Education – Every minute matters

On the Hibiscus Coast, we are fortunate to raise our young people in a thriving, connected and stunning community. With that opportunity comes a shared responsibility: ensuring our children grow up ready to show up, engage, and make the most of what is on offer in their local schools.

Across our local schools, there is a shared message: every day matters.

At Ōrewa College, we are seeing encouraging improvements in attendance already this year. More students are attending school regularly, and fewer are chronically absent. This reflects the combined efforts of students, staff, and whānau and we know many other schools are focused on the same goal. But we are not there yet.

Attendance is not just about meeting expectations or ticking a box. It is one of the strongest foundations for success. As the Education Review Office highlights, “regular attendance is strongly linked to improved student achievement and wellbeing”. In our experience, those students who achieve greater outcomes at school are those who are present more regularly (at least 90 per cent). It’s one thing at school that requires no talent. However, it does require discipline, consistency, and resilience. Regular attendance builds more than academic success, it develops strong habits for life.

The stronger focus on attendance from local schools is intentional. This has meant clearer and more regular communication with whānau, supporting students and taking a closer look at how we prioritise learning time. This includes reducing unnecessary disruptions, strengthening routines within the school day, and making expectations visible and consistent for all students.

It is important to note that schools are not doing this work alone. On the Hibiscus Coast, we are fortunate to have the North Auckland Integrated School Support Service, which provides a wraparound approach that includes working alongside families to address barriers to attendance, strengthening routines, and reconnecting young people with learning. It is a practical example of schools and community services working together to support better outcomes for our young people.

Schools can do a great deal, but the daily decision to attend school starts at home. It is shaped by routines, expectations, and the value placed on education.

We also need to recognise the impact of absences, even the smaller ones. Missing an hour a day, or one day a week, can equate to up to eight weeks of lost learning time across a year. A day here and there may not feel significant, but they accumulate quickly.

Over time, gaps in learning become harder to recover, missed opportunities mount, and students can begin to lose connection, not just academically, but socially and emotionally as well. What starts as occasional absence can gradually impact confidence, relationships, and a young person’s sense of belonging at school.

At its core, this is about setting our young people up for success, together as a community. And it begins with something simple, a philosophy to approach life: show up, every day.