North Canterbury schools are reporting strong student attendance rates, despite the winter ills. 

School attendance has became an easy target for politicians seeking headlines, but schools across North Canterbury say school attendance rates are continuing to improve. Rangiora High School board of trustees presiding members Simon Green said Canterbury schools started term two strongly, with attendance dropping only slightly as the term progressed. 

‘‘Even so, levels of student attendance in Canterbury remains well above the national average, showing our community’s commitment to keeping students in class despite challenges.’’ 

Rangiora High School principal Bruce Kearney said he has seen a significant improvement in school attendance compared to the first two terms last year. 

The Ministry of Education has a target of 80 percent of students attending school 90% of the time (regular attendance). 

Mr Kearney said the target is ‘‘aspirational’’, but not realistic. He said his students’ attendance was similar to the national average of 65% attending regularly in term one, with attendance dropping slightly in term two. 

‘‘On any given day we would have 85% of students at school and we have 80-85% who are at school 80% of the time,’’ Mr Kearney said. 

‘‘We are focusing on outcomes for our students. We know attendance effects our students so we don’t mind an aspiration goal, but we don’t shift attendance by threatening parents with prosecution. 

‘‘We shift it by finding out why they are not at school.’’ Mr Kearney said the main reason for non-attendance is sickness, as parents have become more vigilant since Covid at keeping children at home when they are unwell. 

To achieve 90% attendance means a student can only be away from school for five days or less in a term, and studying (working) from home does not count. 

Amuri Area School principal Matt Barlow said attendance during term two was on a par with last year. He said term three is always a challenge with no long weekends or public holidays.

‘‘The old 10-weeker is a long haul, so we’ve just got to hunker down. We try and get a few extra-curricula activities in to break it up a bit.’’ 

Senior students will also be sitting NCEA mock exams in week eight. Kaiapoi High School principal Jason Reid said attendance has improved compared to last year, with 8% more students achieving regular attendance, while 26% less students are on the chronic attendance (below 70%) list. 

‘‘The message I’m constantly pushing out is 80% may be a good grade, but it means you are on average missing a day a week.’’ 

Mr Reid said chronic attendance is managed by tutor teachers (the old form teachers) engaging directly with families and escalating to senior staff or outside agencies when needed. 

Last month, Associate Education Minister David Seymour said attendance numbers were improving across the country.

‘‘While there’s more work to be done, these numbers are another step in the right direction to achieving the Government’s goal of ensuring 80 per cent of students are present more than 90 per cent of the term by 2030.’’ 

Budget 2025 included a $140 million package to improve attendance over the next four years. 

Mr Seymour said prosecution remained an option ‘‘for parents who refuse to send their children to school and ignore supports to ensure their children are in class and learning’’. 

- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

Home Page | Auckland | Previous Story | Next Story

Copyright (c) Scoop Media