Early Childhood

New Zealand has many types of early childhood services to choose from. Each type has its own way of working with children and their parents. The Northland Free Kindergarten Association has 21 kindergartens based in the Whangarei area. There are many more Play Centres and Day Care facilities operating throughout the district.

Kindergarten

Children are supervised by a qualified teacher. Kindergartens run half-day sessions for different age groups, starting from age 2 ½ and going to 5 years old. Some kindergartens offer all-day sessions for older age groups. There is a small charge to attend and children must be enrolled.
Find more information here Northland Free Kindergarten Association:

Day Care Centres

Most Whangarei suburbs offer privately owned day care facilities for your child, many of which have a waiting list. There are charges for day care, but a tax rebate may be available if you earn an income and pay for child day care. Contact the IRD for further information on tax rebates.

Playcentre

Playcentres are run by parents. Some offer separate sessions for children aged 4 years.

• A Playcentre is for children 5-years of age and under;
• Is run by the parents;
• Provides early childhood education;
• Provides parent education modules on all aspects of children’s learning;
• Is based on the importance of parents as educators of their own children.

For more information visit Northland Playcentre Association or phone: (09) 438 2155

Te Kohanga Reo
Te Kohanga Reo is a total immersion preschool for children aged up to 6 years, where Te Reo Maori or the Maori language is the only language spoken. Te Kohanga Reo was first established in 1982 to promote, support and encourage the retention and growth of Te Reo Maori or the Maori language.
For further informationvisit Te Kohanga Reoor phone the local Trust on (09) 435 9090.

Home-based child care services
These are available in Whangarei, and the service is based in the care-giver’s home, with a maximum of 4 children per home. Some care-givers are qualified teachers.

Barnardos also offer a home-based child care service in Whangarei. For more information visit Barnardos

Choose a school

All children must be enrolled in school by the time they are 6 years old. Most children start year 1 on, or soon after, their 5th birthday. They must continue to attend school until they are sixteen, but most children stay until Year 12 or 13.

The school year runs from January to December and is divided into four terms. Most Primary Schools cater for children from year 1 up to year 8, but many children leave at the end of year 6 and go to an Intermediate School for years 7 and 8.

All Primary and Intermediate Schools are co-educational, i.e. teaching both sexes. Secondary schools cater for children from year 9 to year 13. Most are co-educational, but some are single sex. Most schools at every level are State Schools and are funded by the Government. Most children go to the nearest school to their home however some private and State Integrated schools in the Whangarei District cater for children of various ages. These are partially or completely privately funded, and are often run by particular religious groups.

Primary Schools

Each suburb has its own Primary School. There are 15 in the urban area, as well as rural schools.

Intermediate Schools

There are three located within Whangarei City;

• Whangarei Intermediate, phone (09) 438 8659 or email admin@whangareiint.school.nz
• Raumanga - Manaia View School
• Kamo Intermediate

These schools provide only year 7 and year 8 classes, but many parents appreciate the wider range of courses and specialist classes they are able to offer.

Secondary Schools

There are four main secondary schools in Whangarei City, all offering a wide range of subjects and good sporting facilities.

• Kamo High - co-education
• Tikipunga High School - co-education
• Whangarei Girl’s High School - all girls, with some students boarding in an attached hostel
• Whangarei Boy’s High School - all boys, with some students boarding in an attached hostel

State Integrated Schools

Schools that are based on a religious teaching and also teach the national school curriculum, and that receive no or only partial state funding, are called State Integrated Schools.

• There are two Catholic State-Integrated co-educational schools within the city
  • Pompallier Catholic College is a secondary school, and takes a small number of paying non-Catholic students
  • Saint Francis Xavier is for primary students
• The Seventh Day Adventist State-Integrated School at Whau Valley, phone 09 437 0448
• There are two ACE (Accelerated Christian Education) schools, which are licensed as private schools. One is located in central Whangarei, the other; Excellere College is a non-denominational, is a co-educational primary and secondary school State-Integrated school is located at Kamo

Special Education

Special education teachers are available in schools throughout Whangarei District for students who have special needs or a disability. Special education provides extra help, adapted programmes, learning environments, or specialised equipment or materials to support children and young people, with their learning and help them participate in education.

For more information visit the Ministry of Education website .

After-school care

After-school care is available at some schools and with some private providers.

Activities for Children

There is a range of activities available for children. Contact CAB for information or ask your local school, Playcentre, kindergarten, or day care centre for other choices.

Baby-sitters

Baby-sitters must be 14-years of age or older to have legal charge of your children. Local supermarket notice boards will often advertise baby-sitters.
It is a good idea to ask potential baby-sitters for a reference.

School Zones

Schools in New Zealand are zoned. The Ministry of Education web site has information about school zones and the New Zealand school system. You can locate your zone on the School Zone's website.

If you want your child to go to a school outside your zone you will need to apply to that school. If you have a choice of schools, you may want to check on a school’s ranking. These are listed in Education Review Office reports. Also check out ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ (FAQs) on the Ministry of Education website.

Te Kura Kaupapa Maori

Te Kura Kaupapa Maori is a total immersion school where the only language spoken is Te Reo Māori. There is one kura in Whangarei, called Te Kura Kaupapa Māori O Te Rawhiti Roa, phone 435 4488.

Tertiary Institutes

NorthTec, situated at the Raumanga campus, Raumanga Valley Road, and The University of Auckland Faculty of Education (Tai Tokerau Campus), in Alexander St, both run full degree courses in Whangarei. For a range of other universities and colleges, see Universities, Colleges & Polytechnics.

NorthTec is the largest provider of tertiary education north of Auckland, with campuses in Whangarei city, Kerikeri, Rāwene, Dargaville, Kawakawa, Kaikohe and Kaitaia. NorthTec offers a wide range of vocational subjects up to a Diploma level. It provides industry-focused education, with flexible learning options. There is also an International Centre and a growing School of Languages.

The Polytechnic campus is one of park-like surrounds, and includes a cafeteria, library, art gallery, Marae, small gymnasium and childcare services.
For further information visit the NorthTec Website

Te Wananga o Aotearoa is one of New Zealand's largest tertiary education providers. They offer a comprehensive range of certificate to degree qualifications to New Zealanders of all ages and walks of life. Operating from over 80 locations throughout the country, the Whangarei Campus is located on Cameron Street. Click here for more information.

 

Tertiary studies are also available by correspondence or on-line through Open Polytechnic and Massey University.

Community Education

Community Education offers a range of short courses on a variety of subjects. For further information click here or contact Kamo High School phone 435 1688.