Manage student movement with Hāpara Hall Pass - NZ / AUS Follow
Teacher guide | New Zealand and Australia
A student needs the toilet. Another is heading to the school office. How do you keep track without stopping the lesson each time? Hāpara Hall Pass gives your class a digital routine for leaving and returning.
"Hall Pass" is the product name. Think of it as a way to manage student movement during the school day, whether the destination is the toilets, sick bay, library or learning support. These are examples: your school chooses the available destinations and pass settings.
Before you start: agree with your school which journeys need a pass, who approves them and what students should do in an urgent situation. Use Hall Pass alongside your usual supervision, wellbeing and classroom procedures.
Why use Hall Pass?
Make routine requests less disruptive
When student self-service is enabled, students can submit a request from Student Dashboard. Agree on a simple routine for checking requests so this supports the lesson rather than becoming another interruption.
Keep pass information in one place
Pending shows requests waiting for action. Active shows passes that have started. Use these views to support your classroom checks instead of relying only on memory.
Give students a clear expectation
Students can check the timer on an active pass. Explain what the expected time means and how to ask for help when they need longer.
Make follow-up easier
Teachers can review recent pass history within their assigned access. Use it as a starting point for a conversation, not as a conclusion about why a student needed to leave.
1. Open Hall Pass
Sign in to Hāpara and select Hall Pass from the menu. Teachers normally manage their own classes; access and actions depend on the role assigned by the school.
The school active-pass count shows how many passes are active across the school. It does not give teachers school-wide access to individual student details.
The school’s active-pass count gives you context about how many passes are in use. It does not show you individual students or pass details outside your assigned classes.
Select Hall Pass from the Hāpara menu. Screenshot source.
About the screenshots: these are existing Hāpara Support examples, not a separate NZ/Australian interface. They include demo labels such as "Nurse" and "Front Office". Your school's labels, available controls and access may differ. Select an image to open the original.
2. Respond to a student's request
With self-service enabled, students request a pass in Student Dashboard. They should wait for the pass to become active before leaving. Auto-approved passes can start immediately; a pending request is not permission to leave.
- Open Pending and find the request.
- Open Pass details and check the destination, timing and any relevant notes.
- Choose Approve or Deny, then complete any confirmation.
Pending shows requests awaiting a decision or another action. Your view depends on your role. Screenshot source.
Use the tick to approve or the cross to deny when you are an eligible approver. Screenshot source.
Why check first? A brief check helps you decide whether this is a suitable time for the student to leave. Keep any sensitive conversation private rather than asking students to explain personal needs to the class.
3. Create a pass for a student
You can create the pass when a student asks you directly. This is a useful classroom option when using a student device would add unnecessary steps.
- Select Create pass and choose the student.
- Set Leaving from and the destination.
- Review the time, add a note only if needed, and select Create.
The pass starts or enters the approval workflow, depending on its configuration.
Original Hāpara Support example. Return is now labelled Round-trip; destination names and durations depend on your school.
Allow enough time for the actual journey
Where your administrator has enabled pass extensions, use the time controls to add time before creating the pass. This can accommodate a longer walk, waiting at the office or a student's accessibility and support needs. If the controls are missing, ask your Hall Pass administrator to check the setting.
Suggested practice: follow agreed support arrangements and keep personal health details out of pass notes. A standard timer should not replace a conversation about what the student needs.
4. Check active passes and record the return
You can end passes for students you teach, including a pass created by someone else. Check that the student has returned or completed the agreed handover before ending it.
Open Active to review current passes. When a student returns, find the pass, select End pass and confirm. It then moves to History.
Teacher view: find the student under Active and select End pass when the return workflow is complete. Screenshot source.
Students using Student Dashboard can also open their active pass and select End pass when they return. Agree who will do this so it does not get missed.
Student view: an active pass includes a timer and an End pass button. Screenshot source.
Why end it promptly? A timely update keeps the record useful. Check that the student has returned; do not treat the digital record as a substitute for supervision.
This routine describes a return-to-class journey. Your school can also configure one-way passes. Agree on the handover and completion routine for those journeys before using them.
Optional: use a shared classroom kiosk
Kiosk Mode lets students create and return eligible passes from a shared device. Only auto-approved pass types can be offered through a kiosk.
After your school enables Kiosk Mode, open Kiosk and choose Pair a new kiosk. Complete the three setup stages: name the kiosk and choose its type, review the pass options, then pair the shared device. A Shared classroom kiosk can serve changing classes without being paired again for every class. Follow the full setup guide below for the available options.
The kiosk offers Create a pass and I'm back. Your school chooses the available passes and whether active pass cards appear. Kiosk Mode guide.
Students enter the part of their school email before @ and choose their current class if prompted. They can still enter a full school email when needed. On return, they can use their own pass card if displayed, or select I'm back and follow the email-search prompts.
Why use a kiosk? It provides a shared-device option for routine movement without the teacher creating each pass. Activity appears on the teacher dashboard. Put the device somewhere supervised and end the kiosk session when it is no longer needed.
For the full setup, follow the Kiosk Mode guide.
For planned appointments or visits, use Create pass > Schedule for later when enabled for the pass type. Choose a date and time within school hours and review the upcoming list. Students can schedule their own passes only when enabled by an administrator. See Schedule passes in advance in Hāpara Hall Pass for approval, limits and cancellation details.
A classroom routine to introduce
Adapt this wording to your school's approach:
Need to leave class? Use our agreed request process and wait for permission. Go to the agreed destination, return within the expected time and make sure your return is recorded. If something is urgent or you need more time, speak with me.
Practise the routine together before expecting students to use it independently. For urgent situations, use your school's normal procedures rather than waiting for a digital request.
Common questions
Does a pass mean students can leave whenever they choose?
No. Schools configure approval requirements, time allowances and availability. Be clear about your classroom expectations, including when students must speak with you first.
Why can I see a request but not approve it?
The request may need an assigned destination approver. Teachers do not automatically have authority over every pass. Ask your administrator to check the relevant role and location assignment.
What if the student has no device?
A teacher can create a pass even when student self-service is disabled. An enabled classroom kiosk is another option for eligible passes.
What if the time runs out?
Check the student’s situation using your school’s usual process. Record their return when they are back, and ask your Hall Pass administrator for help if the pass has closed or the record needs correction. A timer or status is not a substitute for checking on a student.
Why is a destination or student missing?
Teachers need the student in their assigned classes. Your school also controls which destinations are active and available to each class. Contact your Hāpara administrator to check the setup.
Introduce a consistent classroom routine
Start with the classroom problem you want to solve: fewer interruptions, a clearer routine or more consistent follow-up. Agree on a simple process, teach it to students and use professional judgement when they need help.
Hall Pass supports your school's student movement routine. It does not replace the care and supervision behind that routine.