(1) In this Part, and Parts 2, 3, and 11, unless the context otherwise requires,—

(2) In this Part, and Parts 2 and 3, unless the context otherwise requires, a special school, special class, special clinic, or special service means a school, class, clinic, or service established under section 98(1) of the Education Act 1964 as a special school, special class, special clinic, or special service respectively.

(3) [Repealed]

(4) The Governor-General may, by Order in Council, make regulations prescribing criteria that the holder of a residence class visa granted under the Immigration Act 2009 must satisfy in order to fulfil the requirements of paragraph (b) of the definition of domestic student in subsection (1).

(5) Regulations made under subsection (4),—

• (a) if made on or before 30 June in any year, expire on the close of 31 December of that year unless they are expressly confirmed by Act of Parliament passed during that year; and

• (b) if made on or after 1 July in any year, expire on the close of 31 December in the following year unless they are expressly confirmed by Act of Parliament passed before the end of that following year.

(6) The expiry of regulations made under subsection (4) does not affect the validity of any act done pursuant to, or in accordance with, the regulations before the date on which the regulations expire.

Except as provided in this Act or the Private Schools Conditional Integration Act 1975, every person who is not an international student is entitled to free enrolment and free education at any State school during the period beginning on the person's fifth birthday and ending on 1 January after the person's 19th birthday.

(1) Subject to section 4A(3), an international student—

• (a) shall not be enrolled at a State school without the board's consent; and

• (b) shall not be enrolled in special education without the consent of the person or body administering the institution or service concerned.

(2) Subject to section 4B and to subsections (3) and (4) of this section, once enrolled at a State school or in special education an international student has the same rights to remain enrolled, and to tuition, at the school as a domestic student.

(3) Except as provided in subsection (5), no international student may be enrolled at a State school if the student's enrolment has the effect that a domestic student who is entitled to enrol there and has applied for enrolment is not able to be enrolled.

(4) Except as provided in subsection (5), no international student may be enrolled in any subject, course, or programme at a State school if the student's enrolment has the effect that a domestic student who is entitled to enrol in the subject, course, or programme and has applied for enrolment in it is not able to be enrolled in it.

(5) Although domestic students may not be able to be enrolled, an international student may be enrolled at a State school, or in any subject, course, or programme at a State school, if the enrolment is in a vacant place—

• (a) that the board established for international students; and

• (b) the continued availability of which is dependent on the fees payable by international students enrolled in it.

(6) [Repealed]

(7) As soon as is practicable after an international student is enrolled at a State school, the principal shall give the Secretary written notice of—

• (a) the student's name, age, and nationality; and

• (b) the day on which the student began (or will begin) to receive tuition at the school.

(8) Notwithstanding anything in this section or section 4B, with the consent of the principal, an international student may, during a period of not more than 28 consecutive days (or any longer period the Secretary approves for any particular student), receive tuition at or from a State school—

• (a) without the consent of the board; and

• (b) without paying the amount required by section 4B;—

but in that case the student shall not be counted for the purpose of calculating or ascertaining the schools entitlement to teachers or funding.

(1) The Minister may from time to time, by notice in the Gazette, declare international students of a specified kind or description to be entitled to enrol at State schools.

(2) A notice may be unconditional, or subject to conditions specified in it.

(3) Subject to—

• (a) the conditions (if any) specified in the notice; and

• (b) section 4B,—

an international student of a kind or description for the time being specified in a notice under subsection (1) has the same rights to enrolment and tuition at State schools as a domestic student.

(1) Subject to section 4(8), no international student shall receive tuition in any subject, course, or programme at a State school unless there has been paid to the board an amount fixed by the board that is not less than the sum of the following amounts:

• (a) the board's best estimate of the cost to the board (including the appropriate proportion of the board's administrative and other general costs) of providing tuition in the subject, course, or programme for 1 student:

• (b) an amount that is in the board's opinion an appropriate reflection of the use made by 1 student receiving tuition in the subject, course, or programme of the board's capital facilities:

• (c) the amount (if any) prescribed under section 4D for a student receiving tuition at a State school in the subject, course, or programme:

• (d) all other fees (if any) prescribed by the board.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) prevents a board's accepting by instalments any amount required by that subsection to be paid; but subject to section 4(8), no international student shall at any time continue to receive tuition in any subject, course, or programme at a State school unless the sum of the following amounts is less than the sum of the instalments paid up to that time:

• (a) the board's best estimate of the cost to the board (including the appropriate proportion of the board's administrative and other general costs and the appropriate proportion of any initial or start-up costs of the subject, course, or programme) of providing tuition in the subject, course, or programme for 1 student up to that time:

• (b) an amount that is in the board's opinion an appropriate reflection of the use made by 1 student receiving tuition in the subject, course, or programme of the board's capital facilities:

• (c) the appropriate proportion of the amount (if any) prescribed under section 4D for a student receiving tuition at a State school in the subject, course, or programme:

• (d) all other fees (if any) prescribed by the board.

(3) Where an international student has after 31 December 1989 received tuition in a subject, course, or programme at a State school without paying the full amount required by subsection (1) in respect of the subject, course, or programme, the board may, in any court of competent jurisdiction, recover the underpayment from the student (or, as the case requires, a parent of the student), as a debt due to the board.

(4) In any year, the amount of any grant for a board in respect of a school it administers may be reduced from what it would otherwise have been by any amount by which (in the Secretary's opinion), by virtue of the fact that the full amount required by subsection (1) in respect of a subject, course, or programme at the school in which an international student was enrolled has not been paid to the board, the student's education has been subsidised by money appropriated by Parliament.

(5) No grant shall be reduced under subsection (4) unless the Secretary has given the board concerned written notice of the circumstances taken into account when the proposed reduction was decided on.

