Reporting an Absence

Absences should be notified by:

If you have not contacted the school by 9:20am we will text you to check on your child’s absence. If a child is late to school then the child must report to the office.

Stepped Attendance Response (STAR) or Attendance Management Plan

This Attendance Management Plan (protocol and process) for Stanmore Bay School is based on the Ministry of Education's Stepped Attendance Response (STAR) framework, which aims to ensure no student accumulates absences without an appropriate response. The Ministry of Education calls this whole framework the “Attendance Management Plan”.

The Ministry emphasises that Every Day Matters. Regular attendance builds a child's learning, positive daily habits, routines, and wellbeing. The national goal set by the government is for 80% of students to be present for more than 90% of the term by 2030.

Under the Education Act (2020), all enrolled students must attend school when it is open for instruction, unless there is a justified reason such as sickness or another equally serious situation. Parents/caregivers are responsible for their child's attendance.

Student Attendance Categories Student with Equivalent to
Good Attendance Regular Attendance Student with Over 90% attendance Equivalent to Missing fewer than 5 days across a term
Worrying Attendance Irregular Absence Student with More than 80% and up to 90% attendance Equivalent to Absent for between 5 and 9 days across a term
Concerning Attendance Moderate Absence Student with More than 70% and up to 80% attendance Equivalent to Absent for between 10 and 14.5 days across a term
Very Concerning Attendance Chronic Absence Student with 70% attendance or less Equivalent to Absent for 15 days or more across a school term

Detailed Attendance Impact and Action

The following table outlines the impact of non-attendance and the possible actions aligned with the Attendance Management Plan framework:

Good Attendance Regular Attendance Worrying Attendance Irregular Absence Concerning Attendance Moderate Absence Very Concerning Attendance Chronic Absence
Excellent Attendance
Best Chance of success		 Attendance concerns
Risk of reduced results		 Poor Attendance
Less chance of success		 Very poor attendance
Serious impact on results
More than 90% attendance 80%-89% attendance 70% - 79% attendance Less than 70% attendance
0-4 days absence per term 5-9 days absence per term 10-14 days absence per term 15+ days absence per term
Up to 16 missed school days per year.

Up to 1 year missed by 16.		 36 missed school days per year.

2 years missed by 16.		 56 missed school days per year.

3½ years missed by 16.		 80+ missed school days per year.

4+ years missed by 16.
No Action Required Possible Actions
Attendance letter sent.

Ongoing monitoring		 Possible Actions
Parents contacted.

Attendance Services Referral		 Possible Actions
School roll removal.

Referral to Northern Health School
Good Attendance Regular Attendance
Excellent Attendance – Best chance of success
More than 90% attendance
0-4 days absence per term
Up to 16 missed school days per year
Up to 1 year missed by 16
No Action Required
Worrying Attendance Irregular Absence
Attendance concerns – Risk of reduced results
80%-89% attendance
5-9 days absence per term
36 missed school days per year
2 years missed by 16
Possible Actions – Attendance letter sent
Ongoing monitoring
Concerning Attendance Moderate Absence
Poor Attendance – Less chance of success
70%-79% attendance
10-14 days absence per term
56 missed school days per year
3½ years missed by 16
Possible Actions – Parents contacted
Attendance Services Referral
Very Concerning Attendance Chronic Absence
Very poor attendance – Serious impact on results
Less than 70% attendance
15+ days absence per term
80+ missed school days per year
4+ years missed by 16
Possible Actions – School roll removal
Referral to Northern Health School

Download our Attendance Management Plan Here

Learn more