Storms Impact School Attendance as Dashboard Reveals Term 2 Regional Trends

According to the dashboard, the national average school attendance for the first week of Term 2 stood at 87.1 per cent.

New Zealand’s Associate Education Minister, David Seymour, has shared new insights from the country’s recently launched daily school attendance dashboard, revealing not only regional patterns in student attendance for the first week of Term 2 but also the profound impact of weather disruptions. The data provides a more immediate, transparent, and actionable picture of nationwide student attendance, empowering educators, communities, and government officials to respond more effectively to attendance issues.

Attendance Snapshot: Week 1 of Term 2

According to the dashboard, the national average school attendance for the first week of Term 2 stood at 87.1 per cent. This represents a positive step in the right direction compared to previous years, though still falls short of the Government’s long-term goal.

The newly implemented system, launched at the start of 2024, facilitates daily recording and publication of attendance data, marking a significant shift from the previous model which operated on delayed reporting. Seymour emphasized the importance of this transformation, saying, “Thanks to the daily data, we can finally start to see trends in attendance as they occur.”

Weather Takes a Toll in Southern Regions

The data also highlights the effect of a storm system that swept across the country in the latter half of the week. In particular, Canterbury and the Chatham Islands began the week strong with a combined attendance of 90.2 per cent on Monday and Tuesday. However, as stormy weather intensified mid-week, attendance dropped significantly to 76.9 per cent on Thursday.

“This clearly shows how environmental factors can abruptly impact student turnout,” Seymour noted. “I expect attendance to increase again with better forecasts next week.”

Regional Standouts: Otago and Nelson Lead

Among the bright spots in the data were the Otago and Nelson regions, which posted the highest attendance figures on the first day of term. Otago students led the way with 91.7 per cent attendance, closely followed by Nelson at 91.5 per cent.

“These are encouraging signs,” Seymour said, praising the enthusiasm of students in these areas to return to their classrooms. “Green shoots are present, and we need to keep building on them.”

Minister's Call to Community Leaders

During the school holidays, Minister Seymour sent letters to mayors across the country, urging them to monitor and promote their region’s attendance statistics. Importantly, he made it clear that he was not asking for increased funding or bureaucracy.

“My letter didn't ask them to spend money, or hire more bureaucrats, or make more rules. All it asked was for community leaders to play a positive role encouraging young people to get to school,” Seymour said.

The Path Ahead: Targets and STAR Implementation

Despite recent improvements, Seymour acknowledged that significant work remains to meet the Government’s attendance goal: 80 per cent of students present for more than 90 per cent of the term. To achieve this, daily attendance rates of around 94 per cent are necessary—levels that no region met during week 1 of Term 2.

To support this target, Seymour reaffirmed that by Term 1 of 2026, all schools will be required to have an attendance management plan, such as the Government’s flagship Stepped Attendance Response (STAR) program.

“The basic premise of STAR is that no child is left behind,” he said. “Every day at school is important, and interventions will follow if absences build up. This could mean consequences for the most uncooperative parents.”

As of now, 67 per cent of schools have already engaged in some form of the STAR framework, signaling momentum toward widespread implementation.

Why Attendance Matters: Long-Term Impact

Seymour closed his remarks by reinforcing the critical link between school attendance and life outcomes.

“Attending school is the first step towards achieving positive educational outcomes,” he said. “Positive educational outcomes lead to better health, higher incomes, better job stability and greater participation within communities. These are opportunities that every student deserves.”

With real-time data now available and targeted community and governmental efforts underway, the education sector is better equipped than ever to address absenteeism and pave the way for improved student success.