[peebles16]

Hi all
Another query from me. What age to kids start school? My eldest was six during the summer and is now in Primary 2 in Scotland. What year would he go into in NZ? I thought Year 2 but another friend thought it would be Year 1. He's already done 1.5 years of formal schooling and couple of years at nursery beforehand and, although I know the change will be challenging for him, I want him to go in at the appropriate level.

Any advice?
Thanks
Karen

[stephenandjulie]

Hi Peebles
My girl is five and she is year one, so I would think your six year old will begin year 3 next February. I may be completely wrong of course, it's just a guess.
Good luck with the move, hopefully we will meet at some time as you are heading to Christchurch where we are.
Julie

[IanW99]

In New Zealand, compulsory education begins customarily on each child’s fifth birthday whenshe/he enters a “new entrants” class. After that class, time spent in which varies considerably, pupils usually spend one calendar year (January to December) at each of year levels 1 to 13, typically turning 6 during year 1 and 18 during year 13.

She will turn 7 during the school year so should be in year 2.

Ian

[peebles16]

Am confused now as friend in NZ stated that cos his birthday is after 1st July he may be in Year 1. Can't find any reference to this on minstry of educ website?? He will be 7 on 16th July so year 2 does seem a better fit?
karen

[nickydwuk]

I too found it confusing so I contacted the local eduaction department for the area I was initially planning on moving to and cleared it up for me. It seems that as we would be arriving in Septemeber (the new school year in the UK) my boys would start school the following February. If in the UK one would be year 10 and one year 12. In NZ the following Feb they would be year 11 and year 13. In effect losing almost a whole school year. I understand that schools in NZ can be negotiated with and I will be asking if my younger son can start year 10 in Feb. My eldest will be starting college/polytechnic anyway.

Hope this makes sense :confused:

[nippa&pippa]

Am confused now as friend in NZ stated that cos his birthday is after 1st July he may be in Year 1. Can't find any reference to this on minstry of educ website?? He will be 7 on 16th July so year 2 does seem a better fit?
karen

Are you thinking of UK's september starting school year? as NZ starting school year is in Febuary. Mean your child's birthday is in July (same as my son) is middle of school year, while my daughter is in january, mean end of school year (same as august in UK)

[Jo Jo]

Here's some info I found on team-up (http://www.teamup.co.nz/faqs/At+what+age+do+children+start+school+in+New+Zealan d.htm)


Most children in New Zealand start school on their 5th birthday and all children must be enrolled at school from their 6th birthday.

Compulsory education in New Zealand is divided into primary, intermediate and secondary schooling.

Primary schools are the first level. They cater for children from the age of five years (Year 0) to the end of Year 6.

A child starting primary school for the first time between 1 July and 31 December of a school year, and aged between five and six, will be classed as Year 0.

Children who begin school for the first time between 1 January and before July will be classed as being in Year 1.

If children start school for the first time after the age of six, they will be placed in the same year as other children of the same age.



So I think your son will be in year 2, as Ian said. If your child had started school here on his fifth birthday, he would be in year 0, and would turn 6 in year 1, and 7 in year 2.

[snailandthewhale]

I think Year 2, if you'd been living here he'd have started school at age 5 in July 2006, even if he'd gone into Year 0 then and not Year 1, he'd still be finishing Year 1 now and going into Year 2 in Feb.
Schools are open to negotiation, as children start school all year round. I think nicer than in the UK where everyone starts at the same time, my daughter had to start school a whole year earlier in England than if we'd been living in Scotland.
K

[peebles16]

That's what I thought Year 2
Thanks folks :D
Karen