Attendance

St Teresa's School Attendance Response

Attendance Management Plan

At St Teresa's School, we ask parents and caregivers to please contact the school if your child is going to be absent, and let us know the reason why.  This can be done via text, phone call, email or the Hero app.

A text or phone call will be made by the administration team at 9.30am if your child is absent and school has not been informed of the reason.

At St Teresa's School, we use a tiered approach to identify and respond to student absences.

1–3 Days Absent

• Universal / Good Attendance

• Office contacts whānau if reason not received by 9:30am; teacher checks for patterns.

4–8 Days Absent

• Step 1: Monitoring 

• Informal check-in via email or phone to understand reasons and offer support.

9–15 Days Absent

• Step 2: Early Intervention

• Principal arranges a whānau meeting. Create a Support Plan to address barriers.

15+ Days Absent

• Step 3: Intensive Support

• Hold formal meeting with whānau, review Support Plan, and refer to Attendance Service or agencies if needed.

Special circumstances

There are special circumstances where these steps would not apply.  An example would be an extended illness or recovery from an injury.

We are very appreciative of your support with our attendance response.  Following the systems we have in place will ensure we can quickly address any attendance issues, and provide support to help remove any attendance barriers. 

By working together we can influence positive school attendance.  You can read more about this new Government strategy here STAR.   

Procedures for Absence Notification and Follow-up

Daily Attendance Recording

• Teachers will mark the electronic attendance register in Hero for all students by 9:00 am each morning and 1:50 pm each afternoon.

• The school is using the refreshed set of attendance codes as required by the Ministry.

First-Day Absence Follow-up

• If a student is marked absent without a prior explanation, the administration team will contact the student’s primary caregiver via phone call or text by 9:30 am.

• If the caregiver cannot be reached, alternative contacts may be tried.

• Unexplained absences that remain unresolved by the end of the school day will be coded as ‘T’ (Truancy).

Absence Notification by Whānau

• Whānau are expected to notify the school of an absence by 9:00am on the day of the absence.

• This can be done via phone call or text to the school office, email to the teacher or office, or notification via the Hero app.

Justified vs. Unjustified Absences

• Justified: Medical certificates (for prolonged illness), bereavement, or religious observances are considered justified.  The code ‘M’ or ‘J’ will be used.

• Unjustified: Planned holidays during term time, extended family visits, or unapproved sporting events are considered unjustified.  The code ‘E’ or 'G' will be used.

Addressing ‘Late’ Students

• Students and/or caregivers are required to sign in at the office with a reason for being late.

• Lateness is reviewed weekly by the Principal to identify students with frequent lateness.

• The school offers support to address any emerging barriers.

Celebrating Success

• All students who have been at school every day during the term will receive a chocolate bar and special mention at the last assembly for the term. 

• The attendance trophy is awarded at the fortnightly assemblies to the class with the highest/most improved attendance for that period.

• The Principal will acknowledge improved attendance with students and whanau.

Data Monitoring and Plan Review

• Attendance data is reviewed weekly by the Principal to identify students in the Irregular and Moderate absence categories.

• The Board receives a termly attendance report.

• This plan will be reviewed annually by the Board.

 Request for Extended Leave

Parents are asked to try and plan their family holidays during the set school holidays.  Requests for leave during the school term should be directed in writing to the Principal

principal@teresas.school.nz

This plan reflects St Teresa’s commitment to Faith, Justice, Love, and Humility. Every day matters for learning, belonging, and the wellbeing of our tamariki.