 New Zealand Primary Schools |
15 Jul 08 |
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nzs.com 23/5/07 |
In the Zone or out in the cold?
Your child will spend some
of his or her most formative years at primary school, so it's important to give
yourself time to make an informed and well-considered decision when choosing an
NZ primary school for your child. Remember, too, that once little Elliot or
Kate is settled at a New Zealand primary school, it's best that they are not
uprooted, but remain in a stable environment with familiar faces and teachers
who are familiar with their learning style.
Many New Zealand
primary schools currently have zone enrolment schemes, which were introduced as
a means of preventing overcrowding in schools. Schools with zoning contain a
home zone with clear boundaries; students who wish to attend the school must
live within the designated area. Those who do live within the school's zone
have a right to enrol at the school. Children living out of zone may be
considered if they are accepted into a special programme at the school or have
a sibling who is a current or past student of the school. All other students
are entered into a ballot, which is drawn to fill any remaining places.
Easy as A, B, C?
While at school, it's reasonable to expect that your child will be taught the
basics – reading, writing and mathematics – along with other intellectual
skills and the ability to think inquisitively and interact socially with
others. Finding a good primary school in New Zealand, which will provide for
your child's education and be a place where they can feel at home, can be a
difficult task. Shopping around for the perfect school can involve:
Talking to other parents: word of mouth is one of the
best ways to find out what a school's strengths and weaknesses are.
Thinking about your child's
needs:
bear in mind what your child enjoys and compare this to the school's areas
of special interest.
Drawing up a shortlist: always express interest in the
schools of your choice (do this by calling to make an appointment), but
remember that popular schools fill their places quickly and give
preference to those living 'in zone'.
Choosing between state, private
or state integrated schools: state and state integrated schools are government
funded, while private (or independent) schools receive around 25% of their
funding from the government and source the rest from tuition fees. In New Zealand,
about 85% of students attend state schools, 10% attend state integrated
schools and just 5% are enrolled at private schools.
Does your chosen
school make the grade?
Most NZ primary schools are happy to show you around the facilities and tell
you a bit about what makes their school tick. When
visiting a school, look for signs of a good learning environment: happy,
interested children; enthusiastic teachers; individual attention given to
children; and a busy atmosphere. You might also like to ask about the school's
policies or curriculum.
All work and no
play?
You may consider planning after-school activities for your child, to develop
further skills in areas such as music, sport, art, language or martial arts.
When considering enrolling your child in an extra-curricular activity, bear in
mind:
Extra activities can be great for allowing your
child to learn new skills, gain confidence and be social with those
outside the classroom.
Children usually find the school day long and
tiring, and may also have homework to complete each night, so don't jam
too much into each week.
Choose an activity that your child has shown an
interest or talent in and also consider your child's temperament – if he
or she is happy to read, draw or do puzzles, allow space and time for
these activities.
Arts activities, such as music and drama, can
complement classes in the regular school programme.
Sports are a great way to get some physical
activity into your child's day and encourage an active, healthy lifestyle.
This need not be team sport, but may be pursuits such as swimming,
rollerblading, cycling or dance.
From six to sixteen
Education is compulsory for children between the ages of six and sixteen in New Zealand, although most start primary school
in New Zealand
at age five and continue on until the age or seventeen or eighteen. Primary
school usually caters for Year 0 (sometimes called New Entrants) through to
Year 6, with separate Intermediate schools taking over for Years 7 and 8,
before Secondary school carries the student from Year 9 through to year 13.
Full primary schools offer education from Year 0 to Year 8, while private
schools often educate from Year 0 all the way through to Year 13.
Primary school is an
important step for your child, so make a choice that will suit your lifestyle
and your child's personality.
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