Information for parents and whānau

Charter schools | kura hourua are another type of state-funded school, providing educators and parents with more choice.

Charter schools have a high level of independence around how they teach your child and what they can spend their funding on to educate your child. They are held to targets for achievement and attendance, as agreed in their contracts, and will face interventions if they do not meet these targets.  

The name "Charter Schools | Kura Hourua" means the partnership between charter school operators and the government, and between charter schools and their communities. 'Kura hourua' means "double-hulled canoe". 

Charter schools can be new, or state and state-integrated schools can convert to become a charter school. 

Introducing charter schools | kura hourua in New Zealand 

Charter schools are one way that the Government is aiming to improve student achievement.  

Educational success contributes to personal, collective and national success.  Every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, achieve to the best of their ability and gain qualifications that will support them into further study and employment. 

Leadership 

A charter school is set up and run by a sponsor. 

This is an organisation that the Authorisation Board has approved based on mandatory criteria specified in legislation and a fit and proper person test. The sponsor runs the school, rather than an elected school board in a state school. 

Transparency

Charter Schools will be required by legislation to provide information on how they are meeting their contracted performance outcomes. Sponsors must meet their performance targets, or they may face interventions. 

They will be responsible for communicating their values, ethos, curriculum, teaching methods, assessment, opening hours, transport arrangements and any other matters to parents. This will ensure that parents can make informed decisions about the charter school.

For more information, go to the following page.

Key features of a charter school

Capability

The Authorisation Board must do a fit and proper person test on the proposed sponsor and its governing members.   

The Board must take into account key factors, such as the focus of the proposed school, the capability of the sponsor, the level of support from the community, standard of tuition to be provided, financial and network implications when reviewing applications.  

All unregistered teachers will also be required to hold a Limited Authority to Teach (LAT).

When a state school decides to convert to a charter school 

When deciding whether to accept an application to convert a state school, the Authorisation Board will take account of the level of parent and community support. 

All current students will be able to attend, and their younger siblings will be given priority in future enrolment. 

Some aspects of the way the school is run may change, with a view to lifting student achievement. This will vary from school to school. 

Enrolment zones 

Charter schools will not have enrolment zones but must accept all enrolments unless they are full, except international students, or in cases where a parent refuses to accept the special character of the school. 

If a converted charter school is oversubscribed, and the previous state school had an enrolment scheme, priority will be given to applicants from the school’s previous home zone. 

Tuition fees 

Charter schools are not allowed to charge tuition fees to domestic students. However, schools that own their own property may charge maintenance fees, as state-integrated do. 

Allowances for uniforms, devices, etc 

This will vary from school to school, as it does for state schools. However, charter schools will have more freedom to spend their funds on equipment or services they decide are a high priority. 

Each school will have its own settings. For example, some may have uniforms while others may not, and some may finish at 3pm while others may be open for longer.

Learning support services

Charter schools will be able to request support from Ministry-funded learning support services. They will also have more flexibility to use their funding as they believe necessary to achieve their contracted outcomes, and therefore may apply for more funding to learning support services if they think appropriate without compromising  the ability to meet any others of their contracted outcomes.

Ikura | Manaakitia te whare tangata: Period products in schools 

Charter schools can opt-in to access this Ministry programme and provide free period products to their students.

Phones away for the day 

This requirement only applies to state and state-integrated schools and kura. Charter schools don’t have this requirement.  

Curriculum  

Like private schools, charter schools will have the flexibility to develop and implement their own curriculum, provided that: 

  • they make the curriculum available to parents  
  • the tuition standards are at least equivalent to students enrolled in state schools at the same year levels. 

Monitoring performance 

Charter schools will be subject to annual reporting and auditing. They will also be reported on by the Education Review Office (ERO). 

Because of their contract, there is a high level of oversight, reflecting the accountability required in exchange for their greater freedom to chart their own path to high student achievement. 

Complaints about a charter school 

Parents can complain to an independent reviewer (arranged by the charter school) or the Ombudsman. 

How to make a complaint – Ombudsman New Zealand(external link) 

More information 

To find out more about the key features of charter schools, and how they differ from state schools, visit the following pages.

Key features

Differences between charter schools and state schools

Overseas models of charter schools

Charter school model

Education and Training Amendment Bill – New Zealand Legislation(external link)

Last reviewed: Has this been useful? Give us your feedback