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Recording student attendance

Record every student’s attendance in the official register. Work with parents and bus drivers so students arrive on time and stay until classes end.

Do this now

Step 1: Make sure attendance is recorded properly in the attendance register provided for that purpose.
Step 2: Work with bus drivers, parents and others so students arrive before classes start.
Step 3: Make sure students do not leave before classes have ended.
Step 4: Use warning or countdown bells, so classes start on time and students are in class on time.
Step 5: Use attendance data in school improvement planning, alongside assessment and survey data.

Recording attendance is one of your duties under regulation 18 of the Education Regulations.

Attendance data is one of the types of evidence you analyse when you evaluate policies, programmes and reforms.

Find the right person in the Ministry staff directory. Have the details of your situation to hand.

Both practice guidesSection 3 (school leaders' guide); section 4 and Table 5.1 in both guides · draft of 27 May 2026

Not yet checked by a Ministry editor