On this page
Free education at state schools
Your child's education is free between the ages of 5 and 19 at state schools if they are a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident.
State schools are government-owned and funded.
When to start school
In the majority of schools, your child can start school on the day they turn 5 years old. That means they don't have to wait until the start of a new school year.
But some schools have a policy of starting children at school together as a group at the start of each term (cohort entry).
Most children stay at school until they are around 17 years old.
Levels
The education system for schools is made up of 13-year levels.
Your child's primary education starts at Year 1 and goes to Year 8. This is around 5–12 years of age.
Your child's secondary education goes from Year 9 to Year 13. This is around 13–17 years of age.
Types of primary and secondary education
Local schools
Many children go to a school close to where they live. Many schools have an enrolment scheme called zoning.
If you live in an area close to a school (the school's zone), your child is guaranteed to get a place at that school. If you want your child to go to a school outside the area where you live, you may have to apply, and a place is not guaranteed.
Depending on the schools in your area, you may have the choice to send your child to a single-sex or co-educational school.
State, state-integrated and private schools
Most schools in New Zealand are owned and funded by the state (state schools). They teach the national curriculum and are secular (non-religious).
State-integrated schools are schools with a special character. They are funded by the government and teach the national curriculum. They have their own sets of aims and objectives to reflect their own particular values and are set within a specific philosophy or religion. You will pay compulsory attendance dues.
Private schools get some government funding but are mostly funded through charging parents school fees. They develop their own learning programmes and do not have to follow the national curriculum.
Māori-medium education (kura kaupapa Māori)
Māori-medium education is where students are taught all or some curriculum subjects in the Māori language for at least 51% of the time (Māori language immersion levels 1-2).
Māori language in English-medium is where students are learning te reo Māori as a language subject or are taught curriculum subjects in the Māori language for up to 50% of the time (Māori language immersion levels 3-5).
Te Rūnanga Nui o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa – Te Rūnanga Nui
The national curriculum
The national curriculum covers subjects that are taught at primary and secondary schools and the standards students should reach in each subject.
Your child's primary education will focus on foundation learning across a range of subjects and competencies but especially in literacy and numeracy. At secondary school, they'll learn a broad and balanced curriculum with some specialisation possible in Years 11–13.
English-medium schools use the New Zealand Curriculum. Māori-medium schools (kura kaupapa Māori) use Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (a curriculum based on Māori philosophies).
New Zealand Curriculum for English-medium schooling – Tāhūrangi
Te Marautanga o Aotearoa for Māori-medium schooling – Tāhūrangi
National Certificate of Educational Achievement
The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is the national senior secondary school qualification.
Your child will usually be assessed during their last 3 years at school (Years 11–13). They can achieve NCEA at 3 levels in a wide range of courses and subjects.
NCEA and secondary – New Zealand Qualifications Authority
Learning support
The vast majority of children and students attend their local school or early learning centre and learn and achieve alongside their peers.
Additional learning support is available in every local early childhood centre or school. It is planned to support students, educators, families and whānau in a range of different ways depending on individual needs.
Home and distance learning
If attending a school is not the best option (you might live a long way from the nearest school, travel overseas or have other reasons) your child can learn with Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura).
Te Kura teaches early childhood, primary, secondary and special needs students using multimedia and online learning. Your child can also study 1 or 2 courses if a subject they want to study is not available at their school.
