SCHOOL INFORMATION

Absences need to be rung through each morning on (09) 406 8830

These  can also come through via email to office@waiharara.school.nz 

Please notify the school (and advise the bus driver) if a child is to be absent. This allows the school to know that your child is safe. The school endeavours to contact parents/caregivers over un-notified absentees as a matter of standard procedure.

Parents occasionally ask to have children away from school for important or urgent family business. Parents are trusted to use their discretion and common sense regarding absenting their children from school.

WAIHĀRARA SCHOOL

Attendance Framework / Te Anga Haerenga ā-Kura

Board-approved framework for prevention, response, monitoring, and review of student attendance

At Waihārara School, attendance is about more than being present - it is about belonging, connection, hauora, and giving our tamariki every opportunity to thrive. We work in partnership with whānau, upholding mana, strengthening relationships, and supporting each child’s success.

This framework outlines how we identify, investigate, respond to, monitor, and review attendance patterns in a way that is respectful, proactive, and grounded in our kura values. It has regard to the Ministry of Education Attendance Management Plan requirements and the Stepped Attendance Response (STAR).

Attendance Targets and Strategic Goals

• The Board sets an annual school attendance target that at least 75% of students will attend regularly (more than 90% attendance each term), with steady improvement each year toward the Government target of 80% regular attendance by 2030.

• The Board also expects 100% of unexplained absences to be followed up on the same day and all required attendance response actions at 5, 10, and 15 days absence in a term to be recorded in the school SMS.

• Attendance improvement is part of our wider strategic intent to strengthen engagement, wellbeing, and achievement through strong whanaungatanga, early intervention, equitable support, and consistent school-home partnerships.

• Board Commitment and Governance Responsibilities

• The Board will investigate and respond, in line with this Attendance Management Plan, and record actions taken in relation to absences.

• The Board delegates day-to-day implementation to the principal and authorised staff, while receiving regular attendance reports, reviewing progress against targets, and ensuring adequate resourcing for support and intervention.

• Where attendance patterns raise concern, the kura will maintain accurate records of contact, support offered, plans agreed, referrals made, and outcomes reviewed.

• Process to Identify and Respond to Absences

• Attendance is recorded every morning and afternoon in the school SMS using the Ministry of Education attendance codes.

• Unexplained absences are checked promptly. The kura will attempt same-day contact with whānau by text, phone, app message, or kanohi ki te kanohi where appropriate.

• Where no explanation is received, the absence is coded according to Ministry guidance and followed up by school staff. Patterns of lateness, frequent short absences, repeated Friday or Monday absences, or intermittent attendance may trigger a response even before a threshold is reached.

• All actions, communications, supports, and next steps are recorded in the SMS so the school and Board can monitor follow-up and progress.

• Attendance Thresholds, Actions, and Interventions

Days absent in a term

Attendance picture

Response focus

Strategies, actions, and interventions

0-4 days

Regular / emerging concern

Prevention and encouragement

Celebrate attendance, reinforce routines, maintain positive contact with whānau, and notice any early patterns.

5 days

Threshold 1

Early intervention

Same-term check-in with whānau; discuss reasons for absence; identify barriers; agree practical supports; record response activity in SMS.

10 days

Threshold 2

Targeted support

Hui with whānau and student; analyse patterns and causes; create an Attendance & Engagement Plan with short goals, responsibilities, and review dates; record response activity in SMS.

15 or more days

Threshold 3 / chronic concern

Intensive response

Senior leadership oversight; review and strengthen the plan; involve agencies or Attendance Services where needed; maintain regular follow-up; record response activity in SMS and monitor weekly.

Students may move to a higher level of response earlier where patterns indicate concern, even if the numerical threshold has not yet been reached.

🟢 TIER 1 - Regular Attendance (90-100% / usually 0-4 days absent in a term)

Tamariki are consistently engaged, settled, and connected.

What we notice:

• Strong learning progress

• Positive social relationships

• Good routines and readiness for learning

Our Waihārara approach:

• Celebrate and acknowledge regular attendance

• Strengthen whanaungatanga between home and school

• Keep communication open and supportive

We do this by:

• Regular check-ins with tamariki and whānau

• Positive notes home, app updates, or in-person kōrero

• Reinforcing the value of turning up, trying hard, and enjoying learning

• 
  

• 🟡 TIER 2 - At-Risk Attendance (around 80-89% / about 5-9 days absent in a term)

Early signs that attendance is slipping - time for gentle, supportive connection.

