bibby

my daughter will be 4 in january next year. will she start school in nz then. does anyone know when the term starts??? or will she have to wait until the year after???

happynz

Children can start on their fifth birthday. School term 1 starts either last week of January or first week of February. There are four terms of ten weeks duration with two-week breaks in between terms and a six-week summer holiday at the end of term four.

dlmckay

Most children start on their 5th birthday - however, they're not legally obliged to be in school until they're 6!

http://www.schoolzones.co.nz/enrolme.../HelpPage.aspx you may find this site useful.

Suzbits

The above is a great website thanks for the link.

Am Loolah

Our youngest started school on the Monday after she turned 5.

She then had 5 weeks before breaking up for the long Summer/Christmas hols.

When she returned the week before last she'd gone up a year.

I quite like the fact that there can be new kids starting each week.

The two weeks prior to her turning 5 she went along for 2 morning sessions which was good. It was pretty easy for her as she then had 2 older siblings at the same school.

Suzbits

Sounds much better than the UK. My youngest will be 4 in August and will start full time school first week September! He will have his older sister and brother at the same school but my baby is too young.

OH liked the idea of him having another year at home too - another plus for NZ.

Kiwiprincess

yep 5 or on their 5th birthday. if they school accepts them before that they generally aren't funded or insured to accept the child.

they should go to kindergarten though before that

lardyl

remember without PR tou'll be paying overseas fees for schooling.......

happynz

Work permit is OK for primary and secondary, you won't be dinged for international fees, but yeah, for tertiary KA-CHING! you'll get hit and hit hard.

lardyl

doh - you're right.....I have no memory.....

SarahB

Hiya... my son turned 4 in November. When he was 3 and a half he started at state kindy for 3 afternoons a week. On the 29th January this year he started morning kindy which is 5 mornings a week... 3 of these sessions are 3 hours long and 2 are 4 hours long. When hes 5 in November he will start our local school on the monday after his birthday.

He got left behind by his friends who all went to morning kindy before him as they are older.... he made a new friend whos younger than him so hes lost him at the moment but regained his old friends again. Its pretty good as he seems to make new friends pretty easily.... they have to really.

I'd hate to think that if he was in England hed be at school now as hes really young and small too for his age.... he wouldnt be ready. 5 is quite old enough to start school IMO.

Good luck.

SarahB