School Attendance Rises to 61.7% in Term One, Shows Steady Improvement

Regular attendance pre-COVID in 2019 was 72.8 per cent, and the Government aims to ensure that 80 per cent of students are present for more than 90 per cent of the time by 2030.

School attendance data released today indicates an increase in the number of students regularly attending school, reaching 61.7 per cent in term one. This is an improvement from 59.5 per cent in term one of the previous year and 53.6 per cent in term four.

“It is encouraging to see more children attending school and a slight reduction in chronic absences as we progress toward our 80 per cent target,” said Associate Education Minister David Seymour.

“We face a truancy crisis nationwide, and attendance data helps highlight this issue.

"We understand that there are significant challenges preventing some students from regular attendance, often beyond their control. The Government is investigating the causes of truancy with an attendance action plan to assist families in getting students back to school.

“For schools, this means diligently following up on all student absences, especially those that are unexplained or unjustified.

“The data published today is available much more quickly than it was under the previous Government. Alongside our weekly publication of daily data, this transparency is part of our approach to inform and trust the public.

"The data also shows positive trends, such as Cyclone Gabrielle-impacted Hawke's Bay-Tairāwhiti leading with the largest increase, up 9.7 per cent to 59.0 per cent. Regular attendance rates for ākonga Māori and Pacific students have also increased by 2.5 and 3.0 percentage points, respectively.”

Regular attendance pre-COVID in 2019 was 72.8 per cent, and the Government aims to ensure that 80 per cent of students are present for more than 90 per cent of the time by 2030.

“School attendance is a challenge for all New Zealanders, and I am optimistic about continuing this upward trend,” Seymour added.