Every school day is a big day

The Ministry of Education campaign put the experience of a normal school day at the centre of the attendance conversation. Stanley Street filmed across nine schools in Aotearoa on the same day, capturing real interactions instead of constructing an idealised version of school life.

The resulting work showed how much happens when tamariki are present: connections with classmates, opportunities to learn and experiences that shape their confidence. It invited parents to see the value in the ordinary moments their children could otherwise miss, making the importance of attendance tangible through the children themselves.