These rules are made under section 237A of the Education and Training Act 2020 and are complementary to the Education (School Attendance) Regulations 2024.

Rule 1: The principal of a State school (other than distance school) must ensure that attendance records are kept.

1.1 The principal must ensure that an attendance record is kept for each student who is enrolled at the school (either by half-day or period) for each half-day that it is open for instruction.

1.2 To enable the accurate and timely collection of attendance records, the principal must ensure that the school has an absence notification process so that absences can be notified by and to the school promptly.

1. Every notification process (e.g. text or e-mail) for advising a parent/caregiver that a student is absent without explanation must be based on up-to-date contact information.
2. Notifications must be sent as soon as practicable on the day that a student has not arrived at school without explanation.

Rule 2: The principal of a State school (other than a distance school) must use a Ministry-approved Electronic Attendance Register (“eAR”) unless exempt.

2.1 The Secretary for Education may exempt a principal from using a Ministry-approved eAR if:

1. the school has a roll of less than 30 students; and
2. the principal agrees to use a Ministry-approved mechanism for the collection and submission of attendance data.

Rule 3: The principal of a State school (other than a distance school) must use Ministry-approved attendance codes.

3.1 The principal must ensure that:

1. the school’s eAR or other Ministry-approved mechanism uses attendance codes approved by the Secretary for Education.
2. an attendance code is recorded for each student in the school’s eAR (either by half-day or period) for each half-day that the school is open for instruction.
3. a default attendance code is used to record a student’s absence for each half-day or period that the student is absent without explanation.