It may have been a day off for Orewa College students with a Teachers Only day, but the rest of the country got a wake-up call.

Associate Education Minister David Seymour has confirmed the Government will take a much tougher stance on school attendance—including prosecuting parents who repeatedly refuse to send their kids to class.

Under new measures announced this week, the Ministry of Education is actively working with schools and Attendance Service providers to identify families where persistent non-attendance is an issue.

If parents ignore support systems and fail to engage, the Ministry won’t hesitate to take legal action.

“Prosecution is a reality for parents who refuse to send their children to school and ignore supports,” Seymour said.

Students with chronic illnesses, disabilities, or whose families are genuinely working with schools won’t be targeted.

But for those who aren’t engaging, consequences are coming.

The move is part of a broader plan to lift attendance across New Zealand.

While numbers are slowly improving—with each 2024 term showing better rates than in 2023—the Government says that’s not enough.

From Term 1, 2026, schools will be required to implement a formal attendance management plan, aligning with the new STAR system—Stepped Attendance Response.

What does this mean for Coast families?

If your child is missing more than 15 days in a term without a valid reason, you're likely to hit the STAR system’s “red light.”

At that point, legal consequences become a real possibility.

According to Seymour, about 10% of students fall into this category—and the Government is ready to act. The ultimate goal? No child left behind.

“Attending school is the first step toward better health, higher incomes, and stronger communities,” he said.

For Coasties, this means a stronger push from schools and the Ministry to keep kids in the classroom.

With the Hibiscus Coast’s mix of working families, single parents, and commuter households, the pressure to balance schedules is real—but the message is clear: regular school attendance is no longer negotiable.

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