What we notice:

• Increasing absences

• Some disruptions to learning routines

Our Waihārara approach:

• Early intervention that is kind, relational, and non-judgemental

• Work alongside whānau to understand barriers

We do this by:

• A friendly phone call or kanohi ki te kanohi kōrero

• Checking in on hauora and any needs at home

• Offering support with routines, transport, uniform, kai, or other pressures

• Monitoring attendance and celebrating improvements

• 
  

• 🟠 TIER 3 - Moderate Chronic Absence (around 70-79% / about 10-14 days absent in a term)

Attendance patterns are impacting learning and wellbeing - we wrap more support around the whānau.

What we notice:

• Missed learning building up

• Tamariki finding it harder to settle or maintain progress

Our Waihārara approach:

• A strengths-based, problem-solving partnership

• Work with whānau to create a simple, practical Attendance & Engagement Plan

We do this by:

• Hui with whānau to listen, understand, and remove barriers

• Co-designed attendance plan with short-term goals, supports, and follow-up dates

• Regular check-ins with whānau and tamariki

• Engagement of additional support if helpful, such as Mana Ake, RTLB, social services, iwi support, or health services

• 
  

• 🔴 TIER 4 - Severe Chronic Absence (below 70% / 15 or more days absent in a term)

Strong concerns for learning, hauora, and long-term outcomes - intensive, sustained support.

What we notice:

• Significant and ongoing absences

• Tamariki at risk of serious learning gaps or disengagement

Our Waihārara approach:

• High levels of pastoral support with whānau at the centre

• Collaborative, interagency approach

We do this by:

• Comprehensive Attendance & Engagement Plan

• Regular hui including whānau, senior leadership, and support agencies

• Active work to rebuild connections, re-establish routines, and support hauora

• Referral to external Attendance Services if needed, usually after school-based responses have been tried and always with whānau involvement where possible

• 
  

• Identifying and Responding to Attendance Barriers

• When attendance drops, the kura will seek to understand the underlying causes rather than make assumptions. Barriers may include illness, anxiety, bereavement, housing instability, transport issues, financial pressure, family circumstances, learning needs, bullying concerns, or disconnection from school.

• Staff will gather information respectfully through kōrero with the student and whānau, review attendance patterns, and consider pastoral, learning, health, and cultural factors.

• Responses will be tailored to need and may include practical supports, changes to routines, wellbeing support, learning support, cultural reconnection, mentoring, agency referrals, or transition planning.

• 
  

• Monitoring, Measuring Progress, and Reporting

• Attendance data will be reviewed weekly by school leadership to identify trends, students nearing thresholds, unexplained absences, and the impact of interventions.

• Progress measures will include the percentage of students attending regularly each term, the number of students reaching 5, 10, and 15 days absence in a term, rates of unexplained absence, and progress for individual students on Attendance & Engagement Plans.

• The principal will report attendance trends and progress against school and government targets to the Board at least once each term. The Board will use this information to review resourcing, policy implementation, and strategic priorities.

• 
  

• Review of this Attendance Management Plan

• This plan will be formally reviewed by the Board at least annually, and earlier if data, practice, or Ministry requirements indicate change is needed.

• The review will consider attendance data, threshold response records, whānau and staff feedback, the effectiveness of interventions, and alignment with current Ministry guidance.

• Any amendments will be approved by the Board, communicated to staff and whānau, and updated in the published version of the plan.

• 
  

• Our Commitment as a Kura

• We honour mana and uphold the dignity of every whānau.

• We communicate with compassion, patience, and understanding.

• We work in partnership - never placing blame.

• We celebrate every improvement, big or small.

Do you have to pay a school donation NZ?

Schools may ask parents or caregivers for donations, which are voluntary contributions to help with running the school. It is not compulsory to pay donations. Our kura does not ask whānau to pay fees.

We are part of the Books in Homes programme.  Children receive a brochure once a term and bring it home so that you can help your child select free books that they can keep at home.  These usually arrive near the end of each term and are given out at special book promoting assemblies.  Often special role models come to assembly to give them out.

These have included children’s authors and top New Zealand athletes.  We also invite local role models who promote a love of reading.  You can support this programme by spending time helping your child select good quality books and then reading them with them when they come home.

Extend this interest by taking them to the local library and role modelling by letting them see you reading too.

Duffy Books also provides gift books for ‘caught being good’.  These are given out fortnightly as part of our positive behaviour management.  Books for younger siblings’ birthdays and parent & grandparent promotions are also given out.

