Attendance

Attendance Management Plan

Supporting Regular Attendance at Pinehaven School

Regular school attendance is one of the most effective ways we set our students up for success, helping them build positive routines, strengthen core skills, and feel connected to their community. Every day matters; missing just one day every fortnight can result in four weeks of lost learning over a year.

Our current regular attendance is 87%, and our target is to maintain this at a minimum of 85% through 2026. This aligns with our commitment to the government’s 2030 goal of having 80% of students attending at least 90% of the term.

Daily Procedures

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of our students, we follow a consistent daily monitoring process:

Morning & Afternoon Rolls: Teachers take the roll shortly after 9:00 am and 1:30 pm.
Reporting Absences: Parents are asked to notify the school via HERO, phone, or email before 9:00 am with a reason for the absence.
Daily Follow-ups: Between 9:00 am and 9:30 am, our office staff review unexplained absences. Phone contact for any student marked as absent without explanation begins from 9:15 am onwards.

Our Stepped Attendance Response (STAR)

We use the STAR framework to provide early and respectful support when attendance concerns arise. This approach uses thresholds to identify when additional support may be needed:

Key Reminders for Whānau

Medical Absences: A medical certificate is required for absences of three days or more.
Family Holidays: We encourage families to plan holidays during the designated school breaks. Absences for holidays during term time are recorded as unjustified. If your child will be absent for more than five school days, please discuss this with the Principal in advance.
Transparency: All attendance actions are recorded in HERO, and whānau are kept informed through weekly updates and termly summaries.

Our goal is to work in partnership with you to remove barriers and support your child’s return to regular attendance. If you have any concerns regarding your child’s attendance, please reach out to their teacher or the principal.