New Entrant Enrolment

Cohort Entry

We are passionate about ensuring our students have a successful transition from Early Childhood Education to Central School Te Kura Waenga o Ngāmotul. For this reason, have implemented a cohort entry. This means that children will be able to start school in cohorts but only after they have turned 5. There will be two entry points per term, one on the first day of term, and one at a mid-point during a term. These dates are set by the Ministry of Education.


Cohort entry is about helping children settle better in school. There is evidence that starting school alongside other children helps build relationships and supports a smoother entry to school life. It can also mean less disruption within the classroom as groups of children arrive on a specific date, rather than on an individual basis throughout the year.


Parents will continue to have the option of not starting their child in school until their 6th birthday. It is a legal requirement that a child enrols at a registered school from age 6. Therefore, if not already enrolled, a child can start school on their 6th birthday regardless of a school’s cohort entry policy, but must start school no later than their 6th birthday.


More information about cohort entry can be found here