Learning Behaviour

Students and Staff enjoy great respectful, relationships at Waihārara, so it is very rare for behaviour ‘management’ strategies to be required but when it is, we take a proactive approach to behaviour management and the principles of Tika, Pono and Aroha underpin our behaviour management decisions. Students are expected to follow the schools safety and learning rules, treat others with respect and concern and on the rare occasion a problem does arise students are guided by the teacher to take responsibility for restoring the damage caused to people or property.

If your child has a problem at school that is causing concern you will be notified either by telephone or with a written notification. If behaviour that interferes with learning or safety continues or an incident causes major concern you will be asked to come to school.  We aim to work with whanau to resolve problems and willingly provide access to further services if you feel the need for greater support.

If your child has had their safety or learning compromised by someone else’s actions then we will contact you.  If for some reason you are not contacted and are aware of a problem then please contact the classroom teacher as quickly as possible.

At Waiharara School we define bullying as: To hurt or frighten or threaten someone, physically or emotionally, e.g, teasing, name calling, leaving others out intentionally, punching, kicking, yelling at, intimidating, spreading untrue stories, threatening to do things, are all examples of bullying, it is often persistent, repeated.

We will provide programmes which promote self-esteem, strong mental health and foster resiliency through the school health programme and the daily expectations at the school.  Students will have the opportunity to investigate bullying and strategies for dealing with bullying in specific programmes from time to time and as the need arises.

Concerns and Complaints
From time to time, parents and whānau may have concerns they wish to raise with the kura. At Waihārara School, we welcome the opportunity to hear these early so we can respond promptly, support strong relationships, and resolve small issues before they grow. We also see concerns as a chance to improve what we do for our tamariki.

Step 1: Talk with the right person first
Please raise your concern with the classroom teacher or the staff member involved in the first instance. Many matters can be sorted reasonably and fairly through open, respectful discussion.

Step 2: Contact the Tumuaki - Principal
If your concern is not resolved, or you feel you need further support, please contact the Tumuaki - Principal to arrange a time to meet.

Please make an appointment
To protect teaching and learning time (and the wellbeing of our tamariki), concerns must be discussed outside of class time. It is not appropriate to raise concerns in classrooms or in front of students.

If it is a complaint
If you consider the matter to be a complaint, the same steps apply. If it is still unresolved, the next step is to submit a written complaint. A copy of the kura’s complaints policy is available from the school office on request.

Respectful and safe communication
We understand that concerns and complaints can feel upsetting, especially when information is unclear or emotions are high. We expect all communication with kura staff to be respectful and safe at all times — including on school grounds, during home visits, at off-site meetings, and through phone calls, texts, emails, or social media. Any abusive, threatening, or intimidating behaviour toward staff, tamariki, or whānau will be treated seriously and may be referred to Police as part of our commitment to a safe kura environment.

Milk and Fruit in School 

Our school is fortunate to be part of both the Fonterra Milk in Schools project and the Fruit in Schools project.  This means your child will have access to fresh fruit and milk daily at school.  The Kick start Breakfast programme began in 2017.

Waihārara School promotes healthy eating and we are a water only school and filtered, chilled water is available to your child all day.

School Lunches and Snacks 

Waihārara School is part of the Ka Ora, Ka Ako programme which aims to reduce food insecurity. This means we provide a healthy, nutritious lunch every day. The name Ka Ora, Ka Ako is about being healthy and well in order to be in a good place to learn.

We have our own pool on site. 

Weather permitting; the pool is open in Term 1 and Term 4.  Children have the opportunity to swim daily during these school terms and lessons with a  qualified swim coach can be included in the curriculum programme. 

Students must wear appropriate swim wear and bring a towel daily during the swimming terms.

The school operates a free bus from within the local area.  Please advise the school if this service is required so that times and collection points can be organised.  

There are designated spots where the students can be picked up.  The bus delivers and collects students to and from our school gate.  

We have high expectations of behaviour on these buses and all students and their parents are expected to agree to and students are expected to comply with these expectations at all times as a condition of travel.  

A bus behaviour contract is provided for all students to discuss with their parents and sign when enrolling. If you are unsure whether transport can be provided from where you live, please contact us we are only too happy to help.

Please note that, unless the school receives a note or phone call notifying any change of travel plans by 12.00 pm. Your child will be dropped off at their normal stop.

We also run a school van. If your child is not on the school bus route we may be able to help with transport. Please enquire when enrolling.