Draft Notices
1. Draft of newspaper notice indicating that an enrolment scheme has been adopted
For a non-integrated school
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.
For an integrated school
In order to deal with a situation where the school has, or is likely to have, more applicants for enrolment than there are places available at the school, the board of <school name> has adopted an enrolment scheme which has been approved by the Ministry of Education.
Under this scheme, first priority on enrolment places will be given to preference students for whom the school is reasonably convenient. A description of how "reasonably convenient" is defined is contained in the scheme.
The enrolment of non-preference students is governed by the school's Integration Agreement.
The enrolment scheme, which includes a description of the criteria that will apply to the selection of students in situations where there are more applications than there are places available, may be viewed at the school office (or some other appropriate place within the school), where copies of the scheme are also available.
2. Draft of newspaper notice advertising details of pre-enrolment procedures and subsequent balloting procedures
For a school with a single pre-enrolment period (non-integrated school)
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. Students who live in the home zone are entitled to enrol at the school.
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.
Applications from out of zone students will be processed in the following order of priority:
First priority will be given to students who have been accepted for enrolment in an approved special programme. (If appropriate, add: "This priority category is not applicable at our school.")
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 applicants who are children of board employees.
Fifth priority will be given to all other applicants.
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.
For a school with a single pre-enrolment period (integrated school)
The board invites applications from parents who wish to enrol their children 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 is <state date>.
The board has determined that <state number> places are likely to be available for enrolments next year. Under the school's enrolment scheme, first priority for these places will be given to preference students for whom the school is reasonably convenient. If local parents who plan to enrol their child at the school next year announce their intention by the date given above, it will greatly assist the board to allocate other places fairly.
For a school with 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. Students who live in the home zone are entitled to enrol at the school.
<Insert details of how applications are to be made.>
Applications from out of zone students will be processed in the following order of priority:
First priority will be given to students who have been accepted for enrolment in an approved special programme. (If appropriate, add: "This priority category is not applicable at our school.")
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 applicants who are children of board employees.
Fifth priority will be given to all other applicants.
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)
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.
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 Monday 15 September 2003.
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. Students who live in the home zone are entitled to enrol at the school.
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.
Applications from out of zone students will be processed in the following order of priority:
First priority will be given to students who have been accepted for enrolment in an approved special programme.
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 applicants who are children of board employees.
Fifth priority will be given to all other applicants.
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.
Monday 29 September 2003 For places in Form 3 in 2004
Friday 31 October 2003 For places in forms 4-7 in 2004
Parents will be informed of the outcome of the ballot within three school days of the ballot being held.
For a school holding a 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.
3. Draft of enrolment questionnaire for use at pre-enrolment
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.
4. 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)
5. 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