Children are legally required to be enrolled at and regularly attend school between the ages of six and sixteen. If this doesn’t happen then parents, caregivers, whanau, whoever is ultimately responsible for that child can be prosecuted.

All children in New Zealand, except foreign students, are entitled to attend school free from their fifth birthday.

If your child is absent on any given day, where possible you should let the school know. This is especially important where a school operates a system for checking that their students arrive at school safely.

You can do this by phoning the school office and telling them your child’s name, classroom name or number and why they are absent. Some schools may have an automated process for reporting absences.

It’s also helpful for the school if you follow this up with a note stating the same things when your child returns to school.