(6) Where a board disputes that a grant should be reduced under subsection (4), or disputes the amount by which it should so be reduced, the following provisions shall apply:

• (a) the board may, within 28 days of getting notice from the Secretary under subsection (5), by written notice to the Secretary giving the name and address of a proposed arbitrator, require the dispute to be settled by arbitration:

• (b) if, within 14 days of getting the board's notice, the Secretary has agreed an arbitrator with the board, the agreed arbitrator shall settle the dispute:

• (c) if, within 14 days of getting the board's notice, the Secretary has not agreed an arbitrator with the board, an arbitrator appointed jointly by the Secretary and the arbitrator originally proposed by the board shall settle the dispute:

• (d) the arbitrator's decision is final.

(7) Where at any time an international student withdraws from a subject, course, or programme at a State school, the board may refund to the person who paid (in respect of the student's enrolment in the subject, course, or programme) the amount of the fees referred to in subsection (1) (or the sum of any instalments paid in respect of those fees) any amount it thinks appropriate not exceeding the extent (if any) by which the amount paid exceeds the sum of the following amounts:

• (a) the board's best estimate of the cost to the board (including the appropriate proportion of the board's administrative and other general costs and the appropriate proportion of any initial or start-up costs of the subject, course, or programme) of providing tuition in the subject, course, or programme for 1 student up to that time:

• (b) an amount that is in the board's opinion an appropriate reflection of the use made by 1 student receiving tuition in the subject, course, or programme of the board's capital facilities:

• (c) the appropriate proportion of the amount (if any) prescribed under section 4D for a student receiving tuition at a State school in the subject, course, or programme:

• (d) all other fees (if any) prescribed by the board.

The Minister may, by notice in the Gazette, exempt international students of a particular kind or description from the payment of all or a specified proportion or amount of the amount required by section 4B to be paid; and that section shall have effect accordingly.

(1) Before 1 July in every year, the Minister shall, by notice in the Gazette, set fees to be paid by boards in respect of international students enrolled at State schools in the following year.

(2) Fees may be set in respect of all or any of the following:

• (a) all State schools, State schools of a specified kind or description, or specified State schools:

• (b) all international students, or international students of a specified kind or description:

• (c) all subjects, courses, and programmes; subjects, courses, and programmes of a specified kind or description; or specified subjects, courses, or programmes.

(3) Within 28 days of the first day in any year on which an international student enrolled at a State school attends the school, the board shall pay to the Secretary the appropriate fee (if any) prescribed under subsection (1).

(3A) The Minister may pay to the proprietors of an integrated school whose board has paid a fee under this section a portion of that fee, as determined in accordance with a formula prescribed under subsection (3B), for the purpose of reimbursing the proprietors for that part of the levy associated with the use of capital assets owned by the proprietors.

(3B) The Minister must, by notice in the Gazette, prescribe a formula for the payment of money under subsection (3A), and may prescribe different formulae to apply to different schools or classes of school.

(4) If before 1 July in any year the Minister has not set under subsection (1) fees to be paid by boards in respect of international students enrolled at State schools in the following year, there shall be deemed to have been set under that subsection the fees set (or deemed to have been set) in the year before.

(1) The board of a State school or the managers of a school registered under section 35A must not establish, or permit any student to enrol or continue to be enrolled in, any class, course, or programme, intended exclusively or mainly for international students, unless the class, course, or programme is for the time being approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.

(2) The New Zealand Qualifications Authority must not approve a class, course, or programme under subsection (1) unless satisfied on reasonable grounds that—

• (a) the school has or will have adequate staff, equipment, and premises to provide it; and

• (b) the standard of instruction provided in it will be no lower than the standard that would be expected in any similar class, course, or programme for domestic students.

(1) No person under 5 shall be or continue to be enrolled at a primary school, or in a class below form 3 at a composite school.

(2) No person who turned 14 in any year shall be or continue to be enrolled at a primary school, or in a class below form 3 at a composite school, in the next year.

(3) No person who, in the opinion of the Secretary,—

• (a) has completed the work of form 3; or

• (b) has completed work equivalent to the work of form 2,—

shall in any year be or continue to be enrolled at a primary school, or in a class below form 3 at a composite school.

(4) Notwithstanding subsection (1), at any time before 1 January 1993, this Act shall apply to children attending pre-school classes at any school specified in section 3(2) of the Education Amendment Act 1990 as if they are enrolled at the school; but on that day, all those classes shall be deemed to have been disestablished.

(5) Nothing in subsection (4) limits or affects section 308(4).

No person who, in the opinion of the Secretary,—

• (a) has not completed the work of form 2; and

• (b) has not completed work equivalent to the work of form 2,—

shall in any year be or continue to be enrolled at a secondary school, or in a class above form 2 at a composite school, unless the person turned 13 before 1 April in the previous year.

(1) The Minister may from time to time, by notice in the Gazette, fix criteria for enrolment in early childhood, primary, and secondary classes at correspondence school; and different criteria may be fixed for all or any of the following:

• (a) different correspondence schools:

• (b) correspondence schools of different classes or descriptions:

• (c) early childhood, primary, and secondary classes at correspondence school.

(2) No person shall be enrolled at a correspondence school unless—

• (a) the board is satisfied that the person's enrolment meets criteria then fixed under subsection (1); or

• (b) the person is entitled under section 3 to free education at a State school, and the Secretary has directed the board to enrol the person.

(3) The Secretary shall not direct the board of a correspondence school to enrol a person unless satisfied that the person cannot conveniently attend any State school (being a school offering education at the level, and in the subjects, required by the person's parents or, as the case requires, the person) that is not a correspondence school.

