Appendix 2

All the items in this appendix are available on the Ministry of Education’s website at  http://www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/enrolmentschemes

Draft of newspaper notice indicating that an enrolment scheme has been adopted.

In order to avoid overcrowding, or the likelihood of overcrowding, the board of <school name > has adopted an enrolment scheme which has been approved by the Ministry of Education.

Under this scheme, students will be enrolled if they live within the  home zone described below.  (Insert description of the boundaries of the home zone.  The description may be precise or general.)

The enrolment of out of zone students is governed by the provisions of the Education Act 1989.

The enrolment scheme, which includes a precise description of the home zone, may be viewed at the school office (or some other appropriate place within the school), where copies of the scheme are also available.

Draft of newspaper notice advertising details of pre-enrolment procedures and subsequent balloting procedures

For a school with a single pre-enrolment period

The board invites applications from parents who wish to enrol their sons and daughters at < school name >  for next year.

Enrolment at the school is governed by an enrolment scheme, details of which are available from the school office.

<Insert details of how applications are to be made.>

The deadline for receipt of applications for out of zone places is < state date >. 

Parents of students who live within the home zone should also apply by this date to assist the school to plan appropriately for next year.

The board has determined that < state number > places are likely to be available for out of zone students next year.  (Alternatively state the number of places likely to be available at particular levels within the school.)  The exact number of places will depend on the number of applications received from students who live within the school’s home zone.

If appropriate add:  The school operates an approved special programme for <state name> and expects that there will be about <number> places available in the programme for out of zone students next year.

If the number of out of zone applications exceeds the number of places available, students will be selected by ballot (except in the case of special programmes, where the criteria in the enrolment scheme apply).  (Omit the preceding bracketed statement if it is not relevant.)  If a ballot is required it will be held on <date >.  (If there will be more than one ballot, eg ballots at different levels, all relevant dates must be given.)  Parents will be informed of the outcome of the ballot within three school days of the ballot being held.

Draft of newspaper notice advertising details of pre-enrolment procedures and subsequent balloting procedures

For a school with a multiple pre-enrolment periods

Enrolment at the school is governed by an enrolment scheme, details of which are available from the school office.

The board has determined that < state number > places are likely to be available for out of zone students next year.  (Alternatively state the number of places likely to be available at particular levels within the school.)  The exact number of places will depend on the number of applications received from students who live within the school’s home zone.

If appropriate add:  The school operates an approved special programme for <state name> and expects that there will be about <number> places available in the programme for out of zone students next year.

Next year there will be <state number> enrolment periods.  The first enrolment period runs from <first day of school in the new year> to <last day of term 1, or last day of term 2, or whatever is decided>.

For students seeking enrolment within the first enrolment period, the deadline for receipt of applications for out of zone places is < state date >. 

Parents of students who live within the home zone and intend enrolling their child at any time during the next year should  notify the school by <same date as above> to assist the school to plan appropriately for next year.

<Insert details of how applications are to be made.>

If the number of out of zone applications exceeds the number of places available, students will be selected by ballot (except in the case of special programmes, where the criteria in the enrolment scheme apply).  (Omit the preceding bracketed statement if it is not relevant.)  If a ballot for out of zone places is required, it will be held on <date >.  Parents will be informed of the outcome of the ballot within three school days of the ballot being held.

Details relating to the second enrolment period are as follows.

Length of enrolment period: from <first day> to <last day>.

Deadline for receipt of applications: <state date>

Date of ballot: <state date>

Repeat this pattern for any subsequent enrolment period(s)

Draft of newspaper notice advertising details of pre-enrolment procedures and subsequent balloting procedures

For a school with a multiple pre-enrolment periods - for second and any subsequent pre-enrolment period

Enrolment at the school is governed by an enrolment scheme, details of which are available from the school office.

Applications for out of zone places are now being invited for those students who will become eligible for enrolment during the period <state beginning and ending dates>.

The deadline for receipt of applications for out of zone places is <state date>.

If a ballot for out of zone places is required, it will be held on < date >.  Parents will be informed of the outcome of the ballot within three school days of the ballot being held.

If you live in the home zone and have not yet signalled your intention to enrol your child later this year, please contact the school immediately to assist us to plan appropriately.

