Aotearoa New Zealand

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GuidesThe guide, part 1 of 9

How schooling works in New Zealand

The starting point for understanding New Zealand schools: when school is compulsory, how year levels and school types fit together, what families pay, how zones work, what the senior qualifications are, and which agencies oversee it all.

Every statement on this page comes from an official source: Education and Training Act 2020 (NZ Legislation), Ministry of Education, NZQA, Education Counts (Ministry of Education), Education Review Office and Charter School Agency.

When is school compulsory?

By law, every domestic student must be enrolled at a registered school from their sixth birthday until their 16th birthday.1 The Ministry of Education describes schooling as compulsory from age 6 to 16.2 Starting age is a separate question. In most schools, a child can start school on the day they turn five.3

Some schools now use cohort entry, where children start school in groups.4 At a cohort entry school, children cannot start before they turn five but must start by the time they turn six.5

Attending school is a legal requirement.6 Your child must be at school unless they are sick, and family holidays are not an acceptable reason to be away.7

Leaving age is a separate question again. In some situations a 15-year-old can get permission to leave school early, for example to go on to training or a job.8 The rules for leaving school early are very strict, and not every application is approved.9 Most children stay at school until they are around 17.10

School ages at a glance
Free at state schools11
Age 5 to 19
Compulsory schooling2
Age 6 to 16
Primary years, roughly12
Age 5 to 12
Secondary years, roughly13
Age 13 to 17

How are year levels organised?

Schooling is made up of 13 year levels.14

  • Primary education runs from Year 1 to Year 8, around ages 5 to 12.12
  • Secondary education runs from Year 9 to Year 13, around ages 13 to 17.13

NZQA describes the school years this way: Primary school takes children from Year 0 or Year 1 (age 5) up to Year 6 or Year 8, depending on the school.15 Intermediate schools are for children in Years 7 and 8, where their primary school does not go to that level.16

What kinds of school are there?

At 1 July 2025 there were 2,536 schools in New Zealand across state, state-integrated, private and charter schools.17

  • State schools: most schools in New Zealand are state schools, owned and funded by the government.18 They teach the national curriculum and are non-religious.19
  • State-integrated schools: owned by a private entity such as a church or trust, but funded by the government and teaching the national curriculum.20 Each has its own special character, values and philosophy, often based on a religion.21
  • Charter schools (kura hourua): government-funded but run independently.22 They have more freedom to set their own curriculum and teaching methods.23
  • Private schools: they get some government funding but rely mostly on fees paid by parents.24 They create their own learning programmes and do not have to follow the national curriculum.25

In Māori-medium education, students are taught in the Māori language for at least 51% of the time.26 Specialist schools are an option for children who need more support, though all children can be supported to learn at their local school or kura.27

Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura) is New Zealand's distance learning school, free for eligible students aged 19 and under.28 Students enrolled at another school can also take Te Kura courses their own school does not offer.29

What does school cost?

Every domestic student is entitled to free enrolment and free education at any state school or charter school from their fifth birthday until 1 January after their 19th birthday.30 Education at state schools is free between the ages of 5 and 19 for New Zealand citizens and permanent residents.11

Families should still be prepared to pay for things like uniforms, stationery, trips outside school hours and extra-curricular activities such as sport.31 Schools can ask for donations, but paying them is optional.32

Where a state-integrated school charges attendance dues, they are compulsory.33 Private schools set their own fees.34

How do school zones work?

Enrolment schemes at state schools set out a geographical area around the school called a home zone.35 If you live within a school's home zone, your child automatically qualifies to enrol.36

Not all schools have zones, and anyone can enrol at a school without an enrolment scheme.37 If you move out of a zone after your child is enrolled, they are entitled to stay at the school.38

If you live outside a zone: You may still be able to apply to a school whose zone you live outside, but a place is not guaranteed.39

One rule to know before moving house: You cannot move into a zone temporarily to get your child into a school.40

What do students learn, and what qualifications do they gain?

