School
I can’t believe my kids are growing so fast. My oldest is starting “real” school this term and had his first day of school day. I’m just now sure how I feel about this. He’s definitely ready to start at the big boys’ school. I think I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around sticking to a school schedule, homework, extracurricular activities, and the reality that my little boy is growing up. On top of that, I’ve had to learn about a totally new school system that has some real differences from the US system I went through.
The school year is different. Instead of an August or September start date, school starts near the beginning of the calendar year. This year, school starts on February 4. There are four terms, and each term is separated from the next by a two week break (in the fall and spring) and two or three week break (in the winter - basically most of July.) Then there is a large six week break for summer/Christmas/New Year’s that runs for the last part of December through January when it all starts again.
There’s a lot to like about this schedule. First, there’s enough time during all of the breaks to take a really fun trip, and Kiwis love to travel. Secondly, there isn’t a giant two to three month break when kids lose a lot of information and skills learned during the school year. Finally, it just seems easier to have the school year correspond with the calendar year. There’s no 2018/2019 school year - its just the 2018 or 2019 school year.
If you’re child is transferring from a different school system, the school will take into account their age and previous schooling to determine appropriate placement. I’ve noticed that schools seem to be much more flexible with year placement than in the United States. If the initial placement isn’t right, don’t be afraid to ask for a change.
There are three types of schools. State schools are what we would consider public schools. Most kids attend state schools, which accept kids from a defined catchment area. State schools are ranked in a decile system which rank the schools by socioeconomic standing. Even though this isn’t an exact representation of how good each school is, many people make housing and education decisions based on the decile rankings. Decile 10 schools are the top 10% of schools with the lowest percentage of low income students whereas a decile 1 school has the most number of students from a low income home.
State integrated schools are sort of like charter schools. They have something special about them, like they are associated with a religion or a certain learning philosophy, like Montessori. They typically charge a small fee to attend in addition to the usual uniform, books, and extras that a state school would charge for.
Private schools are just like they are in the United States. Only a small portion of kids attend private schools, which run, on average about NZ$20,000 per year for tuition. Students can live anywhere and attend a private school, and some have boarding options.
It’s possible to “shop” for a school. Prior to deciding on a school, I would check their recent school reports found here. Also, it is entirely possible to contact the school and ask for a tour. Keep in mind that to attend a state school, you need to be in zone, so school shopping should go hand in hand with house shopping. Kids, especially before their 5th birthday, are encouraged to come spend a morning or two to get comfortable in the new setting. Private schools often have campus tour days where large groups of parents can meet the administrators and view the campus, however these schools are usually open to private meetings if one of the larger tour dates doesn’t work for you.
Kids start school when they turn five. Yep, kids are starting school at all points during the school year. If kids are born at the beginning of the year, they’ll start in Year 1. If they’re born in the latter half of the year, they’ll start in Year 0, then start in Year 1 the following February. Year 0 is a transition year, something akin to our pre-k, but with much more play time. School lasts through year 13 - remember, Year 1 is like kindergarten.
Uniforms are the norm. It doesn’t matter if you attend public or private school, all of the kids wear uniforms. At first I was unsure about this practice, but now I love it. There are no battles in the morning about what to wear, and I don’t have to buy the kids nearly as many outfits as I used to because five days out of the week they’re wearing the same thing. The cost of the uniforms is the parents’ responsibility. At the high end, you can expect to pay around NZ$1500 for a full, new kit. On the lower end, expect to pay a couple hundred dollars. (There’s also government assistance for citizens and permanent residents.)
Not included in the price of the uniform, is the cost of labelling absolutely everything. I ended up buying a pack of name labels from a company and spent a good chunk of an afternoon ironing in labels into shirts, shorts, socks, underwear, a rain jacket, and all of the other odds and ends that might possibly go to school one day. I think someone could make a killing taking in all of the new school clothes and labelling them for parents who have no interest or skill in label making.
School Busses are Public Busses. Instead of bright yellow busses picking up kids around town, regular public busses are converted into school busses during normal school transit times. Kids will wait at a normal bus stop for a designated school bus, climb aboard, and head to school. When I say “kids” I mean primarily high school-aged kids as younger children are usually within walking distance of the school they attend. Parades of kids (some with parents if they’re younger than, say, seven) walk to the local school each morning. It is really an impressive, social event that kids and caregivers look forward to.
I’ll fill you in as I learn more about how schools are different from the U.S. (or at least the schools in Texas that I attended). It’s certainly been a process adjusting to these differences, and I feel like I’m learning something new each day.
Update
I recently listened to this podcast and thought it was an interesting discussion between an American and British expat. While I don’t agree with everything they discussed, I do agree with some of the conclusions, primarily that school is less stressful here, there is more of a focus on whole-person care, there is next to no testing and child reports are completely different. It’s worth a listen to get first hand commentary on schooling experiences in both the US and NZ.