Draft of newspaper notice advertising details of pre-enrolment procedures and subsequent balloting procedures

For a group of schools of a similar type

In cases where there is  a group of schools which are all going to follow the same pattern, it is possible to create a newspaper notice which covers all schools in the group.  Any variations within the group must be separately listed (eg the likely number of out of zone places available at each school).  Here is an example of how a newspaper notice might be created covering six secondary schools, who have agreed that they will all hold a ballot for places at Forms 4-7 at a later date than the ballot for places at Form 3.  Note that the notice must be placed in a newspaper that circulates in all the areas served by schools in the group. 

This notice applies to the following schools, all of whom have authority to operate enrolment schemes to prevent overcrowding.

School A

School B

School C

School D

School E

School F

The boards of the above schools invite applications from parents who wish to enrol their sons and daughters at the above schools for next year. Details of the enrolment schemes are available from the relevant school office in every case.

Applications should be made in writing and addressed to the principal of the relevant school.  The envelope should be marked “Application for enrolment”.  The deadline for receipt of applications for out of zone places is Friday 15 September 2000. 

Parents of students who live within the home zone of a school listed in this notice should also apply by this date to assist the school to plan appropriately for next year. 

The board of each of the named schools has determined that the following places are likely to be available for out of zone students next year.

School A 25

School B 40

School C 55

School D 35

School E 45

School F  50

The exact number of places available at each school will depend on the number of applications received from students who live within the school’s home zone.

School C and School E operate approved special programmes, for which enrolment is controlled by particular criteria stated in the enrolment scheme of each school.  The special programme places likely to be available for out of zone students are shown below.

School C Maori immersion programme 12 places

School E Class for students with physical disabilities 4 places

If the number of out of zone applications exceeds the number of places available, students will be selected by ballot (except in the case of special programmes, where the criteria in the enrolment scheme apply).

In cases where ballots are required they will be held on the following dates.

Friday 29 September 2000               For places in Form 3 in 2001

Tuesday 31 October 2000               For places in forms 4-7 in 2001

Parents will be informed of the outcome of the ballot within three school days of the ballot being held.

Draft of newspaper notice advertising ballot as provided for in Instruction 31

The board advises that a number of vacancies have become available at <school name>.  Since the last ballot for out of zone places on <date> the board has received a number of enquiries from parents of out of zone students seeking to enrol their children at the school this year.

Because the board operates an enrolment scheme, it is required to fill any vacant out of zone places by ballot in cases where there are more applications for enrolment than there are places available.  The board has determined that <state number> places are likely to be available to out of zone students for immediate enrolment <or for enrolment from a certain date>.  (Alternatively state the number of places likely to be available at particular levels within the school.)

The board is prepared to receive applications, in addition to those which it already holds, so long as they reach the school by <date>.  If a ballot is required it will be held on <date>.  Parents will be informed of the outcome of the ballot within three school days of the ballot being held.

Enrolment Questionnaire

The Education Act gives a guarantee of enrolment to students who live in the home zone specified in the school’s enrolment scheme.  The board needs to be sure that an in-zone address is genuine, because it is required to manage the enrolment scheme for the benefit of local students.

In addition to specific documents showing proof of residence, it will assist the board if you complete the following questionnaire.

Student’s name……………………………………………………………………….………...

1. What school is the student currently attending (if any)?……………………………….

2. What is the address that will be the student’s usual place of residence when the school is open for instruction?…………………………………………………………………

If the student will be living with the parent(s)

3. Have you lived at this address for more than one year?……………………

4. If you answered “Yes” to Question 3 above, is this:

your only residential address?……………………

your main residential address?……………………

if “No”, state your other address……………………………………...

5. If you answered “No” to Question 3 above, do you own the property?………...

If “No”, do you intend to stay at this address permanently?……………

If the student will be boarding

6. Will the student be boarding at the school hostel?………………….

7. If you answered “No” to Question 6 above,

(a) Who will the student be boarding with?……………………………………….

(b) How long has the boarding arrangement been in place?………………………

(c) Is it a permanent boarding arrangement?………………

(d) What are the reasons for the boarding arrangement?..………………………...

…………………………………………………………………………………

(e) If the boarding arrangement is temporary, why is that so?……………………

…………………………………………………………………………………

(f) What is your home address?…………………………………………………...

