Enrolment & School Zone

We are currently reviewing our enrolment zone.

Tawa School has an enrolment scheme in place.

All students who live in the home zone described below and shown on the map can freely enrol at our school.

The Tawa School zone includes all of the Tawa suburb including Grenada North and the Takapu Valley. All of Turriff Crescent is included in the home zone.

Out-of-Zone Enrolment

Students living out of the zone who wish to attend Tawa School must apply to enrol (application form and all required documentation) when there is a ballot. 

The ballot close-off date for Terms 1 and 2, 2026 is Monday 15th September, 2025 at 12:00 pm.

There are NO 6th Priority ballot places available.

For students enrolling out-of-zone in our Montessori Class only (Priority 1: Special Programme), ballot close of dates are as follows: 

For Term 4, 2025: Monday 23rd June, 2025 at 12:00 pm

For Term 1, 2026: Monday 15th September, 2025 at 12:00 pm

The enrolment scheme means that children from families who live inside the zone have the right to be enrolled at Tawa School. 

All other enrolments will be subject to enrolment scheme legislation. An enrolment scheme must establish the following order of priority for the selection of students who would live outside the Tawa School zone.

• 1st Priority: Students accepted for enrolment in a special programme run by the school and approved by the Secretary of Education. We have our Montessori class as a designated special programme.

• 2nd Priority: Brothers and sisters of current students. 

• 3rd Priority: Brothers and sisters of former students. 

• 4th Priority: Children of former students. 

• 5th Priority: Children of Board employees or children of Board members. 

• 6th Priority: All other students. 

If there are more applicants in priority groups than there are places available, selection within the priority group must be made by ballot.

Ministry of Education Zone Information Video

What is required to enrol my child as a student at Tawa School?

An enrolment form must be completed for each new child to our school (see below to download). The enrolment form requires documentation such as a birth certificate or passport, proof of NZ residence/visa (where applicable) and immunisation forms. (Please note that we cannot enrol a student without proof of NZ residency through a birth certificate or passport.) 

You will also need to provide two copies of proof of residence of a property within the home zone. This needs to be a current: 

• rates, 

• tenancy agreement, 

• power/gas account, 

• landline/internet telephone account or, 

• contents insurance account 

with the name of a parent or legal guardian that also includes an address within the home zone, covering the date of enrolment or earlier. 

Where a property has two or more entrances on different streets, or where the actual address of a property is in dispute, only the rateable address as recognised by the local City Council will be considered to determine if the property is in or out-of-zone.

Children enrolled to begin in new entrants may come along to our ‘Ready Steady Go’ programme on the scheduled day for the three weeks prior to starting. 

Tours of our school with the Principal can be arranged through the school office (Ph 04 232-6453).

Please download, read and sign the below forms and forward to office@tawa.school.nz

Does my child start school the day they turn 5?

Tawa School has a Cohort Entry enrolment process. This means children starting school for the first time all start at the beginning of a school term, or in the middle of the term. This creates only 8 starting dates a year for children starting school for the first time.

Children still do not have to start school until they are 6. Parents can choose which term to start their child from the time they turn 5, up until their 6th birthday. Cohort Entry restricts this choice to the start or midpoint of each school term.

We believe that starting students at a specific entry point each term is better for students and for the school.

Students do better when they start in a group and are able to establish friendships that remain stable for a period of time. With students starting at the same time, we will be better able to meet their needs, both during their transition to school visits and when they start school.

If I live in the school zone, do I still need to fill out an enrolment form?

Yes. All parents/whānau must fill out an enrolment form, providing necessary documentation, whether they are in-zone or out-of-zone. We will not be able to enrol your child unless we have all of the relevant information. If

you need to order a new birth certificate you can go to:

https://certificates.services.govt.nz/certificate-order/certificate-events?type=birth-certificate

I currently live out-of-zone and my child/ren attend Tawa School. Can they still stay?

Yes. Because they were already enrolled at and attending, Tawa School, there is no impact on their place at our school.

I already have a child at Tawa School and we live out-of-zone. If I have a younger child turning 5, do I have to complete an enrolment form for the ballot? 

Yes. You will need to apply as an out-of-zone student. However, you will be classed as a "Priority 2"  out-of-zone enrolment as there is another brother or sister at Tawa School.

We live out-of-zone and my child is older than 5. Can we enrol as an out-of-zone student? 

This depends entirely on the spaces we have available in other areas of the school. Currently, we only have spaces available for New Entrants (Priority 2,3 or 4) for those living out-of-zone.

If there is a ballot when will I know if we are ‘in’? 

You will be notified within a week of the ballot.

If we are unsuccessful, is there a waiting list? 

Yes, any children not selected are added to our waiting list and if a space becomes available you will be informed.​

What happens if I get my enrolment in after the ballot date?

Unfortunately, you will have to wait until the next ballot to enrol your child.