Secondary schooling in NZ – Parents.education.govt.nz – Practical information about education for parents and carers

Secondary schools in NZ

Secondary education is for children in Years 9 to 13, which is usually when they are between 13 and 19 years old. Your child might go to secondary school (sometimes referred to as college or high school) or your child might be at composite school or middle school that goes through to the secondary years.

Different types of secondary schools

There are a range of secondary schools available in New Zealand.

Home education

Home education (sometimes called homeschooling) is an option in New Zealand. Parents and caregivers who want to educate their child at home need to first get approval from their local Ministry of Education office.

Ministry funding deciles

New Zealand schools and kura have decile ratings that help determine how much government funding they get.

Enrolment Schemes (school zones)

School enrolment zones stop schools from getting overcrowded, and give children who live in the school area (the zone) a guarantee that they can go to their local school.