(g) Will the person(s) with whom the student is boarding have a primary duty of care?………  (Note:  The student will not be considered as living in-zone if an out of zone parent remains the primary caregiver.)

If any issues arise from the above information, the board may wish to interview you to ensure the genuineness of the application.

If your application for enrolment is declined, you may appeal the board’s decision by asking the Ministry of Education to direct the board to enrol the student.  Application forms are available from the Ministry’s local office.

Draft of statement to be provided to parents at the time of application for enrolment.

To be completed by parents who have given an in-zone address as the student’s usual place of residence.

The address given at the time of application for enrolment must be the student’s usual place of residence when the school is open for instruction.  This means that if you currently live at an in-zone address but move to an out-of-zone address before your child’s first day of attendance at the school, your child will not be entitled to enrol at the school.

The Ministry of Education has advised that parents should also be warned of the possible consequences of deliberately attempting to gain unfair priority in enrolment by knowingly giving a false address or making an in-zone living arrangement which  they intend to be only temporary eg

• renting accommodation in-zone on a short-term basis;
• arranging temporary board in-zone with a relative or family friend;
• using the in-zone address of a relative or friend as an “address of convenience”, with no intention to live there on an ongoing basis.

Before enrolment takes place (ie before attendance begins), if the board has reasonable grounds for believing that the given in-zone address will not be not a genuine, on-going living arrangement, the board may withdraw any offer of a place which it may have made on the basis of the given address.

After attendance has begun, if the school learns that a student is no longer living at the in-zone address given at the time of application for enrolment and has reasonable grounds to believe that a temporary in-zone residence has been used for the purpose of unfairly gaining priority in enrolment at the school, then the board may review the enrolment.  Unless the parents can give a satisfactory explanation within 10 days, the board may annul the enrolment.  This course of action is provided for under section 11OA of the Education Act 1989.

I confirm that the address which I have provided to the school will be the usual place of residence of…………………………………………………………(student’s name) when the school is open for instruction.  I will advise the school of any subsequent change of address.

(To be completed in the case of a student who will be boarding in-zone, but not at a school hostel.  Delete if not applicable.)

I confirm that……………………………….(name), with whom my child will be boarding, will have the primary duty of care and should therefore be the school’s first  contact in matters related to discipline and progress at school

Signed………………………………………………………

(Parent)

Ballot supervisor’s completion certificate

Note:              If there are ballots for places at more than one level, there must be a separate certificate for each ballot.

I have supervised the ballot for places at:                                         

_______________________________________  Year level(s)

_______________________________________  School

The ballot relates to the enrolment period commencing   _______________________ (State Term and Year)

I can certify that the ballot took place in accordance with the requirements specified in the Secretary’s Instructions 13, 17, 18, 19 and 20.

_______________________________________  Name (print)

_______________________________________  Position*

_______________________________________  Signature

_______________________________________  Date

* Justice of the Peace

   Practising Lawyer

   Sworn member of the Police

   Local Government Returning Officer

Draft of text of information for parents of out of zone applicants, to be provided when an application is received

Thank you for your application for enrolment at <school name>.

Because you do not live within the home zone specified in the school’s enrolment scheme your application will be subject to the selection procedure specified in the Education Act 1989.

The Act states that first priority must be given to students who meet the criteria for enrolment in an approved special programme run by the school. (If this is not relevant to your school, add the following sentence: “Our school has no such programme.”)  Second priority must be given to siblings of current students.  Third priority must be given to siblings of former students.  Fourth priority must be given to children of board employees.  Fifth priority must be given to all other students.

In situations where the number of applicants exceeds the number of places available for out of zone students, selection will be by ballot.  If a ballot is required at our school, it will be held on <date> and will be supervised by a Justice of the Peace (or, as appropriate, a practising lawyer or a sworn member of the Police or a local government returning officer).  Within three school days of this date, the school will send you a letter informing you of the outcome of the ballot.  If your application has been successful, you will be asked to confirm your acceptance or rejection of the offered place within 14 days of the date on the school’s letter.  If you do not respond within the 14 day period, the place will be offered to the first person on the waiting list established by the ballot.

Draft of text for letter to parents of out of zone applicant who has been successful in the ballot

Thank you for your application for enrolment of your son/daughter <name> at <school name>.

