B4 School Checks

The B4 School Check is a free health and development check for your 4 year old. This check helps to make sure your child is healthy and can learn well at school.

What exactly is the B4 School Check?

The B4 School Check is the last of your child's Well Child/Tamariki Ora health checks. This check helps identify and deal with any issues, like a hearing problem or speech difficulty, that may affect your child's learning when they get to school.

You can see all the Well Child/Tamariki Ora checks(external link) on the Ministry of Health's website.

How does my child get a B4 School Check?

Once your child has turned 4 your local B4 School Check team will get in touch and invite you to have a B4 School Check.

Having the check as close as possible to your child's 4th birthday means that there is time for you or your child to get any help needed before they start school.

What’s involved?

The B4 School Check usually takes about 45-60 minutes.

Most of it will be done by a nurse with you there because you know your child best.

The nurse will measure your child's height and weight, and ask questions about their general health, their emotional wellbeing and their development.

A vision/hearing specialist will also check your child's hearing and eyesight.  This test may happen separately at your child's early learning service.

You can talk to the nurse about anything else you might be concerned about.  The nurse can also help if your child has missed out on any immunisations.

Is a B4 School Check available to every 4 year old?

Yes, the check is for every child in New Zealand.  It's a really good way to check that your child is healthy, ready to learn when they get to school, and get help if there are any issues.

Where does the B4 School Check take place?

The check can be done is a number of places - your child's early learning service, Plunket, your doctor and sometimes in your home.

Do I have to pay?

No, the B4 School Check is free. 

What do I do if my child hasn't had a B4 School Check?

If your child is 4 and you haven’t received an invitation for a B4 School Check, you can contact your local B4 School Check team(external link) to arrange one.

What happens after the B4 School Check?

After your child has had their check the nurse will discuss the results with you and record them in your Well Child/Tamariki Ora book, so bring this with you for the check.

If your child needs anything more, the nurse will offer to refer you to an appropriate service, like another nurse, a doctor, the dental service, or an educational specialist. Doctors visits are free for children under 13, and visits to hospital specialists and special education services are also free, but there may be a wait to get seen. You can decide to use a private provider, but this will usually mean you have to pay.

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