(4) If satisfied that a person who is enrolled at a correspondence school pursuant to a direction under subsection (2)(b) can conveniently attend a State school (being a school offering education at the level, and in the subjects, required by the person's parents or, as the case requires, the person) that is not a correspondence school, the Secretary may notify the board of the fact; and in that case the board shall cancel the person's enrolment unless the board is satisfied that the person's enrolment meets criteria then fixed under subsection (1).

(5) If satisfied that—

• (a) a person's enrolment at a correspondence school does not meet criteria then fixed under subsection (1); and

• (b) there is not in force in respect of the person a direction under subsection (2)(b) relating to the school,—

the board shall cancel the enrolment.

(6) The board of a correspondence school may delegate to the principal the task of being satisfied that enrolments meet or do not meet criteria specified under subsection (1).

(7) Every person lawfully enrolled at a correspondence school immediately before the commencement of this Act who is entitled under section 3 to free education at a State school shall be deemed to have been so enrolled pursuant to a direction given under subsection (2)(b) on that commencement.

(1) No—

• (a) domestic student who has turned 16 and is not enrolled full-time at a registered school; or

• (ab) domestic student enrolled at a registered school that is not a State school; or

• (b) domestic student for whom a current certificate under section 21(1) is held,—

shall be or continue to be enrolled in a course, class, or programme at a correspondence school unless there has been paid to the board the appropriate fee (if any) for the time being prescribed by the board with the Minister's consent.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) gives any person a right to enrol at or receive tuition from a correspondence school.

The board of a State school may refuse to allow any person to attend classes at the school—

• (a) usually held outside normal school hours; and

• (b) open to people not enrolled full-time at the school,—

unless there have been paid to the board the fees (if any) prescribed by the board for attendance at those classes.

(1) Except as provided in this Part, people who have special educational needs (whether because of disability or otherwise) have the same rights to enrol and receive education at State schools as people who do not.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) affects or limits the effect of Part 2 (which relates to enrolment schemes and the suspension, expulsion, and exclusion of students).

(3) Subsections (1) and (2) come into force on 1 January 1990.

(1) If satisfied that a person under 21 should have special education, the Secretary shall—

• (a) agree with the person's parents that the person should be enrolled, or direct them to enrol the person, at a particular State school, special school, special class, or special clinic; or

• (b) agree with the person's parents that the person should have, or direct them to ensure that the person has, education or help from a special service.

(2) Notwithstanding anything in this Act that relates to enrolment schemes, or in the enrolment scheme of any school, but subject to the rest of Part 2 (which relates to the suspension, expulsion, and exclusion of students), where there has been an agreement or direction under subsection (1), the person concerned shall be allowed to enrol at the State school, special school, special class, or special clinic, concerned or (as the case requires) to have education or help from the special service concerned.

(3) Subject to section 10(4), where a direction has been given under subsection (1) in respect of a person, a parent who, more than 1 month after it was given, fails or refuses to comply with it commits an offence, and is liable on summary conviction to the penalty prescribed for failing to comply with section 20(1) (which relates to enrolling children at school).

(4) No person shall be or continue to be enrolled at a special school, special class, or special clinic, or have or continue to have education or help from a special service, except pursuant to an agreement or direction under subsection (1).

(5) Notwithstanding anything in section 5 or section 6,—

• (a) a child under 5 may be or continue to be enrolled at a primary school, or in a class below form 3 at a composite school; and

• (b) a person under 21 who turned 14 in any year may in any later year be or continue to be enrolled at a primary school, or in a class below form 3 at a composite school; and

• (c) a person under 21 who, in the opinion of the Secretary,—

  • (i) has not completed the work of form 2; and

  • (ii) has not completed work equivalent to the work of form 2,—

may be or continue to be enrolled at a secondary school, or in a class above form 2 at a composite school; and

• (d) a person under 21 may be or continue to be enrolled at a secondary school, or in a class above form 2 at a composite school, on or after 1 January after the person's 19th birthday,—

pursuant to an agreement or direction under subsection (1).

(6) Subsections (1) to (5) come into force on 1 January 1990.

(7) The provisions set out in Schedule 1 shall have effect during the period commencing on the commencement of this Act and ending with 31 December 1989.

(8) Schedule 1 shall expire and be deemed to have been repealed with the close of 31 December 1989.

(1) Subject to paragraphs (p) and (q) of subsection (6), any person's parent may, in accordance with this section, require the reconsideration of—

• (a) any direction under subsection (1) of section 9 relating to the person; or

• (b) if the person is not an international student, the Secretary's refusal to come to an agreement under that subsection relating to the person.

(2) A requirement under subsection (1) shall be made to the Secretary in writing within 1 month of the direction or refusal concerned.

(3) Subject to subsection (5), where a requirement under subsection (1) is made in respect of a direction given by the Secretary,—

• (a) the direction shall not take effect—

  • (i) until the Secretary has reconsidered and confirmed it; or

  • (ii) where a requirement is made under subsection (4)(c), until that requirement has been considered by an arbitrator and the parent concerned has been told of the arbitrator's decision; and

• (b) no offence is committed under section 9(3) for so long as the direction has not taken effect.

(4) Where a requirement is made under subsection (1), the following provisions apply:

• (a) if the requirement relates to a direction, the Secretary shall reconsider it and then—

  • (i) confirm it, or cancel it and issue another, or cancel it and refuse to issue another, as seems appropriate; and

  • (ii) notify the parent concerned in writing of the result of the reconsideration and the reasons for it:

• (b) if the requirement relates to a refusal, the Secretary shall reconsider whether or not the matter concerned should be agreed, and then—

  • (i) agree or refuse to agree to the matter with the parent concerned, as seems appropriate; and

  • (ii) notify the parent concerned in writing of the result of the reconsideration and the reasons for it:

• (c) a parent who is dissatisfied with the result of the reconsideration may, by notice in writing to the Secretary, require the result to be sent to an arbitrator.