A ballot has recently been held for places available for out of zone students and I am pleased to be able to inform you that < name > was successful.  I am therefore able to offer him/her a place at our school for next year (or “in the next enrolment intake”).

You will appreciate that a significant number of applicants were not successful in the ballot.  Please confirm your acceptance of the place in writing, or alternatively indicate that you will not be taking up the offer.  A tear-off slip is provided for your convenience.  Your reply must reach the school no later than < a date which is 14 days from the date on this letter >.  If confirmation is not received by this date, the place will be offered to the person currently at the head of the waiting list of applicants who were unsuccessful in the ballot.

I look forward to hearing from you.

< Add any relevant details about procedures relating to the  first day of attendance. >

Yours sincerely

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Strike out the option which does not apply

(a) I accept the offer of a place at <school name>.

(b) Thank you for the offer of a place at <school name> but I do not wish to take up the offer.

Signed________________________________

Draft of text for letter to parents of out of zone applicant when no ballot was necessary

Thank you for your application for enrolment of your son/daughter <name> at <school name>.

The number of out of zone applications which the board received was less than the number of places that are expected to be available for out of zone students.  I am therefore pleased to be able to offer <name> a place at our school for next year (or “in the next enrolment intake”).

Please confirm your acceptance of the place in writing, or alternatively indicate that you will not be taking up the offer.  A tear-off slip is provided for your convenience. Please reply by <a date which is 14 days from the date on this letter> to assist us with forward planning.

I look forward to hearing from you.

< Add any relevant details about procedures relating to the  first day of attendance. >

Yours sincerely

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Strike out the option which does not apply

(a) I accept the offer of a place at <school name>.

(b) Thank you for the offer of a place at <school name> but I do not wish to take up the offer.

Signed________________________________

Draft of text for letter to parents of out of zone applicant who has been unsuccessful in the ballot

Thank you for your application for enrolment of your son/daughter <name> at <school name>.

A ballot has recently been held for places available for out of zone students and I regret to have to inform you that < name > was not successful.  The names of unsuccessful applicants were listed in the order in which they were drawn in the ballot and were then placed on a waiting list.  < Name > is number < give number > on the waiting list.

I have asked parents of successful applicants to inform me within 14 days whether or not they wish to accept the place which has been offered.  Any vacant places which result from this process will be offered to unsuccessful applicants in the order in which their names appear on the waiting list.

The Board wishes to advise you that it has no discretionary powers that can be applied where parents feel that there are special reasons why their child should be enrolled other than through the normal balloting process.  If you believe that special reasons do exist in your child’s case, then you may make application under Section 11P of the Education Act 1989 to the Ministry of Education.  Forms for this process are available from the Ministry’s local office.  The Ministry advises that this section is used for exceptional cases only.  The Ministry expects that specialist medical or psychological or other expert opinion will be supplied in support of an application.

Yours sincerely

Draft of text for letter to parents of out of zone applicant whose name has been placed on the waiting list and can now be offered a place at the school

I am pleased to be able to inform you that a vacancy has  occurred and I am now able to offer < name > a place at our school for next year (or “in the next enrolment intake”).

You will appreciate that a significant number of applicants were not successful in the ballot.  Please confirm your acceptance of the place in writing, or alternatively indicate that you will not be taking up the offer.  A tear-off slip is provided for your convenience.  Your reply must reach the school no later than < a date which is 14 days from the date on this letter >.  If confirmation is not received by this date, the place will be offered to the next person on the waiting list of applicants who were unsuccessful in the ballot.

I look forward to hearing from you.

< Add any relevant details about procedures relating to the first day of attendance. >

Yours sincerely

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Strike out the option which does not apply

(a) I accept the offer of a place at <school name>.

(b) Thank you for the offer of a place at <school name> but I do not wish to take up the offer.

Signed________________________________

Draft of text for letter to parents of an out of zone applicant who is not yet eligible for enrolment at the school

Thank you for your application for enrolment of your son/daughter <name> at <school name>.

I note that <name> does not turn 5 until <date> which is outside the enrolment period for which applications are currently being accepted.  I will therefore hold this application over for consideration alongside others relating to the second/third/fourth enrolment period, for which applications close on <date>.

