Secondary overview

New Zealand families can choose between two types of schooling for their children's education:

• state and integrated schools (Government funded)
• private schools (fee funded)

Types of secondary school

• A typical secondary school in New Zealand educates students from year 9 to the end of year 13, an age range of 13 to 18.
• Area or composite schools educate students from year 1 to year 13, age range 5 to 18.
• Middle schools educate students from year 7 to year 10, age range 11 to 14.

School organisation

In secondary schools, students are usually grouped in form or home classes for administrative purposes, such as roll call.

In years 9 and 10, typically students stay as a form or home class to study their core subjects, but split into different classes for their options.

At senior level - years 11, 12 and 13 - students go to different teachers for each subject they have chosen to study.

Most secondary schools operate between around 8.45am to 3.15pm.