Attendance & Absences
Absences
Absence Procedure
There is a dedicated message line on our telephone system for absences. Please telephone 489 3823 and press 1, or email absences@taieri.school.nz
If you are leaving a message on our automated service, please provide a reason for the absence. The MOE has a coding system for absences and any absences that are unexplained must be coded as truant. If any parent/caregiver leaves a message that simply says that their child won’t be in without any reason this will need to be coded as truant. Please give a specific reason for your child’s absence.
Attendance
STAR (Stepped Attendance Response) Attendance
The government has defined regular attendance as being at school 90% of the time. Their goal is to have 80% of all students attending school regularly. Their definition of school attendance is outlined in the diagram below:
In response to the government's requirements, Taieri College has implemented a “Stepped Attendance Response.” The following is a brief overview of what parents/ whānau can expect from the college regarding student absence.
For Medical Absences eg. illness, injury etc.:
· After 5 days of medical absence during a term, form teachers will contact home to offer support.
· After 10 days of medical absence during a term, the dean will make contact requesting a medical certificate, if we do not already have one.
· After 15 days' absence per term, the dean will make contact again, and unless there is a medical certificate, the absence will be recorded as “truant”.
· At more than 15 days of absence per term, an outside agency will be informed (Otago Youth Wellness Trust) and a referral made.
For general absences eg. any absence from school that isn’t medical:
· After 5-9 days of absence over a term, the dean will touch base to offer support.
· After 10 days' absence, the dean will ask parents/whanau to come in for a meeting.
· After 15 days' absence, the dean will make contact again and offer Otago Youth Wellness Trust (OYWT) as support.
· After more than 15 days' absence, the dean contacts OYWT for parents/ whānau support
For more information about what the descriptions for the codes mean, click on the links below