No child left behind

School leadership, boards, parents and the Ministry of Education all play key roles in supporting students to attend school – and addressing absence when it occurs. Lifting school attendance is our shared responsibility.

The STAR has been developed in line with the good practice identified in Education Review Office (ERO) evaluations and school indicators.

We know that school leadership, board stewardship, quality teaching, and educationally powerful connections will influence positive school attendance.

This year the Ministry of Education will work closely with schools to develop and implement attendance management plans.

Plans will use the STAR and be tailored to meet the needs of each school community. Regulations relating to these plans will be progressed this year to come into effect for the start of Term 1 2026.

The STAR will continue to be improved as we learn from schools about what works best.

Why the STAR and what it means

The percentage of students attending regularly is very low in New Zealand compared to many other countries. Lifting school attendance is crucial for future success.

The STAR:

• sets the direction so that no student will be left to accumulate absences without an appropriate response to return them to regular attendance
• will help us achieve the Government’s target of 80% of students present for 90% of the term by 2030
• tells us what should happen when students do not attend school.

It sets clear expectations that school attendance is a priority, and that:

• parents will participate in the supports offered, and work with the school, the Ministry and other agencies where required, to return children to regular attendance
• schools and the Ministry of Education will take action when student absence is a concern
• students will understand why attendance is important, and that their parents, teachers and leaders will support them to be at school and learning.

The STAR helps us all to understand what should happen when students do not attend school.

Under the STAR framework, any student who reaches a clearly defined threshold of days absent will trigger an appropriate and proportionate response from their school and the Ministry.

Activities can include the prosecution of parents for absences if appropriate support is offered and not taken up.

The most important part will be, how schools use this direction to develop their own school specific response to attendance.

The Ministry will not prosecute parents of students who are absent because of chronic illness or health conditions associated with a disability, or who are genuinely engaging with a school and the supports offered.

This page will be regularly updated.

Supporting resources

The following resources have been developed to help schools to embed the STAR in their practice.