Education in New Zealand

Free Universal Education

Schooling is compulsory in New Zealand for all children from their sixth until their sixteenth birthday, although most start on their fifth birthday or soon after.

Schooling is free at State (Government-funded) schools until the age of 19, or 21 for special education students with disabilities. Parents are, however, expected to meet some minor costs, including the cost of school books, stationery and uniforms. Costs vary widely depending on individual school requirements.

The school day usually begins about 9:00am and finishes about 3:00pm (the secondary school day ends around 3:30pm). There is generally a short break in the morning, about an hour for lunch and, sometimes, a short afternoon break.

School Management

Each state and state-integrated school is managed by a Board of Trustees. The Board is elected every three years by parents and includes parent and community representatives, the school principal and a staff representative. Secondary school Boards may also have a student representative.

The Board is responsible for both setting and meeting the objectives identified in the school's charter. Management of the school's finances and general adminis-tration is also a Board responsibility. All parents can stand for election as Board trustees. Participation in Parent Teacher Associations is also open to all parents.

Schooling Levels

Students are classified in year levels, beginning at 'Year 1' and moving up one class each year to the final 'Year 13'. Years 1 to 3 are often referred to as 'primers' or 'juniors' and Years 4 to 6 as 'standards'.

Years 7 and 8 are known as 'forms 1 and 2' and Years 9 to 13 as 'forms 3 to 7'. Class sizes are set by the school in accordance with Ministry of Education guidelines. Some junior classes may include children of different ages and year levels in the same classroom. These are called 'composite' classes.

Students 16 years and over may choose not to finish their secondary education and leave in Year 11 or 12. By contrast, students can also attend school until the end of the year in which they reach 19 years of age if they choose. State schools are co-educational at primary and intermediate level. Some offer single-sex education at secondary level.

Primary Schools

Children must be enrolled at primary school by their sixth birthday. However, most attend from age five to the end of their sixth year of schooling. Many schools have waiting lists and it is consequently advisable to pre-enrol children before their fifth birthday. Depending on local options, children in their seventh and eighth years either continue to attend primary school or move to a separate intermediate school. Intermediate schools operate only in urban areas.

Secondary Schools

From age 12 or 13 through to 17 or 18 (Year 9 to Year 13), students attend secondary school - also known as high school, college or grammar. Students are usually grouped in classes, but generally have different teachers and go to different classrooms for each subject. Some secondary schools enrol students early and it is advisable to contact schools at least six months before the official enrolment date.

Area Schools

Also known as composite schools, these usually operate in rural areas and combine primary, intermediate and secondary schooling in one location.

Tertiary Institutions

The New Zealand tertiary sector covers private training establishments (PTEs), polytechnics and institutes of technology, wananga, colleges of education, universities and workplace training. See About providers for more details.

Beyond secondary school, learners can access training and education that lead to a wide range of qualifications. The New Zealand government has put national quality assurance systems in place. All courses, programmes and qualifications offered at state institutions must be approved by a quality assurance body.

New Zealand has a wide variety of Tertiary institutions. The following list covers what they are and what they do:

State Owned

State owned universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and wananga (Maori centres of learning) are institutions that have been set up by the Government and approved by the Minister of Education. They are government funded and market responsive institutions that offer programmes of study and research in demand by both domestic and international students.

Universities

New Zealand's eight universities are part of the international university community. Degree programmes from New Zealand universities are recognised internationally by all leading universities.

Polytechnics

There are 23 polytechnics or institutes of technology in New Zealand. Polytechnics have traditionally specialised in vocational training, but that role has expanded over the last decade to meet the needs of learners and the economy. Many are involved in research activities, particularly in applied and technological areas and other degrees.

Colleges of Education

Colleges of education provide programmes required for early childhood, primary and secondary school teaching qualifications. They also provide training for other occupational groups such as social workers. All courses involve supervised on the job training for students.

Wananga

Wananga, Maori centres of tertiary learning, were established as tertiary education institutions in the last decade. These offer advanced study and research programmes where ahuatanga Maori (Maori tradition) and tikanga Maori (Maori custom) are an integral part of the programme. There are three wananga in the public sector.

All of these institutions, universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and wananga, offer a variety of qualifications including degrees that share the same quality assurance status.

Privately owned

As well as state-owned education providers there are approximately 860 private training establishments (PTEs) in New Zealand. These PTE's are privately owned and funded, although some of their courses attract government funding. They offer a wide variety of courses that lead to qualifications in a large range of vocations from scuba-diving to hospitality to business.


The above information was sourced from the NZQA website .

Please register online for further assistance.

Useful Links:

- School decile ratings in NZ
- Link to School & Public Holidays

Some schools on the North Shore:

- Albany Junior High School
- Browns Bay Primary School
- Campbells Bay Primary School
- Kristin School
- Upper Harbour Primary
- Sherwood Primary
- Torbay Primary School
- Westminster Christian School


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