Special schools
Twenty eight day special schools provide support to high needs students in New Zealand. There are also eight residential special schools in New Zealand supporting students who are hearing or vision impaired; or who have severe behaviour needs; or educational, social and emotional needs together with a slow rate of learning. This webpage links to information on these schools, and includes a statement on special education from the New Zealand Special Schools Parents Association.
Day special schools
Twenty eight day special schools located throughout New Zealand provide specialist teaching and, in most cases, specialist services to high need students. As well as a base school, many special schools have satellite classes. These are classes on the sites of regular schools where students enrolled in the special school are educated offering a mix of specialist teaching and the opportunity for integration in a regular school environment. Some special schools also offer a special education itinerant teaching service. In this way, high needs students can be enrolled in their local school but receive specialist teaching from the special school.
Day special schools in New Zealand
The following day special schools are for students in years 1 - 13. Some students stay until they are 21 years of age (email contacts are given where no website is available).
- Allenvale Special School and Resource Centre, Christchurch - www.allenvaleschool.nz
- Arahunga School, Wanganui - www.arahunga.info
- Arohanui Special School, Auckland - www.arohanui.school.nz
- Blomfield Special School and Resource Centre, Whangarei - www.blomfield.school.nz
- Carlson School, Auckland - www.carlson.school.nz
- Fairhaven School, Napier - fairhaven@clear.net.nz [no spam]
- Ferndale School, Christchurch - www.ferndaleschool.co.nz
- Goldfields School, Paeroa - goldspec@xtra.co.nz [no spam]
- Hamilton North School, Hamilton - www.hamnorth.school.nz
- Kaka Street Special School, Tauranga - www.kakastreet.school.nz
- Kapi-Mana School, Wellington - kapimana@xtra.co.nz [no spam]
- Kea Street Specialist School, Rotorua - office@keastreet.ac.nz
- Kimi Ora School, Wellington - www.kimiora.school.nz
- Kowhai School, Hastings - admin@kowhaispecial.school.nz [no spam]
- Maitai School, Nelson - office@maitai.school.nz [no spam]
- Mt Richmond School, Auckland - www.mtrichmondschool.co.nz
- Oaklynn Special School, Auckland - www.oaklynn.school.nz
- Parkside School, Auckland - www.parkside.net.nz
- Patricia Ave School, Hamilton - www.patave.school.nz
- Rosehill School, Auckland - www.rosehill.school.nz
- Ruru Special School, Invercargill - erin@rurued.school.nz [no spam]
- Sara Cohen School, Dunedin - school@saracohen.co.nz [no spam]
- Sir Keith Park School, Auckland - www.skp.school.nz
- Sommerville School, Auckland - www.sommervillespecial.school.nz
- Sunnydene Special School, Auckland - www.sunnydene.school.nz
- Waitaha Learning Centre, Christchurch - www.special-education.school.nz
- Wairau Valley School, Auckland - admin@wvss.school.nz [no spam]
- Wilson School, Auckland - www.wilson.school.nz
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Residential special schools
Eight residential special schools located throughout New Zealand support students who are hearing or vision impaired; or who have severe behaviour needs; or educational, social and emotional needs together with a slow rate of learning. This support is available when a student's local setting is not appropriate, and can be accessed through the Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE) and other service providers.
Schools specialising in working with students with severe behaviour difficulties
The following co-educational schools are for students in years 3 - 8. Students at these schools will have severe behaviour difficulties and their needs are unable to be adequately met in their local school
Schools for deaf and hearing impaired students
The following schools provide educational programmes and specialist services for deaf and hearing-impaired students. They also employ Resource Teachers: Deaf to support deaf and hearing impaired students in mainstream schools. They both have residential schools, specialist early childhood education services, and resource centres.
- Kelston Deaf Education Centre, Auckland.
This centre supports deaf and hearing-impaired students in mainstream schools in the top half of the North Island.
- Van Asch Deaf Education Centre, Christchurch.
This centre supports deaf and hearing-impaired students in mainstream schools throughout the South Island and the lower half of the North Island.
School for blind and vision impaired students
- Blind and Low Vision Education Network NZ (BLENNZ)
(Previously known as Homai National School for the Blind and Vision Impaired)
BLENNZ provides a variety of educational options both on campus and at local mainstream schools for learners aged 5 to 21 who are blind or visually impaired. Residential placements are provided at the Homai campus as well as limited numbers of short-term booster placements for students from the Auckland area who require residential programmes to support their learning outcomes. There is an early childhood education centre on site. BLENNZ also provides assessment services for blind and low vision students throughout New Zealand.
Schools specialising in working with students with educational, social and emotional needs, together with an underlying intellectual impairment
The following schools provide special education within a residential setting for students in years 7 - 10 (on enrolment) who need significantly adapted curriculum due to a slow rate of learning, and whose educational, social and emotional needs, including behaviour, cannot be met in their current environment.