New Zealand has a very similar education system to that in the UK and studies in recent years have regularly placed the country in the top ten worldwide for the quality of the education available at all levels. Compulsory education covers the ages between 5 and 16 and it is free, although most children will begin school either on their 5th birthday or on the first real school day afterwards and many choose to stay on until they are 18. Most schools and colleges have an academic year which runs from January until the middle of December while the university school year will run from the end of February until the middle of November.

There are pre-school facilities in most areas. Playcentres cater for children from birth until they reach school age, while kindergarten is for children aged 3-5. These facilities are a mix of state and privately funded institutions. While at school it may be necessary for parents to meet some of the costs of course materials. Primary education ends with year 8 and secondary school runs until year 13. In some areas there are ‘middle’ schools which cover the usual final 2 years of primary education.

New Zealand has three types of school in operation. State education is funded by the authorities, private education and integrated schools, which are also funded by the authorities. Private schools do receive some funding from the authorities but charge tuition fees to make up the operating costs. Integrated schools are those which used to be private but have been absorbed into the state system. It is estimated that around 85% of children attend a state school, a further 10% are at integrated schools and the remaining children are in private schools or are being taught at home.

There are 13 years of education and all schools number these in the same way. There is a continuation of the numbering system from primary to secondary education so children begin at year 1 and continue until year 13. There are some schools which cover more than one education group, offering both primary and secondary educational levels. These are often found in rural areas as there may not be enough children to justify running two buildings.

Those who choose to study from years 11 to 13 will study for the National Certificate of Educational Achievement.

Some state schools operate an enrolment scheme if they are considered to be oversubscribed. These usually limit the intake to a particular geographical area. Those who live outside the area can only be admitted if there is a place. Those who need to be on a special programme or who have siblings already at the school are usually given priority. If there are more applications than places then a ballot occurs. Some state schools have boarding facilities for children from rural areas if it is too far to travel each day.

Those who attend university in New Zealand can usually obtain a bachelor’s degree in 3 years, although an honours qualification can take an extra year. Some universities offer 4 year degrees as well. Degrees are usually classified as first, upper second class, lower second class or third class, as they are in the UK. Further study can be undertaken in the form of a Master’s degree or a PhD. Most universities have an ‘open’ policy where students can enrol if they simply meet the minimum level of the final school examinations. Some universities do have an applications policy for some courses.

University fees for students from New Zealand are subsidised by the state and there is a student loan system for the fees that need to be paid by the student. There are other allowances available for living expenses. Students that do not meet the ‘domestic’ criteria are classed as international and need to pay full fees.

The vast majority of classes are taught through the medium of English although there are some Maori classes where this is the only language used. Children of expats will need to have a good understanding of the English language before they will be admitted to classes. Students will have their ability assessed in most subjects and will be placed in classes according to their knowledge.

Useful Resources

Ministry of Education
www.minedu.govt.nz