When you’ve decided on a local school for your child, contact the school for an enrolment package and to find out about their enrolment process
Enrolling at a school
Most children go to a school or kura close to where they live. You need to enrol your child with the school. When you have decided on a school for your child, contact the school for an enrolment package and to find out about their enrolment process.
You enrol directly with the school or kura, when you’ve decided on a school for your child, contact the school for an enrolment package and to find out about their enrolment process.
Some schools and kura have an enrolment zone to help them manage their roll numbers and to stop them becoming overcrowded. If you live near the school or kura you are probably in their enrolment zone if they have one, but, you do need to check with the school.
If a school doesn’t have a zone anyone can apply to go there.
School Zoning
If your chosen school or kura does have an enrolment zone then you’ll need to live within the zone to ensure your child can go to the school. And you will need to give an address within this zone when you apply to enrol your child. This must be your usual place of residence.
To see if your local school or kura has an enrolment zone and whether you live within it, visit the Education Counts website, type in your address and search, or search for a specific school or kura. You should also contact the school or kura directly to check you are in the school’s zone.
If you’re not in the school’s zone and you’d like your child attend that school, you will need to enter your child into a ballot to be considered for enrolment at the school or kura. The Enrolment ballot process is described below.
Enrolment ballot
If the Board receives fewer applications than there are places available, all applicants will be enrolled. If there are more applicants than places, the school must hold a ballot.
If you want to enrol your child at a school or kura, but you’re not in the school’s enrolment zone, you can enter a ballot.
Each year, schools are required to put notice in a local newspaper saying:
- How many out-of-zone places are likely to be available
- The closing date for applications for these places
- Any ballot dates for out-of-zone places