Attendance & Engagement in Learning
Every school day is a big day
Challenge
The Ministry of Education approached us with a challenge. Over the last few years in Aotearoa, attendance and participation at school had been in steady decline. With COVID further contributing towards this downwards trend, by August 2022 almost half of our tamariki were not regularly attending school.
The value of in person learning had taken a hit with parents across New Zealand who had forgotten that the value of physically being at school extended far beyond the books for their children. Kids were missing out on all the other moments that play such a critical role in shaping their futures.
Insight
School is not just about classwork – it has learning, social and wellbeing benefits. School is more than the work that earns you NCEA credits, it’s also the small social, sporty, silly…moments that surround the lessons, that grow you as a whole person and make you part of your community (whanaungatanga). Not being at school means you miss out on being with your mates, your connections and doing the things you enjoy.
Strategy
We needed to illustrate to our key audiences that regular school attendance is about more than just the basics of reading, writing, spelling and math. It’s about our children finding themselves, learning life skills, forming lifelong friendships and being supported when things get tough.
That every single day matters. The strategy behind our work communicated the value of attending school beyond the educational achievements for our tamariki – that it opens them, and their lives up, in so many ways by showcasing when they “miss school, they miss out” on so much.
The Idea
Inspired by real and authentic moments from schools across the country, the ‘Every School Day is a Big Day’ campaign launched in multiple languages across TV, Radio, Spotify, Outdoor, Digital and supported with school tool kits and influencer activity on social media.
Filmed simultaneously in 9 schools around Aotearoa by Stanley St’s in-house team of videographers. Using a cast of over 5,000 kiwi children and just under 2,500 clips and stills captured. The campaign showcases the importance of school beyond the books. It also highlighting the multitude of little moments that make up every single day and the value attending school every day provides our tamariki.
Learning moments, sharing moments, playing moments, sporting moments, cultural moments, connection moments - all captured in one day, showcased for New Zealanders that Every School day is a big day.