English-medium schools use the New Zealand Curriculum.41 Māori-medium schools (kura kaupapa Māori) use Te Marautanga o Aotearoa, a curriculum based on Māori philosophies.42

The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is the national senior secondary school qualification.43 NCEA has three levels, and students generally work through levels 1 to 3 in Years 11 to 13.44 University Entrance (UE) is the minimum requirement to go from school to a New Zealand university.45

From 2028, new senior secondary qualifications will start to replace NCEA.46 NCEA will be replaced by the New Zealand Certificate of Education (NZCE) for Year 12 and the New Zealand Advanced Certificate of Education (NZACE) for Year 13.47 The changes come in stages: a foundational award starts in 2028, NZCE in 2029 and NZACE in 2030.48

Who runs and oversees schools?

The Ministry of Education sets direction for education agencies and providers and helps the Government reach its goals for education.49 The Ministry keeps its role in regulating state schools, as well as policy, funding and curriculum.50

The Education Review Office (ERO), Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga, is the Government's education evaluation agency.51 ERO reviews education services and providers, reports publicly on quality and performance, and identifies opportunities for improvement.52 From 1 September 2026, the Education Review Office registers private schools.53

The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) works with secondary schools to run all external assessment for NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams.54

Home zones are set by the Ministry in consultation with the school and community, and managed by the school board.55 Charter schools are run by a sponsor instead of a school board.56

KuraHub shows ERO reports as they are and never turns them into a ranking.

Sources

Every statement on this page comes from an official page, quoted in full here.

Each numbered statement above is followed here by the words of the official page it comes from. Every quote was checked against its page on .

  1. “Every domestic student must, during the period beginning on the student’s sixth birthday and ending on the student’s 16th birthday, be enrolled at a registered school.”

    Education and Training Act 2020 (NZ Legislation) · legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/38/en/latest ↑

  2. “Schooling is compulsory from age 6–16.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/about-us/education-new-zealand/our-e… ↑

  3. “In the majority of schools, your child can start school on the day they turn 5 years old.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/about-us/education-new-zealand/our-e… ↑

  4. “Many still do, but now some schools are using cohort entry with students starting in groups.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  5. “They can’t start before they turn 5 but must start by the time they turn 6.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  6. “School attendance is a legal requirement.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/atte… ↑

  7. “Your child must be at school unless they are sick. Health guidance is available to help you decide if your child is well enough to attend school. How to decide if a child is well enough to be at school or early learning Taking time off school for whānau | family holidays or other activities is not an acceptable reason for being away.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/atte… ↑

  8. “There are some situations where your 15-year-old can get permission to leave school early. This could be to go on to other training or a job.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/atte… ↑

  9. “Rules for allowing students to leave school early are very strict. We do not approve every application.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/atte… ↑

  10. “Most children stay at school until they are around 17 years old.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/about-us/education-new-zealand/our-e… ↑

  11. “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.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/about-us/education-new-zealand/our-e… ↑

  12. “Your child's primary education starts at Year 1 and goes to Year 8. This is around 5–12 years of age.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/about-us/education-new-zealand/our-e… ↑

  13. “Your child's secondary education goes from Year 9 to Year 13. This is around 13–17 years of age.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/about-us/education-new-zealand/our-e… ↑

  14. “The education system for schools is made up of 13-year levels.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/about-us/education-new-zealand/our-e… ↑

  15. “takes children from year 0 or 1 (age 5) to year 6 or year 8, depending on the school.”

    NZQA · www2.nzqa.govt.nz/international/study-nz-quals/nz-education-sys… ↑

  16. “Intermediate school is for children in years 7 and 8, where their primary school does not go to this level.”

    NZQA · www2.nzqa.govt.nz/international/study-nz-quals/nz-education-sys… ↑

  17. “At 1 July 2025, the total number of schools in New Zealand (State, State-Integrated, Private and Charter) was 2,536.”

    Education Counts (Ministry of Education) · educationcounts.govt.nz/statistics/number-of-schools ↑

  18. “Most schools in New Zealand are state schools, which are owned and funded by the government.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  19. “They teach the national curriculum and are non-religious.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  20. “State-integrated schools are owned by a private entity, such as a church or trust. They are funded by the government and teach the national curriculum.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  21. “These schools have their own special character, values, and philosophy, often based on a religion.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  22. “Charter schools are government-funded but operate independently.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  23. “They have more freedom to set their own curriculum and teaching methods.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  24. “Private schools get some government funding but mostly rely on school fees paid by parents.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  25. “They create their own learning programmes and do not have to follow the national curriculum.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  26. “Māori-medium education is where students are taught in the Māori language for at least 51% of the time.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  27. “All children can be supported to learn in their local school or kura . This gives them the chance to learn alongside peers and be part of their local community. Specialist schools are an option for children who need more support.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/lear… ↑