(5) Where—

• (a) a requirement has been made under subsection (4)(c) in respect of the result of the reconsideration by the Secretary of a direction under section 9(1); and

• (b) 1 month after the Secretary notified the parent concerned of the name of a person to represent the Secretary in the appointment of an arbitrator, the Secretary's representative and a nominee of the parent have not appointed an arbitrator,—

the direction shall forthwith take effect, and section 9(2) shall have effect accordingly.

(6) Where a parent makes a requirement under subsection (4)(c), the following provisions apply:

• (a) the Secretary shall forthwith give the parent the names of 3 people:

• (b) each person shall, in the opinion of the Secretary, have experience in or expert knowledge of special education, but shall not be an employee of the Ministry, or an employee or trustee of a board:

• (c) within 14 days of being given the names, the parent shall tell the Secretary—

  • (i) which one of the people is acceptable; or

  • (ii) that none of them is acceptable, and the name of some other person who is:

• (d) if within 14 days of being given the names the parent tells the Secretary that one of the people is acceptable, the person concerned shall be the arbitrator:

• (e) if within 14 days of being given the names the parent does not comply with paragraph (c), the Secretary shall choose one of the 3 people to be the arbitrator:

• (f) if within 14 days of being given the names the parent tells the Secretary that none of the people is acceptable, and the name of some other person who is, the Secretary shall forthwith accept or reject the other person:

• (g) if the Secretary accepts the other person, the other person shall be the arbitrator:

• (h) if the Secretary rejects the other person, the Secretary shall forthwith tell the other person the name of a person to act as the Secretary's agent in choosing an arbitrator; and the other person and the Secretary's agent shall, as soon as is possible, choose the arbitrator:

• (i) once it is known who the arbitrator is, the Secretary shall give the arbitrator a copy of all the relevant documents:

• (j) the arbitrator shall give the parent notice in writing that—

  • (i) the arbitrator has been appointed; and

  • (ii) the parent may make written submissions:

• (k) on getting written submissions from the parent or 21 days after notifying the parent (whichever comes first), the arbitrator shall tell the parent and the Secretary when and where the arbitrator will hear the matter:

• (l) the parent (or a nominee), a representative of the parent, the Secretary (or a nominee), and a representative of the Secretary may take part in the hearing, and may require the child or other person concerned to be produced:

• (m) except as provided in this subsection, the arbitrator shall decide how the hearing proceeds:

• (ma) if, at the hearing, the parent of the person concerned produces evidence about the person that was not available to the Secretary when the Secretary reconsidered the relevant direction or refusal to come to an agreement under section 9(1),—

  • (i) the arbitrator may not consider that evidence and must refer the case back to the Secretary:

  • (ii) the Secretary must reconsider the decision that was the subject of the arbitration, and subsection (4) applies to the Secretary's decision under this subparagraph with any necessary modifications:

• (n) subject to paragraph (ma), after the hearing the arbitrator shall either confirm the Secretary's decision or direct the Secretary to make some decision that the Secretary could have made but did not:

• (o) the Secretary shall comply with any order made:

• (p) a parent has no right to require the reconsideration or reference to an arbitrator of a decision the Secretary has made pursuant to an arbitrator's direction:

• (q) if the arbitrator confirms a decision of the Secretary to refuse to come to an agreement under section 9(1), no parent has a right to require the reconsideration or reference to an arbitrator of a further refusal made in respect of the same child or person within 12 months of the confirmation of the decision.

(7) Subsections (1) to (6) come into force on 1 January 1990.

(1) The purpose of the enrolment scheme of a State school is—

• (a) to avoid overcrowding, or the likelihood of overcrowding, at the school; and

• (b) to ensure that the selection of applicants for enrolment at the school is carried out in a fair and transparent manner; and

• (c) to enable the Secretary to make the best use of existing networks of State schools.

(2) In achieving its purpose, the enrolment scheme of every State school must, as far as possible, ensure that—

• (a) the scheme does not exclude local students; and

• (b) no more students are excluded from the school than is necessary to avoid overcrowding at the school.

In sections 11C to 11PB, unless the context otherwise requires,—

(1) A school's enrolment scheme must—

• (a) define a home zone for the school; and

• (b) set out the pre-enrolment procedures for selecting applicants who live outside the home zone; and

• (c) identify any special programmes offered by the school and the criteria on which students will be accepted onto any special programme.

(2) The procedures described in subsection (1)(b) must be consistent with section 11F and any relevant instructions issued by the Secretary under section 11G.

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a person who lives in the home zone of a school that has an enrolment scheme is entitled at any time to enrol at that school.

(2) An applicant for enrolment at a school with an enrolment scheme who lives outside the school's home zone is entitled to enrol at the school only—

• (a) if he or she is offered a place at the school in accordance with the procedure set out in the enrolment scheme; or

• (b) if the Secretary has agreed or directed under section 9, or directed under section 11P, section 16, section 17D, or section 18A, that the student be enrolled at the school; or

• (c) if—

  • (i) the student has been excluded or expelled from another school (school A); and

  • (ii) the principal of the school at which the student wishes to enrol agrees, by arrangement with the principal of school A, to enrol the student; and

  • (iii) the Secretary endorses the proposal.

(1) A State school's home zone must be defined by geographic boundaries, and must be described in such a way that any given address is either within or outside the home zone.

(2) A school's home zone—

• (a) must be an area for which the school is a reasonably convenient school for a student living in that area to attend; and

• (b) may exclude any area for which another school is also a reasonably convenient school for a student living in that area to attend; and

• (c) may exclude any area that it is desirable to exclude for the purpose of allowing the Secretary to make best use of the existing network of State schools in the area.

