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) in their Student Management System (SMS) 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.

2.2 The principal must use the approved eAR to record attendance data and send it to the Ministry as required by the Education (School Attendance) Regulations 2024.

2.3 No attendance data should be recorded or sent on a day when the school is not open for instruction. On days when the school is open for instruction for a half day only, attendance data should be recorded and sent for that half day only.

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.

Rule 4: The principal of a State school (other than a distance school) must use their SMS, or Ministry-approved mechanism if exempt, to monitor student absences at specified thresholds and record an appropriate response activity for students as required by the Education (School Attendance) Regulations 2024.

4.1 The principal must ensure that the response information recorded under Rule 4 is sent to the Ministry, either via the SMS or Ministry-approved mechanism, at the end of each week.

Rule 5: The principal of a State school (other than a distance school) must use functionality in the school’s SMS (unless exempt) to record the date when the school is not open for instruction during term time for both half-days in a given school day, and the reason why it is not open. If the school is open for one half and not open for the other half of the same school day, the principal should not make any record.

5.1. The principal must choose the appropriate lawful reason for the school not being open for instruction for both half-days from the following list available in their SMS or Ministry-approved mechanism:

1. Curriculum and assessment Professional Learning and Development.
2. Discretionary (board-approved).
3. Discretionary (Minister-approved).
4. Strike.
5. Emergency.
6. Regional Anniversary Day.

5.2 The principal must use functionality in the school’s SMS, or Ministry-approved mechanism if exempt, to record the information required under Rule 5.

5.3 The principal must ensure that the date and the reason for not being open for instruction for both half-days is recorded not more than three school days after the day of not being open for instruction.

5.4 The principal must ensure that any information recorded under Rule 5 is sent to the Ministry, either via the SMS or Ministry-approved mechanism.

5.5 If the school is open for only one half-day on any day during term, the principal must use the functionality in the school’s SMS to remove the half-day that it is not open from the timetable. If the school’s SMS does not enable removal of a half-day, the principal must record that half-day in the eAR using the appropriate code under Rule 3.

Dated this 12th day of December 2025.

ELLEN MacGREGOR-REID, Secretary for Education.