Provisional data indicates school attendance continued to improve in Term 4, with rates higher than any Term 4 since 2022, Associate Education Minister David Seymour says.

Figures show that in Term 4 2025, 57.3 percent of students attended school regularly, up from 56.4 percent in Term 4 2024. In comparison, regular attendance sat at 48.7 percent in Term 4 2022.

Mr Seymour said the data reflects a renewed focus on attendance across the education system.

“This data shows attendance rates are rising again under this Government,” he said. “Compared with 2022, around 150,000 more students attended school regularly in Term 4 last year.”

He said the improvement was being driven by a shift in expectations among schools, parents, and students.

“When the Government takes attendance seriously, so do schools, parents, and students. It’s important we continue to drive this change in attitude,” Mr Seymour said.

Central and East Auckland recorded the highest regular attendance rate at 62.5 percent, followed closely by Otago/Southland at 62.4 percent. North and West Auckland and Canterbury/Chatham Islands both recorded attendance rates of 61.7 percent.

Mr Seymour said while the upward trend was encouraging, further progress was needed as attendance initiatives continue to roll out nationwide.

“Attendance rates are back on a steady upward trajectory. This is a good start, but there is still work to be done,” he said.

He said all schools will soon have developed and implemented an Attendance Management Plan (AMP), outlining escalating responses to declining attendance. These include early contact with parents after five days of absence, meetings with school leadership after ten days, and referrals to attendance service providers after fifteen days. Continued non-attendance may ultimately lead to prosecution.

Mr Seymour also highlighted a sharp drop in attendance during the final week of Term 4. While average daily attendance across the first ten weeks of the term was 86.4 percent, it fell to 68.1 percent in the final week.

“Taking time out at the end of term does just as much damage as low attendance throughout the term,” he said, adding that unexplained absences at the end of term would still trigger responses under school attendance plans.

He said frontline attendance services have been strengthened through improved accountability, data monitoring, and a new case management system. Budget 2025 allocated $140 million over four years to further lift attendance rates.

“Attending school is the first step towards positive educational outcomes,” Mr Seymour said. “Those outcomes lead to better health, higher incomes, greater job stability, and stronger communities — opportunities every student deserves.”