My child will soon turn 5

If your child is about to turn 5, is already 5 or has not been to school, there are a few things you should know:

• We are a cohort school. This means that a group of 5 year olds will start school together either at the start, or around week 6 of each school term.  

• Enrolment procedures require documentation, a meeting, and visits before your child starts school.  

• Proof of Address documents for enrolment must be less than 1 month old, so enrolment process cannot begin more than 2 months before expected start of schooling.

• If your child is already 5 years old, please continue to have them attend pre-school, daycare, or kindergarten until they start at our school.

Children over 6 years old must attend school in New Zealand.  Primary schools accept enrolments from the age 5 years, until your child turns 13 if this is before 30 June each year.  If your child’s birthday is on 1 July or after, and they are turning 13 this year, they should be enrolled at the nearest secondary school to your home.

At Takaanini School all children will move through year levels with their age-group peers.  This does not reflect their academic level, as each child is taught at the level that is right for them.

If you don’t have two of these documents in the parent/guardian’s name, then replace one with:

• One of the above documents in the name of the home’s primary resident, 

• a statutory declaration identifying the names of the child and their parent/guardian who normally live at this address.  

• Both of these need to be verified by a Justice of the Peace

All NZ citizens (within the correct age range) in our school’s home zone are entitled to enrol at Takaanini School.  This eligibility is confirmed by a birth certificate of the student, confirming date of birth and parent name(s).  

NZ Residents (within the correct age range and home zone) are entitled to enrol at Takaanini School.  This eligibility is confirmed by a passport confirming the student’s identity and a corresponding Resident Visa.

Overseas citizens (within the correct age range and living in the school’s home zone) may enrol at Takaanini School with a passport and current valid Student Visa or Refugee Visa.

A child’s legal guardian in the first instance is their parent(s) at birth, and this will be confirmed for the enrolment process by a birth certificate.

If a child is adopted, their legal guardian is appointed by the court, and documentation to this effect must be provided for enrolment.

If a child has a parenting order that impacts custody of the child, a copy of this must be provided for enrolment.

If a child lives with a caregiver who is not the legal guardian of the child, the legal guardian must declare this by completing a Whaangai Declaration verified by a Justice of the Peace.

Justices of the Peace (JPs) have powers given to them by legislation. Duties of a Justice of the Peace include:

• witnessing of documents

• taking of declarations

• swearing of affidavits or affirming affirmations.

When the school needs to confirm that enrolment information is true and correct, you will be able to provide copies of documents that verify this information.  If you have an original document Category A as described, please provide this (we will take a copy and return it to you).  Category B documents and copies of documents must be verified by a JP to confirm that they indicate supporting information such as:

• The document has been issued for a real person

• The document includes information that matches another document

• A real person has made an official declaration that has been officially witnessed and may be legally binding

You can visit a JP at one of these locations:

• Takanini Library

• Papakura Courthouse

• https://jpauckland.org.nz/jp-locator/

Each year the board will determine the number of places which are likely to be available in the following year for the enrolment of students who live outside the home zone. The board will publish this information by notice on the school website. The notice will indicate how applications are to be made and will specify a date by which all applications must be received.

Please note - Due to rapid roll growth in 2025, no additional places for students between Year 0 and Year 6 living outside the school's Home Zone will be considered for enrolment. We will review this in early 2026

Applications for enrolment will be processed in the following order of priority:

First Priority This priority category is not applicable at this school because the school does not run a Special programme approved by the Secretary.

Second Priority Will be given to applicants who are siblings of current students.

Third Priority Will be given to applicants who are siblings of former students.

Fourth Priority Will be given to any applicant who is a child of a former student of the school.

Fifth Priority Will be given to any applicant who is either a child of an employee of the board of the school or a child of a member of the board of the school.

Sixth Priority Will be given to all other applicants.

If there are more applicants in the second, third, fourth, or fifth priority groups than there are places available, selection within the priority group will be by a ballot conducted in accordance with instructions issued by the Secretary under Schedule 20 section 4 of the Education and Training Act 2020 (formerly section 11G (3) of the Education Act 1989).  Parents will be informed of the date of any ballot by notice in a daily or community newspaper circulating in the area served by the school.

Applicants seeking second or third priority status may be required to give proof of a sibling relationship.  

Special Programmes

This priority category is not applicable at this school because the school does not run a Special programme approved by the Secretary for Education.