(1) The order of priority in which applicants who live outside a school's home zone are to be offered places at the school is as follows:

• (a) first priority must be given to any applicant who is accepted for enrolment in a special programme run by the school:

• (b) second priority must be given to any applicant who is the sibling of a current student of the school:

• (c) third priority must be given to any student who is the sibling of a former student of the school:

• (d) fourth priority must be given to any applicant who is a child of a former student of the school:

• (e) fifth priority must be given to any applicant who is either a child of an employee of the board of the school or a child of a member of the board of the school:

• (f) sixth priority must be given to all other applicants.

(2) If there are more applicants in the second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth priority groups than there are places available, selection within the priority group must be by ballot conducted in accordance with instructions issued by the Secretary under section 11G.

(3) For the purposes of this section, child A is the sibling of child B if—

• (a) both children share a common parent; or

• (b) a parent of child A is married to, or in a civil union with, a parent of child B; or

• (c) a parent of child A was married to, or in a civil union with, a parent of child B at the time when child B's parent died; or

• (d) a parent of child A is the de facto partner of a parent of child B; or

• (e) both children live in the same household and, in recognition of family obligations, are treated by the adults of that household as if they were siblings; or

• (f) the Secretary, by written notice to the school, advises that child A is to be treated as the sibling of child B.

(4) If 2 or more siblings apply for places at a school at the same level, the applications of those siblings must be dealt with as a single application for the purpose of the ballot.

(5) Every application for enrolment at a school with an enrolment scheme must be processed by the school in accordance with the enrolment scheme, and may not be declined on technical grounds or on any other ground that would be inconsistent with the purpose and principles set out in section 11A.

(1) The Secretary may issue instructions to State schools that have enrolment schemes about the following matters:

• (a) the procedures for holding ballots:

• (b) the dates on which ballots are to be held:

• (c) the establishment and maintenance of waiting lists:

• (d) the information to be given to applicants who live outside the school's home zone:

• (e) any other matter that the Secretary considers necessary for ensuring the fair, transparent, and efficient operation of enrolment schemes.

(2) Instructions issued under subsection (1)—

• (a) must be complied with by schools; and

• (b) may apply to all or specified schools or classes of school; and

• (c) must be notified in the Gazette, either in full, or by a notice outlining the content of the instructions and saying where a copy can be obtained, and the date on which the instructions take effect; and

• (d) may be amended or revoked, in which case notice of the amendment or revocation must be given in the Gazette, as described in paragraph (c).

(3) The Secretary may issue guidelines to State schools about any or all of the following matters:

• (a) the basis on which the Secretary's powers in relation to enrolment schemes may be exercised (including, in particular, the power in section 11P(2)(a) relating to the determination of whether an applicant lives within a home zone or outside it):

• (b) the kinds of amendments to enrolment schemes that are minor amendments for the purpose of section 11MA, or the criteria for deciding what is a minor amendment, or both:

• (c) the manner in which schools must conduct reviews under section 11OA (which relates to the review of a student's enrolment).

(1) If the Secretary gives a written notice to a State school that there is, or is likely to be, overcrowding at the school, the board of the school must develop an enrolment scheme for the school.

(2) A board may not begin developing an enrolment scheme unless it has received a written notice of the type referred to in subsection (1).

(3) When developing a proposed enrolment scheme, a board must consult with whatever persons and organisations it considers appropriate and, in particular, must take all reasonable steps to discover and consider the views of—

• (a) the parents of students at the school; and

• (b) the people living in the area for which the school is a reasonably convenient school; and

• (c) the students and prospective students of the school (depending on their age and maturity); and

• (d) the boards of other schools that could be affected by the proposed enrolment scheme.

(4) In addition to the consultation required by subsection (3),—

• (a) the board of a Kura Kaupapa Maori must consult with the persons and organisations that the board believes have an interest in fostering the school's adherence to Te Aho Matua and any special characteristics set out in the school's charter:

• (b) the board of a designated character school must consult with those persons and organisations that the board believes have an interest in fostering the aims, purposes, and objectives that constitute the school's different character:

• (c) the board of an integrated school must consult with the school's proprietors.

(5) If the Secretary approves a proposed enrolment scheme for a State school, the school's board must pass a resolution adopting the scheme as soon as practicable.

(1) The Secretary may approve the proposed enrolment scheme of a State school only if he or she is satisfied that—

• (a) the scheme complies, as far as possible, with the purpose and principles of enrolment schemes as set out in section 11A; and

• (b) the definition of the school's home zone in the enrolment scheme ensures that students can attend a reasonably convenient school; and

• (c) the boundaries of the school's home zone overlap or are contiguous with the boundaries of the home zone of any adjacent State school that has an enrolment scheme; and

• (d) the scheme promotes the best use of the network of State schools in the area; and

• (e) the procedures for determining which applicants who live outside the home zone will be offered places at the school comply with section 11F and any instructions issued under section 11G; and

• (f) the board has carried out adequate consultation under section 11H.

(2) If a board and the Secretary are unable to reach agreement about the content of the school's enrolment scheme or proposed enrolment scheme, the Secretary may require the board to amend the scheme or proposed scheme in the manner required by the Secretary.

(3) A board that receives a requirement under subsection (2) must, as soon as practicable, change its enrolment scheme or proposed enrolment scheme to give effect to the Secretary's requirement, and the board need not obtain separate approval from the Secretary for the change.

(1) When the board of a State school adopts an enrolment scheme, it must give notice of the fact that it has adopted an enrolment scheme, and the notice must include—

• (a) a general description of the school's home zone; and

• (b) information about where copies of the enrolment scheme may be viewed and obtained.

(2) Each year, the board of a school that has an enrolment scheme must give notice of—

• (a) the likely number of out-of-zone places; and

• (b) the significant pre-enrolment dates and procedures; and

• (c) the date or dates on which any ballot will be held.

