Special enrolment scheme for Canterbury schools operating an enrolment scheme
For Canterbury families who have moved, not by choice, and have found that ballots for school places have closed and they’ve lost the opportunity to enrol their children in their previous zone’s school.
Information for schools and parents: Enrolling students
The Ministry of Education has approved a Special Enrolment Scheme for all schools in Christchurch City, Selwyn and Waimakariri Districts that operate an enrolment scheme. The special scheme is approved under the Canterbury Earthquake (Education Act) Order 2011.
Schools will continue to operate their current enrolment scheme home zones and the usual requirements for balloting out-of-zone students. However, when operating your enrolment scheme, treat students starting at year 1, year 7 or year 9 secondary, whose usual residence was within your school’s zone at 22 February 2011 as if they still live in your zone.
Otherwise operate your school’s enrolment scheme as normal. Operate your current home zone and follow the usual balloting of out-of -zone students process and apply your normal priority categories.
This means, families who had to relocate because of the 22 February earthquake can choose which school they send their children to, either a school:
- they were in zone for before the 22 February earthquake
- for which their current residence is in zone
- without an enrolment scheme.
Families to provide evidence
Schools can ask the family for evidence, such as utility bills, EQC claims, and bank statements to show their “usual place of residence” before the 22 February 2011 earthquake.