The system
The New Zealand education system is based on several guiding principles that maintain its position among the top six OECD countries for education. These foundations provide for culturally appropriate early childhood services, free primary and secondary education for New Zealand citizens and permanent residents, equitable and affordable access to tertiary education and quality assured, portable education qualifications.
The options
There is a wide choice of schooling options available within New Zealand and the government’s Ministry of Education umbrellas all of these diverse forms, ensuring that the consistency and quality of education provided fits national policies.
Early Childhood facilities offer education and care for children from birth to 6 years. Although these are not state owned, provided or managed, there are measures in place to ensure that children over 3 can enjoy free kindergarten education. The government provides regulatory minimum standards, curriculum focus and some funding.
The school year
Schooling is available and compulsory between the ages of 6 and 16, and is also provided free to 5 year olds in state-run primary and secondary schools. Secular schools are represented within the private sector. Single sex and co-educational schools are available. The school year runs from the end of January to the middle of December, broken into four terms. Classes have between 19 and 24 children to every teacher.
NCEA
New Zealand children generally attend primary school until they are 12 and then move on to their secondary institute, known as secondary schools, high schools, colleges or area schools. It is here that they are encouraged to partake in the National Certificate of Educational Achievement programme (NCEA), which is undertaken in three levels over the last three years of schooling (Years 11-13). NCEA qualifications are available in a myriad of subjects including academic, artistic and trade.
The NCEA qualifications equate internationally as follows:
Level One NCEA equates to:
- The British General Certificate of Secondary Education
- Canadian or US Grade 10
- Year 10 awards in most Australian states – School Certificate, Junior Certificate and Achievement Certificate
Level Three NCEA equates to:
- The British A level
- Year 12 awards in most Australian states
Higher education
A high level of tertiary education is available within New Zealand including universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics, which are all public institutions. There is also a huge variety of private training facilities and organisations which include many language schools catering to international students.
A Bachelor degree from a New Zealand university is equivalent of both the British Bachelor (Ordinary) degree and the Australian Bachelor degree award.