(3) The following must be available for inspection at the school at all reasonable times:

• (a) a copy of the school's current enrolment scheme:

• (b) a copy of the results of the most recent ballot for places at the school:

• (c) a copy of the waiting list for places at the school:

• (d) if it is available, information about the matters listed in subsection (2).

(1) An enrolment scheme for a primary school commences on the date 3 months after the day of its adoption, or on a later date specified in the scheme.

(2) An enrolment scheme for a secondary or composite school commences on 1 January in the year following the year in which it was adopted, or on a later date specified in the scheme and agreed to by the Secretary.

(3) Despite subsections (1) and (2), the Secretary may, on application by a board, authorise the early commencement of an enrolment scheme if he or she considers that early commencement is appropriate.

(4) If the Secretary gives authorisation for early commencement after the board has given notice of the enrolment scheme, the board must give notice showing the revised date on which the scheme will commence.

(1) The board of a school may by resolution, in accordance with this section, abandon an enrolment scheme, in which case the scheme ends on the date specified in the resolution.

(2) A board may not resolve to abandon an enrolment scheme unless it has received written notice from the Secretary authorising it to do so.

(3) The Secretary may at any time, by notice in writing, require the board of a State school to abandon its enrolment scheme on the grounds that the Secretary is satisfied that there is not, or is not likely to be, overcrowding at the school if the enrolment scheme is abandoned; and the board must resolve at its next meeting to abandon the scheme.

(4) When a board abandons an enrolment scheme, it must—

• (a) notify the Secretary of the date on which the enrolment scheme ended or will end; and

• (b) give notice of the date on which the scheme ended or will end.

(1) The board of a State school that has adopted an enrolment scheme may amend it.

(2) A board must not amend a scheme unless it is satisfied that an enrolment scheme is still necessary in order to avoid overcrowding, or the likelihood of overcrowding, at the school.

(3) If the board of a State school (school A) adopts or amends an enrolment scheme, the Secretary may require the board of any nearby State school that also has an enrolment scheme to develop a proposed amendment to its enrolment scheme in order to take into account the effect of school A's scheme.

(4) Sections 11A to 11L apply to an amendment and a proposed amendment to an enrolment scheme as if it were an enrolment scheme or a proposed enrolment scheme (as the case may be).

(1) A State school that wishes to make a minor amendment to its enrolment scheme may make it using the procedure set out in subsection (2) instead of going through the process set out in sections 11H to 11J.

(2) In order to make a minor amendment to its enrolment scheme under this section, a school must—

• (a) apply to the Secretary for confirmation that the proposed amendment is minor; and

• (b) on receiving confirmation from the Secretary, give notice of the proposed amendment; and

• (c) forward to the Secretary any written comments or queries received by the school regarding the proposed amendment; and

• (d) adopt the amendment by resolution of the school's board.

(3) A school may not adopt an amendment under subsection (2)(d) unless—

• (a) at least 1 month has passed since notice of the proposal was given; and

• (b) the Secretary has, after that time, given approval for the amendment to be incorporated.

(4) At any time before the amendment is incorporated into the enrolment scheme, the Secretary may advise the school that the proposed amendment is not minor, in which case the school may not adopt the amendment without going through the process set out in sections 11H to 11J.

(1) The board of a State school may apply the pre-enrolment procedures of an enrolment scheme at any time after notice has been given of the scheme under section 11J(1), even if the scheme has not yet commenced.

(2) In the case of applications by applicants who will be subject to a ballot, the board must notify each applicant, in writing, of—

• (a) when and how the ballot will be held; and

• (b) when and how applicants will be advised of the results of the ballot; and

• (c) the rights and responsibilities of applicants after the ballot.

(3) The board must give written notice to every applicant whose application is declined of—

• (a) the reason why the application has been declined; and

• (b) the Secretary's powers under section 11P(2).

(4) The board must give written notice to every applicant whose name was included in a ballot of the outcome of the ballot as it relates to the applicant.

(1) The board of a State school that has an enrolment scheme may, subject to subsection (4), annul the enrolment of a student if the board believes on reasonable grounds that the student's enrolment or pre-enrolment form falsely claimed, for the purpose of securing enrolment, that—

• (a) the student was living in the school's home zone when the student enrolled at the school; or

• (b) the student was entitled to a particular priority in the ballot for places (for example, by falsely claiming the applicant to be the sibling (as defined in section 11F(3)) of an existing student).

(1A) The board of a State school that has an enrolment scheme may, subject to subsection (4), annul the enrolment of a student if, following a review under section 11OA, the board determines that the student has used a temporary residence for the purpose of gaining enrolment at the school.

(2) The address given in a student's pre-enrolment form as the address where the student lives will be taken to be the address at which the student is living on enrolment, unless the board is notified otherwise.

(3) The board may annul the enrolment of any student, or may refuse an application for enrolment by any person, who claimed or claims priority in a ballot as a sibling of a student whose enrolment the board has annulled under this section.

(4) If the board annuls an enrolment under any of subsections (1), (1A), or (3), the annulment takes effect 1 month from the date on which the board decides to annul the enrolment.

(5) A board that annuls the enrolment of a student must immediately—

• (a) advise the student's parents, in writing, of the date of annulment and the date on which it takes effect; and

• (b) advise the Secretary of the name of the student and the date of annulment.

(1) The board of a State school that has an enrolment scheme may issue the parents of a student enrolled at the school with a review notice under this section if—

• (a) the student was enrolled at the school on the grounds that he or she lived in the school's home zone; and

• (b) the student has, since enrolling at the school, moved out of the school's home zone; and

• (c) the board believes on reasonable grounds that the student has used a temporary residence within the school's home zone for the purpose of gaining enrolment at the school.

(2) On receipt of a review notice, a parent who wishes to rebut the board's view may make submissions to the board in whatever manner he or she considers appropriate, and the board must, in accordance with any guidelines issued under section 11G(3)(c), give the parent every reasonable opportunity to explain the situation.

