Starting school as part of a group has lots of benefits for children. They often feel less anxious and settle more quickly when they start together with other new children.
Traditionally in New Zealand, children have started school on or shortly after their fifth birthday. Many still do, but now some schools are using cohort entry with students starting in groups.
Cohort entry start dates
At schools using cohort entry, children can start on one of 8 set dates throughout the year.
Once your child turns 5 you can choose any of the dates below. They can’t start before they turn 5 but must start by the time they turn 6.
There are start dates at the beginning and middle of each school term.
2024 start dates:
- Term 1 – 7 February or 11 March.
- Term 2 – 29 April or 4 June.
- Term 3 – 22 July or 6 August.
- Term 4 – 14 October or 18 November.
2025 start dates:
- Term 1 – 7 February or 10 March.
- Term 2 – 28 April or 26 May.
- Term 3 – 14 July or 18 August.
- Term 4 – 6 October or 10 November.
2026 start dates:
- Term 1 – 9 February or 9 March.
- Term 2 – 20 April or 1 June.
- Term 3 – 20 July or 24 August.
- Term 4 – 12 October or 16 November.
The start dates are set by the Minister of Education. Schools using cohort entry must use these dates and cannot change them.
Talk to your school about start dates
Not all schools use cohort entry, so you'll need to check with the school when you enrol your child about when they can start.
You can find out if a school uses cohort entry by looking at their listing on Education Counts.
