School Attendance Rates Show Positive Growth in 2024, But Challenges Remain

Associate Education Minister David Seymour reports significant progress in student attendance rates, with a 5.3 percentage point increase from the previous year, but emphasizes that more work is needed.

In Term 3 of 2024, 51.3% of students attended school regularly, showing a notable improvement of 5.3 percentage points compared to 46% in the same term of 2023. Associate Education Minister David Seymour highlighted that the increase in attendance is a result of the Government's commitment to prioritizing student attendance.

“This Government has made improving student attendance a priority, and we are seeing the positive effects of this focus. Every term in 2024 has had higher attendance rates compared to the same periods in 2023,” said Mr Seymour. “These numbers represent progress, but we know there is still much more work to be done.”

All education regions saw an increase in regular attendance, with the Central and East Auckland regions experiencing the largest increases. Central and East Auckland saw a 7.1 percentage point rise, while North and West Auckland saw an increase of 6.9 percentage points compared to Term 3, 2023.

“Improving education outcomes for all children, regardless of socio-economic background, location, or ethnicity, is essential. Ensuring that children attend school is one of the most important things we can do for their future,” Mr Seymour said.

Focus on Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Schools

Attendance in schools serving students from more disadvantaged backgrounds also showed significant improvements. For example, schools in the “More Barriers” equity index group, which face greater socio-economic challenges, saw an increase of 4.7 percentage points in regular attendance. This brings the attendance rate from 33.9% in Term 3, 2023, to 38.6% in 2024, representing 7,477 additional students attending school regularly.

“I’m particularly encouraged by the increases in attendance at schools facing the most barriers,” Seymour said. “This shows that our targeted efforts to support these schools are working, and I hope to see these trends continue.”

Supporting Continued Improvement

The STAR (School Targeted Attendance Response) initiative, which encourages schools to identify reasons for student absences and develop strategies to support students back to school, is a key part of this success. From Term 1, 2026, schools will be required to implement this approach, though those not already using similar strategies are encouraged to begin sooner.

“Schools that are not already taking a similar approach will have the support of the Ministry and access to toolkits to implement these changes starting next year,” Mr Seymour added.

Improved Attendance Among Māori and Pacific Students

The attendance rates for Māori and Pacific students have also risen significantly. Māori students saw an increase of 3.7 percentage points, while Pacific students experienced an increase of 5.5 percentage points in regular attendance compared to Term 3, 2023.

Attendance among Asian and European/Pākehā students also improved, with increases of 5.9 and 4.9 percentage points, respectively.

Aiming for 80% Target by 2030

Seymour reiterated the Government’s goal of ensuring 80% of students are present more than 90% of the time by 2030. He believes that these small but steady improvements in attendance are crucial steps towards meeting that target.

“If we continue to make consistent progress like this, we’ll be on track to achieve our 2030 goal,” he concluded. “Every small step counts toward ensuring all Kiwi children have the opportunity for a bright future.”