(3) The board may exercise its power under section 11O(1A) to annul the student's enrolment if, no earlier than 10 school days after the date on which the review notice was sent, the board determines that the student has used a temporary residence within the school's home zone for the purpose of gaining enrolment at the school.

(4) Every review notice must—

• (a) be in writing; and

• (b) be sent by any 1 or more of post, fax, or email to the student's parents; and

• (c) advise the parents of the effect of the notice, and explain what the parents may do next.

(1) The Secretary may direct the board of any State school (including the board of the school at which the student was enrolled) to enrol a student whose enrolment has been annulled under section 11O.

(2) The Secretary may direct the board of any State school to enrol an applicant whose application for enrolment it has declined if the Secretary is satisfied that—

• (a) the board has declined the application on the ground that the applicant is not living in the school's home zone, but in fact the applicant is living in the school's home zone; or

• (b) the consequences of not giving the direction would be so disadvantageous to the applicant that overriding the enrolment scheme in this case is justified.

(3) The Secretary must not give a direction about a person under subsection (1) or subsection (2)(b) unless he or she has taken all reasonable steps to consult the person's parents, the board of the proposed school, and (if appropriate, having regard to the age and maturity of the person) the person.

(4) The Secretary may not direct the board of a Kura Kaupapa Maori, a designated character school, or an integrated school to enrol a person under this section unless the person's parents agree, and accept the special character of that school.

(5) A board must comply with a direction under this section, and the direction overrides the provisions of any enrolment scheme the school may have in place.

(1) The board of a State school that has an enrolment scheme in place on 1 February in any year must, before 1 May of that year,—

• (a) review the operation of the enrolment scheme, having regard to the purpose and principles of enrolment schemes; and

• (b) ask the Secretary whether he or she agrees with the board's view about the continuing need for a scheme to prevent overcrowding, or the likelihood of overcrowding, at the school.

(2) The Secretary may exempt a board for any period not exceeding 3 years from the obligation to conduct an annual review if the Secretary considers that compliance is unnecessary.

(3) The Secretary may at any time rescind an exemption given under subsection (2), and may require the board to conduct a review of its enrolment scheme within a period specified by the Secretary.

(1) Sections 11A to 11PA apply to Kura Kaupapa Maori, designated character schools, integrated schools, and special schools, and to their enrolment schemes, subject to the following modifications:

• (a) all references to overcrowding or the likelihood of overcrowding must be read as if they were references to there being, or being likely to be, more applicants for enrolments at the school than there are places available; and

• (b) the enrolment scheme need not define a home zone for the school, nor provide for balloting of applicants who live outside any home zone, but must accord priority to applicants for whom the school is a reasonably convenient school; and

• (c) section 11J is modified as follows:

  • (i) subsection (1) applies as if paragraph (a) read “a general description of the enrolment scheme”; and

  • (ii) subsection (2) applies as if paragraphs (a) to (c) were replaced with the words “the likely number of places available and the significant pre-enrolment dates and procedures that will apply”; and

  • (iii) subsection (3)(b) does not apply; and

• (d) in the case of a Kura Kaupapa Maori, the application of the sections must not result in inconsistency with section 155; and

• (e) in the case of a designated character school, the application of the sections must not result in inconsistency with the school's charter or section 156; and

• (f) in the case of an integrated school, the application of the sections must not result in inconsistency with the school's integration agreement or the Private Schools Conditional Integration Act 1975.

(2) Sections 11A to 11PA do not apply to any State school of a type specified by the Secretary by notice in the Gazette.

(1) The annual report on the schools sector that is laid before the House of Representatives by the Minister of Education in accordance with section 87B must include a statement signed by the Secretary that—

• (a) lists the schools that have an enrolment scheme in place; and

• (b) states the period for which each scheme has been in place; and

• (c) notes the schools where adjacent schools have schemes in place; and

• (d) outlines any plans included in the Ministry's property development or other programmes to address the pressures on capacity in areas where a number of adjacent schools have enrolment schemes in place, including development plans to manage school population changes to maximise (to the extent it is reasonable and practicable to do so) the opportunity for students to attend a reasonably convenient State school.

(2) In this section, an enrolment scheme is in place once it has been notified in accordance with section 11J.

The purpose of the provisions of this Act concerning the standing-down, suspension, exclusion, or expulsion of a student from a State school is to—

• (a) provide a range of responses for cases of varying degrees of seriousness; and

• (b) minimise the disruption to a student's attendance at school and facilitate the return of the student to school when that is appropriate; and

• (c) ensure that individual cases are dealt with in accordance with the principles of natural justice.

(1) The principal of a State school may stand-down or suspend a student if satisfied on reasonable grounds that—

• (a) the student's gross misconduct or continual disobedience is a harmful or dangerous example to other students at the school; or

• (b) because of the student's behaviour, it is likely that the student, or other students at the school, will be seriously harmed if the student is not stood-down or suspended.

(2) A stand-down may be for 1 or more specified periods, and—

• (a) the period or periods may not exceed 5 school days in any one term:

• (b) a student may be stood-down more than once in the same year but for not more than 10 school days in total in that year:

• (c) in calculating the period of a stand-down, the day on which the student was stood-down, and any day on which the student would not have had to attend school in any event, must not be counted:

• (d) the principal may lift the stand-down at any time before it is due to expire.

(3) If a student has been stood-down or suspended, the following provisions apply in relation to the student's attendance at the school:

• (a) the principal may require the student to attend the school if the principal reasonably considers the student's attendance is appropriate for the purposes of section 17A:

• (b) the principal must allow the student to attend the school if the student's parents request that the student be permitted to attend the school and the principal considers the request is reasonable:

• (c) otherwise the student does not have to, and is not permitted to, attend the school while stood-down or suspended.