  28. “Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu is New Zealand's distance learning school. It is free for eligible students aged 19 and under.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/atte… ↑

  29. “Students who are at their enrolled school can also study courses with Te Kura that aren't available at their own school.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/atte… ↑

  30. “every domestic student is entitled to free enrolment and free education at any State school or charter school during the period beginning on the student’s fifth birthday and ending on 1 January after the student’s 19th birthday.”

    Education and Training Act 2020 (NZ Legislation) · legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2020/38/en/latest ↑

  31. “but you should be prepared to pay for: school uniforms stationery trips outside of school hours extra-curricular activities such as sports.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  32. “Schools can ask for donations to help with school activities. Payment of school donations is optional.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  33. “Attendance dues (where charged) are compulsory for state-integrated schools”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/education-professionals/schools-year-0-13/fun… ↑

  34. “Private schools set their own fees.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  35. “Enrolment schemes at state schools set out a geographical area around the school called a home zone.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  36. “If you live within a school's home zone, your child automatically qualifies to enrol.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  37. “Not all schools have zones. Anyone can enrol at schools that don't have an enrolment scheme.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  38. “If you move out of a zone after your child is enrolled at a school, they are entitled to remain at the school.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  39. “You may still be able to apply to enrol your child at a school if you live outside its enrolment zone. Your child is not guaranteed a place at the school.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  40. “You cannot temporarily move into a zone in order to get your child into a school.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  41. “English-medium schools use the New Zealand Curriculum.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/about-us/education-new-zealand/our-e… ↑

  42. “Māori-medium schools ( kura kaupapa Māori ) use Te Marautanga o Aotearoa (a curriculum based on Māori philosophies).”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/about-us/education-new-zealand/our-e… ↑

  43. “The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is the national senior secondary school qualification.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/about-us/education-new-zealand/our-e… ↑

  44. “There are 3 levels of NCEA. In general, students work through levels 1 to 3 in years 11 to 13 at school.”

    NZQA · www2.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/about-ncea ↑

  45. “UE is the minimum requirement to go from school to a New Zealand university.”

    NZQA · www2.nzqa.govt.nz/ncea/about-ncea ↑

  46. “From 2028, new senior secondary qualifications will start to replace NCEA.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/pare… ↑

  47. “NCEA will be replaced by 2 new national qualifications: New Zealand Certificate of Education (NZCE) for students in Year 12 New Zealand Advanced Certificate of Education (NZACE) for students in Year 13.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/pare… ↑

  48. “the foundational award will start in 2028 NZCE (Year 12) will begin in 2029 NZACE (Year 13) will begin in 2030.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/pare… ↑

  49. “We set direction for education agencies and providers, and help the New Zealand Government reach its goals for education.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/about-us/our-purpose-and-role/role-m… ↑

  50. “We will retain our role in regulation of state schools as well as policy, funding, curriculum and setting standards for early learning.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/about-us/education-new-zealand/trans… ↑

  51. “We are the Education Review Office | Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga, the Government's education evaluation agency.”

    Education Review Office · ero.govt.nz/about-us ↑

  52. “ERO reviews education services and providers, reports publicly on quality and performance, identifies opportunities for improvement, and supports positive outcomes for learners.”

    Education Review Office · ero.govt.nz/about-us ↑

  53. “From 1 September 2026 the Education Review Office: licenses and certificates early childhood education (ECE) providers licenses school hostels registers private schools”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/our-work/about-us/our-purpose-and-role/role-m… ↑

  54. “We work with secondary schools to run all external assessment for NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship exams.”

    NZQA · www2.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/why-we-are-here/our-responsibilities ↑

  55. “Enrolment scheme home zones are set by us in consultation with the school and community and managed by the school board.”

    Ministry of Education · education.govt.nz/parents-and-caregivers/schools-year-0-13/star… ↑

  56. “Charter schools are public schools, but they are run by a sponsor instead of a school board.”

    Charter School Agency · charterschools.govt.nz/home/about-charter-schools/what-is-a-charter-… ↑