Primary and secondary schooling

Schooling in New Zealand is arranged by sorting students into “years”. Shortly after children enter school at age five they are put into a ‘year one’ class, and can remain in school until they have reached ‘year thirteen’.

School attendance is compulsory from six to sixteen years though typically children start school after their 5th birthday and many stay at school until  they complete school year 13.  They may then move to tertiary study. 

Parents have the option of the free state school system, private schools, integrated schools or providing home schooling for their child.

Primary schools

Children from the ages of five to (usually) twelve or thirteen attend primary schools in New Zealand. There are three types of primary schools:

• full primary (years 1-8)
• contributing primary (from years 1-6)
• intermediate school (years 7-8).

Secondary schools

Young adults start attending secondary school at the age of twelve or thirteen in year 9. If they want to complete secondary school they may stay until the end of year 13.