Attendances and Absences
CCS Attendance Management Plan
This plan sets out Cornerstone Christian School’s approach to identifying and responding to student absences. The plan supports improved engagement, equity, and wellbeing for all students, and aligns with the Ministry of Education’s Stepped Attendance Response (STAR).
Attendance is the first step to learning. School attendance is a key measure of student engagement and wellbeing, and strongly linked with student attainment. Our school is committed to fostering a culture where regular attendance is highly valued. We monitor attendance carefully and provide support through strong relationships, clear communication, and timely interventions when needed.
Report a student's absence
Children legally have to attend school from age 6-16. A child who is 5, who has started school is also legally required to attend. All children enrolled at a school must, by law, attend the school whenever it is open, unless they are unable to attend due to illness, or special home circumstances. (Education and Training Act 2020.)
If your child is absent from school please ensure that you email, text or phone the school office to let them know your child’s name, class and reason for their absence, preferably by 8.45am.
- Ph (06) 356 7326
- Email: absent@cornerstone.ac.nz
- Text 027 315 7764 (student administration officer)
This includes sickness and planned appointments, e.g. doctor, dentist, dance examinations etc. Please do not email classroom teachers to let them know unless it is in regard to any missed work or assessment related. Our student administration officer will put a note onto our computer-based attendance system (KAMAR) for teachers to see when they mark the roll.
If you wish to take your child out of school for any reason, e.g. family holiday, please give a letter to the Principal well beforehand explaining the circumstances.
Taking New Zealand or Overseas Holidays during Term time
While we understand that some of you have to take your holidays during school term, you need to be aware of the following:
- As per the Education and Training Act, Section 45(1) “if satisfied that a student’s absence was or will be justified, the principal of the school may exempt the student from attending the school for a period of no more than 5 school days.” Please ensure that you contact the principal for an attendance exemption if you are planning to take your child or young person out of school during term time.
- Please note that Cornerstone Christian School is now required to report the Ministry of Education regarding all unjustified learner absences over 5 days per term.
- The Ministry of Education Enrolment Guidelines state that if a student has been absent for 20 school days without the principal being informed that the absence is only temporary, or a student has been absent for less than 20 days but the principal has reason to believe they won't return to the school, the child must be removed from the School Roll.
- If you wish to take your child out of school for any reason, e.g. family holiday, please email/give a letter to the Principal well beforehand explaining the circumstances.
Late Passes and Exit Slips
Please report to the Student Office for Late Passes, leaving for appointments & returning afterwards.
All students who arrive late at school must go to the student office before going to class, to sign in on arrival and get a late pass to take to class. Failure to do so will mean that parents will be contacted to find out the whereabouts of their child.
Parents/Caregivers need to inform the student office (not just the homeroom teacher) of any appointments requiring a student to leave school grounds, for all year levels.
Secondary students who need to leave the school grounds during the day for various appointments or for study leave (Y13 only), need to get an ‘exit slip’ from the student administration officer who will issue an exit slip and will also make a note on the KAMAR attendance system.
If a student feels sick while at school
If a student feels unwell while at school, they are to go to the student office who will then decide with the student about contacting parents/caregivers.
Students are not to use their cellphones to contact parents/caregivers to come pick them up before reporting to the sickbay.
When Parents/Caregivers are asked to collect their unwell student, please do so as soon as possible to prevent the sickbay from being overcrowded and to prevent the spread of illnesses to others in the sick bay area.