I will be in touch with you soon after that date to let you know the outcome of your application.

Yours sincerely

Draft of text for letter to parents of students on a waiting list, in situations where a board determines part way through a year that it has vacant places which can be made available to out of zone students

When the board last held a ballot for out of zone places at <school name> your child was unsuccessful in the ballot.  You were informed that your child’s name had been placed on a waiting list. 

As a result of population movement, a number of places have now become available for immediate enrolment <or state a date at which enrolment will commence>.  I realise that by now your child is settled in another school.  Nevertheless you may wish to accept the place at our school which I am now able to offer you.  Please indicate your intentions by completing the tear-off slip at the bottom of this letter and returning it to the school by <date>.  If you have not responded by that date, I will take that as an indication that you no longer wish your child’s name to remain on the waiting list.

I look forward to hearing from you.

< Add any relevant details about procedures relating to the  first day of attendance. >

Yours sincerely

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Strike out the option which does not apply.

(a) I accept the offer of a place at <school name>. I understand that the place is available for immediate enrolment <or for enrolment from (date)> and that the offer of a place does not entitle me to delay enrolment until a later date.

(b) Thank you for the offer of a place at <school name> but I do not wish to take up the offer.

Signed_________________________________

Draft of text for letter to parents of out of zone applicant who has been successful in a ballot held in accordance with Instruction 31

Thank you for your application for enrolment of your son/daughter <name> at <school name>.

A ballot has recently been held for places available for out of zone students and I am pleased to be able to inform you that < name > was successful.  I am therefore able to offer him/her a place at our school.  Please understand that this offer is for immediate enrolment <or state a date at which enrolment will commence> and if not taken up does not confer an entitlement to enrol next year or at some other time.

You will appreciate that some applicants were not successful in the ballot.  Please confirm your acceptance of the place in writing, or alternatively indicate that you will not be taking up the offer.  A tear-off slip is provided for your convenience.  Your reply must reach the school no later than < a date which is 14 days from the date on this letter >.  If confirmation is not received by this date, the place will be offered to the first person on the waiting list of applicants who were unsuccessful in the ballot.

I look forward to hearing from you.

< Add any relevant details about procedures relating to the  first day of attendance. >

Yours sincerely

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Strike out the option which does not apply

(a) I accept the offer of a place at <school name>.

(b) Thank you for the offer of a place at <school name> but I do not wish to take up the offer.

Signed________________________________

Draft of text of letter to parents of student whose enrolment is being reviewed because there are reasonable grounds to believe that a temporary in-zone address has been used for the purpose of unfairly gaining priority in enrolment at the school

Note: This is a model only.  Details should be changed as appropriate. 

Dear <parent’s name>

Enrolment review notice

It has come to the attention of the board that <student’s name> is no longer living at the address which, at the time of your application for enrolment, you stated would be his/her usual place of residence.

I note that when you applied for enrolment you gave no indication that the given address would be a temporary one, nor have you subsequently informed the school of any change of address, although you gave an undertaking to do so in the statement you signed at the time of application.  The board feels therefore that it has reasonable grounds to believe that you have used a temporary residence within the school’s home zone for the purpose of unfairly gaining priority in enrolment at the school.

Under Section 11OA(1) of the Education Act 1989, I am formally advising you that the board <or relevant sub-committee>  will be reviewing the enrolment at a meeting on <date>.

It may be, of course, that there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for the change of address and that there has been no attempt to use a temporary in-zone residence to unfairly secure enrolment at our school.  If that is the case, I would appreciate it if you would contact me immediately by letter, phone, fax, or e-mail* or make an appointment to see me in person, to provide an explanation.  If the board is satisfied that the explanation for moving out of zone is genuine, then your child is entitled to remain on the school roll.

The board <or relevant sub-committee> has asked me to prepare a report for its meeting of <date>.  The report will include any information that you have provided by way of explanation.  Please let me know if you would prefer to be present at the meeting to present your case personally.

If I do not hear from you by <date, which is 10 school days after the date of this letter>, the board  may annul the enrolment as provided for in Section 11O(1A) of the Education Act 1989.   Any annulment will take effect one month from the date of the board’s decision.

<Signed>

Principal

*  Give e-mail address if it is not on the school letterhead.