New Zealand Education System

New Zealand children start compulsory primary schooling at age 5 or 6. Prior to that, they can attend optional early childhood education. For their 7th and 8th years of schooling, they may attend intermediate schools or continue at primary school. Secondary schooling encompasses years 9 to 13 (around ages 13 to 18). Area schools usually service small rural communities and encompass years 1 - 13. There are also secondary schools that teach students from years 7 - 13, and several Junior High Schools that cover Years 7 - 10.

School Hours, Terms and Holidays

The school day usually starts at 9am and ends at 3 or 3:30pm.

The school year starts in January. There are 4 terms in a year, with 2-week breaks between them and a 6-week summer break at the end of the year.

Term 1: late January to early April — then a 2 week break
Term 2: May to early July — then a 2 week break
Term 3: late July to late September — then a 2 week break
Term 4: mid-October to mid-December — then a 6 week summer break.

For exact dates, check the Ministry of Education website.

State, State-integrated and Private Schools

Most schools in New Zealand are owned and funded by the state (state schools). They teach the national curriculum and are secular (non-religious).

State-integrated schools are schools with a special character. They are funded by the government and teach the national curriculum. They'll have their own sets of aims and objectives to reflect their own particular values and are set within a specific philosophy or religion. Parents pay compulsory attendance dues.

Private schools get some government funding but are mostly funded through charging parents school fees. They develop their own learning programmes and don't have to follow the national curriculum.

School Decile System

School deciles indicate the extent the school draws their students from low socio-economic communities.

We use deciles to target funding, for state and state-integrated schools, to help them overcome any barriers to learning that students from lower socio-economic communities might face.

The lower the school’s decile, the more funding it receives.

The Ministry of Education page while provide you with more information regarding the decile system.

National Certificate of Educational Achievement.

New Zealand students in their final three years of schooling (Year 11, 12 and 13) study towards NCEA - the National Certificate of Educational Achievement.

NCEA Level 1 is equivalent to GCSE
NCEA Level 2 is equivalent to AS Level
NCEA Level 3 is equivalent to A2 Level

Some schools are now offering Cambridge IGCSE & A Level instead of/or in addition to NCEA. A small number also offer IB. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) Website has got more information regarding NCEA.

Demand for Teachers

In New Zealand there is a demand for teachers with particular skills and experiences. Work is available for both casual relief (supply/substitute) teachers and teachers seeking full time roles. Demand for teachers in the Early Childhood Education(ECE) sector and Secondary sector is growing.

Early Childhood Education

In the Early Childhood Education sector there is a high demand for educators whose qualifications are recognised (by NZQA / Teaching Council) for ECE in NZ. Demand is high for both teaching and management roles. To be eligible for teaching roles in the Early Childhood sector, you are required to have an International Qualifications Assessment (IQA) with a Primary or Early Childhood outcome or a sector endorsement letter from the Teaching Council.

Relief(supply) teachers who are eligible to teach in the Early Childhood sector are also highly sought after. If you are looking to be based in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington or Christchurch, we would be able to support you with relief teaching opportunities.

Primary Education

Secondary Education

Secondary teachers that are able to teach STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) are in demand country wide. If you can teach physics, chemistry, technology and/or mathematics to senior levels, these skills are highly sought after.

Demand for teachers in other subject areas fluctuates.

As secondary student roll growth occurs over the next several years, we anticipate more demand for secondary teachers.

Vacancies on Career Portal