Primary Schools

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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.

In the zone or out in the cold?
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, although experiences can vary from one classroom to another within the same school, and your child will be different from theirs.
• Thinking about your child's needs: bear in mind what your child enjoys and compare this to the school's areas of special interest. For example, if your child who has an early interest in music, make sure the school has a good music programme.
• 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. Call to make an appointment; do this with more than one school to ensure that you keep your options open. 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.
• Think about the cost and decide what you can afford in the long term – once a child has developed a passion for something, it will be disappointing if you can no longer afford to support his or her interest.

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. Look into the zoning rules and characters of primary schools near your home, well before the time your child is due to enrol. This way, you won't find yourself rushing this important decision.

Looking for more information? Find New Zealand primary schools in the NZS.com directory.

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Education images from Flickr: School Children, Encyclopedias and Globe.