Attendance Policy

ATTENDANCE POLICY

ST PATRICK’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL

“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Rationale:

This policy embeds St Patrick’s commitment to promoting and supporting regular student attendance as essential for students|ākonga to engage fully in learning, develop social and emotional skills, and achieve their full potential. As such, the school commits to:

• The legal responsibility under the Education and Training Act 2020 (S 35, 36, 243, 244) that the school and parents/caregivers share the responsibility for ensuring students are enrolled and attend regularly.

• Harnessing the potential that school attendance has to achieve educational success.

• Fostering a sense of belonging, connection and stability for student wellbeing.

• Identifying and reducing inequities that contribute to irregular attendance for all students|ākonga.

• Monitoring and promptly addressing attendance issues.

• Upholding the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi by ensuring attendance support is culturally grounded and strengthens relationships with our Māori learners. 

• Keeping attendance procedures and records that uphold NZ law and ensures the safety of our students|ākonga.

Scope:

The policy applies to our students, staff, parents/caregivers and whānau and the board. 

 Policy:

St Patrick’s School will define expectations for attendance, and build and support capability throughout the school to meet school attendance expectations. The board:

• receives regular reports on attendance trends and interventions 

• holds governance oversight for the development, implementation and review of attendance related policies and procedures.

The board delegates to the principal the implementation of this policy through the development and maintenance of procedures. Procedures will: 

1. ensure the safety of all students

2. ensure there are clear guidelines for teachers and administration staff for recording attendance

3. embed that regular attendance is crucial for student’s learning and well-being

We will report to and engage our parents/caregivers and the wider school community on attendance at school. Wherever possible, we will promote how it benefits our students and their learning and offer support to parents/caregivers and whānau to meet their obligations for school attendance. 

Supporting Documents: 

• Procedures (below)

• Education and Training Act 2020 (Sections 35, 36, 243, 244 and S127)

• eTap guidelines

• STAR attendance flow chart 

• Attendance recording processes

Date reviewed: 28th May 2025

Procedures

General

1.     Student attendance will be recorded electronically twice a day using eTap. Morning attendance will be taken as
close to 9am as possible and not after 9.30am. Afternoon attendance will be taken immediately after lunch.

2.     Attendance will usually be recorded by the classroom teacher. There may be occasions where attendance is recorded by a relieving teacher. People who are not employed by St Patrick’s Catholic School may not record attendance, this includes students in the class.

3.     Relieving teachers will be supplied a paper-roll from the office

4.     For students who are absent, the classroom teacher will record the code for absence (see Code Guidelines on eTap) if the reason for the absence is definitely known. If the reason is not a known absence will be recorded as ‘?’.

5.     As appropriate, the classroom teacher or office staff will also record lateness to school and any authorised or unauthorised intermittent periods of absence during the school day, again using the appropriate code for the absence.

6.     Whenever possible, parents/caregivers will be encouraged to advise the school of an impending absence ahead of time. When this is not possible, then parents/caregivers will be asked to inform the school as soon as possible after the event (eg: by phone call on the day of a student’s illness or by note on the first day back).

7.     The following methods of explaining student absences, either before or after the event, will be accepted from parents/caregivers:

·   a phone call or voicemail

·   a face-to-face explanation

·   a note

·   a text message to the school mobile phone

·   an email message

8.     At 9.30am the office staff will use eTap to identify those students who are absent with no explanation (ie: those students who are recorded as ‘?’). The office staff will then contact the parent by phone or text message. If an explanation is received the office staff will the record the reason on eTap using the appropriate code.

9.  If the absence remains unexplained the teacher will attempt to obtain verbal or written explanation for the absence when the child returns to school. If an explanation is given, this will be recorded. If the absence remains unexplained after seven days, the absence code will automatically become ‘T’, meaning that the absence is recorded as ‘Truant’.

10.  There are times when an explanation will be given, but the reason is still an unjustified absence (‘E’ or ‘G’, Code).

11.  At least once a year the Principal will review the school’s attendance/absence statistics and, where there is concern, formulate a strategy to deal with the concern. The Principal will analyse the data in terms of gender, ethnicity, year levels etc. The Principal will report to the Board on these matters at least once a year

12.  A reminder notice about attendance requirements and absence protocols will be put in the school newsletter at least once a year.

13.   The school will abide by all legal requirements for roll audits and roll returns.

14.   In the case of a student who is engaged in learning that is taking place not under direct supervision of the school, the Principal will use his/her discretion to decide as to whether the student will be marked as present or absent from school. Each case will be taken on its merits.

Justified Absences

There are some absences, which may not be medical, but are still considered Justified Absences (Code ‘J’). These include:

·   Attending a tangi or funeral

·   Visiting an ill relative

·   Bus or car breakdown, accident or road closure on the way to school

·   National or local representation in a sporting, religious or cultural event

·   An extreme weather event

·   Exceptional family circumstances

Unjustified Absences

An Unjustified Absence (Code ‘E’, ‘G’ – Explained but Unjustified) is an absence that has been explained to the school but does not fit within the school’s policy as a Justified Absence. These include:

·   A family holiday within NZ or overseas

·   Staying home to look after younger siblings

·   Attending a concert, show or sports game (as audience)

·   Having a day at home to spend time with the parent

Date reviewed: 28th May 2025