Attendance Service Newsletter

Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa

Let us keep close together, not far apart

On 23 July, ACES Attendance Service submitted bids for the Reformed Attendance Service in 2026. The six catchments in the MoE Tāmaki Herenga Manawa are:

1. Onehunga, One Tree Hill

2. Howick, Botany, Pakuranga

3. Mt Albert, Mt Roskill, Lynfield

4. Selwyn, Glendowie, Tāmaki

5. Grammar, Western Springs

6. Waiheke Island

Six separate bids were written, and each bid was localised to its catchment, outlining the proposed solution that ACES Attendance Service intends to deliver.

The bids were required to specify the number of schools in each catchment, the potential number of ākonga likely to be referred for chronic non-attendance, and the links ACES has with agencies and services operating within each catchment. These partnerships will strengthen collaboration in addressing the potential complexities of cases.

Services which support whānau / families, including food parcels from various Services which include; Fair Foods, Haven, Ngati Whatua, Police as well as ACES Attendance Service.

Relationships with other Agencies and Services that strengthens support for whānau/families and ākonga include Kainga Ora, SWIS through ATWC, Tongan Health Society, Wesley Community Centre, KidsCan, Kia Puawai, Free Natural Health Clinic and alternative learning destinations e.g. Charter Schools.

To help overcome barriers to attending or returning to school, the ACES Attendance Service have set in place “financial support” and this can include chromebooks, uniforms, shoes, and rain-jackets through KidsCan, ensuring ākonga are equipped and prepared for school regardless of their family's financial situation.

A) Non Enrolled cases increased by 13% (compared to 2024).

Examples of Plans in Place:

- Waiting for Agency to complete their process

- Monitor – ākonga is unwell and presently education is not an option while Health Support is needed.

- Talk to the MoE to consider the option of prosecution due to non-engagement

-100% Cases had a plan

B) Up to 75% of overdue plans are executed, resulting in NEN case closure within 2 months.

30 / 40 (75%) and KPI Three was MET.

This case involved ākonga with a history of non-attendance and previous exclusion, initially reluctant to re-enrol in a local high school.

Challenges:

• Ākonga had a history of non-attendance and was previously excluded from a school.
• Ākonga whānau / family situation was unstable; father was living in car and ākonga was couch-surfing, which made it difficult to confirm a school zone.

Actions Taken:

• The Attendance Service (AA) met with the whānau and confirmed ākonga goal was to return to mainstream education.
• ACES was ";persistently consistent" in persuading the school to accept ākonga enrolment.
• An enrolment meeting was held with supporting professionals.
• Ākonga was provided a mobile to improve communication.
• Agencies are now supporting the parent’s efforts to move into a Kainga Ora house within the school zone.

Outcome:

• Ākonga successfully enrolled and started attending school on a three-day-a-week schedule and moved to 5 days per week.
• Attendance is “not perfect” yet but continues to improve.

Arrive/Attend = Learning = Success/Opportunity. We are all in this together.