Enrolment+Scheme


 * ENROLMENTS AND ENROLMENT SCHEMES **

 Here are answers to questions which parents sometimes ask when they need to enrol their child at a school. If you want more detailed information, contact staff at one of the Ministry of Education offices listed at the end of this document. Staff there will be able to help you.

 All children have the right to be enrolled at a State school between their fifth birthday and the first of January following their nineteenth birthday.
 * What rights does my child have regarding enrolment at school? **

 An enrolment scheme is a means of limiting the roll to prevent overcrowding at the school, and enabling the Ministry of Education to make best use of the current accommodation at schools in the surrounding area.
 * Why then do some schools have enrolment schemes? **

 Schemes should:
 * What does the law have to say about enrolment schemes? **

· as far as possible exclude no more students than necessary to avoid overcrowding; · enable the Ministry to make best use of the existing networks of State schools; · ensure that the selection of applicants for enrolment at the school is carried out in a fair and transparent manner; · enable students to attend a reasonably convenient school; <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">as far as possible, not exclude local students.

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;"> Each enrolment scheme must contain a home zone with clearly defined boundaries. Students who live in the home zone have an absolute right to enrol at the school.
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">What is this that I hear about zoning? **

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;"> Out of zone students who apply for enrolment at the school must be accepted in the following order of priority:
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">What if I live outside the home zone? **

(a) students accepted for enrolment in a special programme run by the school; (b) brothers and sisters of current students (c) brothers and sisters of former students (d) children of board employees (e) all other students. <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;"> If there are more applicants in priority groups (b)-(e) than there are places available, selection within the priority group must be by ballot. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-NZ; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;"> The Ministry has to agree that a scheme is necessary and has to approve the content of the scheme.
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">How do enrolment schemes work? **

Each year the board must place a notice in a newspaper circulating in the area, stating:

<span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">how many out of zone places are likely to be available; <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">the date by which applications for out of zone places must be received; <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">the date(s) of any ballot(s) for out of zone places.

If the board receives fewer out of zone applications than there are places available, no ballot will be necessary and all applicants will be enrolled.

Some primary schools with enrolment schemes will advertise more than one ballot each year (perhaps one each term) for five year olds who are starting school.

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;"> This means that the address you give when you apply for enrolment must be your usual place of residence. If the school finds that you have given false information, the school may cancel your child’s enrolment.
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">How do you define “living in the home zone”? **

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;"> If you live in the home zone of a school with an enrolment scheme and you want to enrol your child at the school, the school must enrol your child. If you want to enrol your child at a school with an enrolment scheme but live outside the home zone, you will have to wait until the school next organises a ballot before your application for enrolment can be considered.
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">What rights do I have if I am new to the area? **

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;"> First of all ask whether the school has an enrolment scheme. If it does not, the school should not be excluding your child. Contact your nearest Ministry of Education office if this happens.
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">What can I do if a school tells me that it is full and cannot enrol my child? **

If the school does have an enrolment scheme, check to see whether you live in the home zone. You will be able to see a copy of the scheme at the school. If you do not live in the school’s home zone, then there will be another school that is reasonably convenient to your home that your child could attend.

If you live out of zone and your child is unsuccessful in the ballot, you may still feel there are good reasons why a school with an enrolment scheme should enrol your child. In this case you can contact your nearest Ministry office to discuss the possibility of the Ministry directing the school to enrol your child. The Ministry can do this if there are special circumstances relating to your child which might make it appropriate for the Ministry to override the scheme. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-NZ; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;"> Schools of these types may have authority to operate enrolment schemes if there are likely to be more applicants for enrolment at the school than there are places available. Enrolment schemes at these schools do not have to include a home zone or provide for a ballot.
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; msobidifontsize: 10.0pt;">Are things any different at a State integrated school, a Kura Kaupapa Maori or a Designated Character School? **

A **State integrated school** is a school with a special (religious) character, which has been integrated into the State system. Every integrated school has a maximum roll which it is not allowed to exceed. First of all an integrated school has to cater for students who meet the school’s special character requirements. If there is room left, the school is able to enrol a set small number of students who do not meet the special character requirements.

A **Kura Kaupapa Maori** is a State school where teaching is in the Maori language and the school’s aims, purposes and objectives reflect the Te Aho Matua philosophy. Kura Kaupapa Maori are able to restrict enrolments to the children of parents who accept the kura’s aims, purposes and objectives.

A **Designated Character School** is a State school with a particular character, but different from integrated schools and kura kaupapa Maori. These schools are able to restrict enrolments to the children of parents who accept the school’s aims, purposes and objectives.