Central Hawke’s Bay College
to challenge, inspire and enable the potential of tomorrow, today…
Attendance Management Plan
Approval | Principal | Mr Lance Christiansen |
Board Presiding Member | Mrs Natasha Ellwood | |
Published | December 2025 | |
Effective Date | January 2026 | |
Review Date | Term 3 2026 | |
Legislation
As required by the Education and Training act 2020 (s 35) students between six and sixteen years old must be enrolled at school. Once enrolled, it is compulsory to attend school regularly.
The board takes all reasonable steps to ensure that all students enrolled at Central Hawke’s Bay College attend school when it is open for instruction (Education and Training act 2020 s 35)
Central Hawke’s Bay College recognises the importance of regular attendance to support student wellbeing, social development, help students achieve their full educational potential and reach positive lifelong outcomes.
Current Position
In April 2024, the Government announced a regular attendance target of 80% of students to be present for more than 90% of each term by 2030. This equates to no more than one day absent per fortnight.
Our key aim is to work with students and families to ensure that students attend regularly and do not fall behind with their learning.
We acknowledge that the school and home have a role to play with this and communication between both is essential.
Baseline Summary Data – Regular Attendance
Regular Attendance % | ||
2024 | 2025 | |
Term 1 | 52 | 58 |
Term 2 | 47 | 51 |
Term 3 | 43 | 48 |
Term 4 | 38 | 46 |
Full Year | 40 | 53 |
Stepped Attendance Response (STAR)
Regular / Good | Worring / Irregular | Concerning / Moderate | Serious / Chronic | |
Less than 5 days absence in a school term | Less than 10 days absence in a school term | Less than 15 days absence in a school term | 15 or more days absence in a school term | |
Academic Outcome | Good chance of success | Less chance of success | Hard to make progress | Very hard to make progress |
2024 (%) | 40 | 36 | 16 | 8 |
2025 (%) | 53 | 31 | 10 | 6 |
2026 Targets (%) | 58 | 29 | 8 | 5 |
Other 2026 Targets |
| |||
Escalation Response | Students will receive positive acknowledgement. | Parents will receive an email from the school expressing concern and proving an opportunity to make the school aware of current challenges that are preventing regular attendance. | Parents will be contacted by the Dean to discuss and address current challenges that are preventing regular attendance, support that may be required and ongoing monitoring. Other agencies may be enlisted to provide additional support. The student may not be able to participate in extracurricular and cocurricular activities until attendance improves. | Parents and students will be asked to meet with a member of the Senior Leadership Team to discuss and address the current challenges that are preventing regular attendance. In most cases, the Attendance Service will be notified. |
Attendance Policy and Management Procedures
The full attendance Policy is available in SchoolDocs – see school website for login details
At Central Hawke's Bay College, we recognise that regular attendance at school is crucial for student achievement. The board ensures we meet all legislative and regulatory requirements around student attendance, including recording, monitoring and following up absences and attendance concerns and analysing attendance.
Central Hawke’s Bay College takes all reasonable steps to ensure students attend school regularly and attendance is recorded accurately including follow up of unexplained absences.
Student attendance is recorded by staff on the student management system (KAMAR) each period. Irregularities are followed up.
Parents will be notified if the student is not at school.
An early notification system enables parents and caregivers who register their cell phone / email details with the school to be automatically notified by text / email directly to them. Parents and can access attendance data on the Student Management System (KAMAR) Parent Portal.
As attendance is a shared responsibility, our school communicates with parents / guardians / caregivers and students about attendance requirements and expectations. The school monitors attendance and updates students and parents regularly.
Parents have an obligation to -
- Understand the importance of regular student attendance
- Ensure that their child attends school every day unless there is a justified reason.
- Notify the school as soon as possible if the student is to be late or absent
- Arrange non-essential appointments out of school hours
- Communicate and work with the school to manage attendance concerns
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