"Every child and young person in New Zealand has the right to an education. Not all schools need or have an enrolment scheme, but they are a way to help Boards of Trustees manage their school rolls so there are always places for local kids at local schools. When a school has more students than places, it’s at risk of overcrowding. Overcrowding affects the wellbeing and safety of everyone, because the learning environment and facilities can’t cope with the extra demand. Options considered to avoid overcrowding might include making changes to an enrolment scheme or putting one in place, adding new teaching spaces to a school, or building a new school. To ensure a balanced school network, Boards monitor their school rolls, and the Ministry monitors enrolments across all schools, so all students have the opportunities they need to learn and achieve. If a school has an enrolment scheme to manage the risk of overcrowding, it only accepts enrolments for the space it has. A geographic boundary called a home zone is drawn around the school. Home zones are different to zones for school transport services. If you live inside the home zone, you’re guaranteed a place at the school. If you live outside it, you can apply to enrol, but your enrolment depends on out-of-zone places being available. If there are out-of-zone places, applications go into a ballot, run by the Board. The Board advertises the number of places, application deadlines, and ballot dates. So it’s fair and transparent, applications are drawn under supervision and accepted in the order of the Education and Training Act’s six priorities – which includes siblings of current and former students. To maintain a balanced network, a home zone might need to shrink or expand as a community continues to grow and change. This means you might live near two local schools and be zoned for one, or the other, or both – or you once lived inside a zone and are now outside it. Population figures, new housing, transport or roading, and the space available in nearby schools are all considered as zone proposals are developed. If a change is needed, consultation is led by the Ministry of Education to gather the community’s views and explore options. This feedback informs the Ministry’s decisions. When making decisions, the Ministry always looks at what’s best for all local kids, and all local schools. Enrolment schemes ensure a balanced school network, with places and opportunities that strengthen wellbeing and learning – for every child and young person."