Attendance Management Plan

 

St Gerard’s School – Attendance Matters

From the Principal and Board of Trustees
At St Gerard’s School, Alexandra, we are committed to ensuring every child feels a strong sense of belonging and has the very best start in their learning journey. A key part of this is regular school attendance, and we see this as a shared responsibility—one we work on together in partnership with our whānau.
You may have heard about the Government’s goal of 80% of students attending school regularly (that is, more than 90% of the time). While this may sound like a large target, it reflects a simple and important belief: every day matters. 

Missing just one week of school each term can add up to a full year of lost learning by the time a child turns 16. Regular attendance supports not only academic progress, but also friendships, confidence, faith development, and overall well-being. This also affects academic success.
Over the past few years, we have communicated that when a child’s attendance falls below 80%, they will be expected to be at school during times when there may otherwise be opportunities to be offsite or engaged in alternative activities. This is because we believe these learning opportunities are especially important for students needing to strengthen consistency and connection.

 
Our 2026 Attendance Approach – Working Together
We have updated our Attendance Management Plan to ensure we support our students and families in a positive, proactive way. We understand that life happens—illness, bereavement, and health needs are valid and important reasons to be at home. Our approach is not about creating pressure, but about offering support when absences begin to impact learning.

How we will work in partnership:                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Communication                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Please let the school know before 9:15am if your child will be absent.
Follow-up: If we haven’t heard from you, we will make contact to ensure everything is okay and to record the absence correctly.
Early support: If a child is absent for more than 5 days in a term, we will reach out to you. This is not about blame, but about understanding and working together to support a return to regular attendance.  

Keeping Track
Whānau can monitor attendance at any time through the HERO app, where the “attendance doughnut” provides a clear snapshot of your child’s attendance percentage.

Our Commitment
As a Catholic school, our approach is grounded in care, respect, and manaakitanga. We are committed to maintaining positive, respectful relationships and working alongside our families to achieve the best outcomes for every child.
The Board of Trustees and Principal take seriously our responsibility to meet all legislative requirements under the Education and Training Act 2020, while ensuring our approach remains supportive, inclusive, and centred on the wellbeing of our tamariki.

Working Together for Success
Regular attendance is vital for learning, but it is also about connection—to peers, teachers, and our faith community. By working together, we can ensure that every child at St Gerard’s is given the opportunity to thrive.
Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership.

Attendance Management Plan