with your child is a good starting point.

“Talk to us, work with the school. Don’t just let it go. Don’t let ‘No, I’m not going to school’ be acceptable. Chase it up. There are so many agencies that can get in and support families, and we know that that’s complex. It’s not an easy thing to do. But we also know that working together is going to be a lot stronger than trying to pick off school by school, and family by family.”

John echoes Daniel’s sentiment and encourages the community to get onboard.

“I think, through that connection with families and students trusting us to have a conversation is the first part.”