Keep your kids at school

Every single day counts towards your child’s learning at secondary school and gives your child the best chance to gain qualifications.

■ Does my child have to go to school every day?

Yes, if your child is under 17 years old they must go to school every day. Under the Education Act 1989, parents and carers of children between 6 and 16 years old can be prosecuted if their child is away from school without a good reason.

■ Why do they need to go every day?

Attending school every day is just as important at secondary school as it was at primary school.

The first two years of secondary school prepare your child for the NCEA years, so going to school regularly right from the start is important so they don’t miss any of this learning.

Once your child reaches Year 11 — formerly the fifth form — they begin NCEA. They will have an NCEA assessment about once a week and sometimes more often. Many NCEA assessments take place in class time, so if your child is away they will miss out on important NCEA work. For subjects with external examinations, it is crucial that students attend every day because the exams test their knowledge about what has been taught.

Going to school every day also sets your child up with good life skills like having a good work ethic, being reliable, commitment.

■ What if my child needs to be away from school?

Sometimes your child may need to be away from school because they are too sick to attend, have an appointment or need to be at a tangi or funeral.

If your child is going to be away from school you should let the school know as soon as possible. Check what your school’s process is for letting them know about absences. If your child is going to be away for several days, talk to their teacher about getting some work to do while they are away.

■ Can I take my child out of school during term time to go on holiday?

No, a holiday is not a good enough reason to take your child out of school, so holidays should be planned outside of term time. Events like a birthday or a special day’s shopping aren’t considered valid reasons either.

■ What if my child is often sick?

If your child misses a lot of school because of a serious illness you may be able to get help from a regional health school. The teachers in the country’s three regional health schools service the whole country and work with children at home and in hospital.

■ Does my child have to attend religious teaching or sex education at school?

No, you can ask for your child to be exempt from religious teaching or sex education if you wish.

■ Can my child go to school part-time?

In general, no. In some situations a student who is 17 or older may attend on a part-time basis but this is very unusual. This decision is up to the individual school so you need to contact the principal to talk about this.

■ Are there any situations where my child does not have to be enrolled in a school?

In special circumstances a student who is 15 may be given permission to no longer attend school — this is called an Early Leaving Exemption.

You need to contact your local Ministry of Education office to discuss your child’s case for exemption. They will talk to you about the reasons why you want to do this, the process involved, and can give you an application form to fill out and return. They consider any problems with your child’s learning and behaviour and whether they are likely to get any benefit from remaining in school.

■ What if my child refuses to go to school?

First you should talk to your child about why they don’t want to go to school. It’s probably a sign that they’re having a problem, like:

• they’re having difficulty with their school work

• there is a problem with other children at school

• there’s an issue with a teacher

• bullying

• boredom

• a family situation

• a health issue

• drug and alcohol use

• a mental health issue

• a social or behavioural issue. Make an appointment to talk to their class or form teacher or dean. They will have some good ideas to help, and you’ll be able to work together to help your child before it turns into a truancy problem. They can also refer you on to other organisations if the problem is not related to school.

If you have a really serious concern about a teacher or other staff member, or suspect your child is in danger you can contact the Ministry of Education, the Education Council or the New Zealand Police directly.

■ What can I do to help my child go to school

• Expect them to go to school every day — don’t accept excuses, or let them stay at home unless they are too sick to be at school.

• Talk to your teenager about why it is important to go to school regularly and encourage them to give themselves a fair chance to achieve. Let them know they are more likely to do well if they go to school each day.

• Help them get to school on time by waking them early enough, having a morning routine and making sure their transport is reliable.

• Get to know the form teacher and dean at the start of the school year — it will make it easier to talk to them if an issue arises.

• Find out how the school manages attendance. What time does your child have to be at school? What happens if they are late? How should you let the school know if your child is going to be away?

• Check often that your child is in fact attending class

• If you have any concerns about their attendance, talk to the school earlier rather than later — don’t wait until the end of the term or year when it’s too late and their non-attendance has started to have an impact on their learning

• If your child needs to be away, check with the school on how they can catch up on work missed.