(1) If a student younger than 16 has been suspended from a State school, the school's board may—

• (a) lift the suspension at any time before it expires, either unconditionally or subject to any reasonable conditions the board wants to make:

• (b) extend the suspension conditionally for a reasonable period determined by the board when extending the suspension, in which case subsection (2) applies:

• (c) if the circumstances of the case justify the most serious response, exclude the student from the school by extending the suspension and requiring the student to be enrolled at another school.

(2) If the board extends a suspension conditionally, the board must impose reasonable conditions aimed at facilitating the return of the student to school and must take appropriate steps to facilitate the return of the student to school.

(3) If a student fails to comply with any condition imposed under this section in respect of the lifting or extension of his or her suspension, the principal may request the board to reconsider the action it took under this section in that case and the board may confirm or reverse its earlier decisions or may modify its earlier decisions by taking any action specified in any of paragraphs (a) to (c) of subsection (1).

(4) If the board has not sooner lifted or extended it or excluded the student under subsection (1)(c), the suspension of a student younger than 16 ceases to have effect—

• (a) at the close of the seventh school day after the day of the suspension; or

• (b) if the suspension occurs within 7 school days before the end of a term, at the close of the tenth calendar day after the day of the suspension.

(5) If the board of a State school excludes the student under subsection (1)(c), the principal must try to arrange for the student to attend another school (which school is a suitable school that the student can reasonably conveniently attend).

(6) If the principal is unable, by the tenth school day after the day of the board's decision to exclude a student, to arrange for the student to attend another school, the principal must tell the Secretary what steps the principal took in trying to do so.

(1) If the Secretary is satisfied that the board of a State school has excluded a student who is younger than 16 from the school under section 15(1)(c), and that the principal has not arranged for the student to attend another school, the Secretary must either,—

• (a) if satisfied that it is not inappropriate for the student to return to the school from which the student has been excluded, lift the exclusion; or

• (b) arrange for and, if necessary, direct the board of any other State school (that is not an integrated school) to enrol the student at the other school; or

• (c) direct a parent of the student to enrol the student at a correspondence school.

(2) The Secretary may not give a direction under subsection (1)(b) or lift an exclusion under subsection (1)(a) unless the Secretary has also made all reasonable attempts to consult the student, the student's parents, the board, and any other person or organisation that, in the opinion of the Secretary, may be interested in, or able to advise on or help with, the student's education or welfare.

(3) If the board of the school from which the student has been excluded also controls another school, the Secretary (in exercising the power conferred by subsection (1)(b)) may direct the board to enrol the student at that other school.

(4) A board must comply with a direction under subsection (1)(b), and the direction overrides the provisions of any enrolment scheme the school may have in place.

(1) If a student who is 16 or older has been suspended from a State school, the board may—

• (a) lift the suspension at any time before it expires, either unconditionally or subject to any reasonable conditions it wants to make; or

• (b) extend the suspension conditionally for a reasonable period determined by the board when extending the suspension, in which case subsection (2) applies; or

• (c) expel the student.

(2) If the board extends a suspension conditionally, the board must impose reasonable conditions aimed at facilitating the return of the student to school, and must take steps to facilitate the return of the student to school.

(3) If a student fails to comply with any condition imposed under this section in respect of the lifting or extension of his or her suspension, the principal may request the board to reconsider the action it took under this section in that case and the board may confirm or reverse its earlier decisions or may modify its earlier decisions by taking any action specified in any of paragraphs (a) to (c) of subsection (1).

(4) If the board has not sooner lifted or extended it or expelled the student under subsection (1)(c), the suspension of a student who is 16 or older ceases to have effect—

• (a) at the close of the seventh school day after the day of the suspension; or

• (b) if the suspension occurs within 7 school days before the end of a term, at the close of the tenth calendar day after the day of the suspension.

(1) When a student is stood-down or suspended from a State school, the principal must take all reasonable steps to ensure that the student has the guidance and counselling that are reasonable and practicable in all the circumstances of the stand-down or suspension.

(2) If a student's suspension is subject to conditions (whether under section 15 or section 17), the principal must take all reasonable steps to ensure that an appropriate educational programme is provided to the student.

(3) The purpose of the programme referred to in subsection (2) is to facilitate the return of a student to school and to minimise the educational disadvantages that occur from absence from school.

If a student has been suspended, the student, the student's parents, and their representatives are entitled to attend at least 1 meeting of the board and speak at that meeting, and to have their views considered by the board before it decides whether to lift or extend the suspension or exclude or expel the student (whether under section 15 or section 17).

(1) The name of a student younger than 16 who has been suspended from a school under section 14 or excluded from a school under section 15(1)(c) must stay on the school's register until the earliest of the following days:

• (a) the day the student is enrolled at another registered school:

• (b) the day the student is given an exemption under section 21 or section 22.

(2) The name of a student who has turned 16 and is suspended from a school under section 14 must stay on the register of the school until the earliest of the following days:

• (a) the day on which the student is enrolled at another registered school:

• (b) the day on which the student is expelled from the school:

• (c) the day on which the student leaves school:

• (d) 1 January after the student's 19th birthday.

(3) Subsection (2) applies to a student who is younger than 16 when suspended from a school under section 14 or excluded from a school under section 15(1)(c), and turns 16 while subject to the suspension or exclusion.

(1) The board of a State school from which a student has ever been excluded or expelled (whether under section 15 or section 17) may refuse to enrol the student at the school (unless, in the case of an exclusion, the Secretary has lifted the exclusion under section 16(1)(a)).

(2) Subject to section 16(1)(b), the board of a State school may refuse to enrol a student who is for the time being excluded or expelled (whether under section 15 or section 17) from another State school.

(3) The Secretary may, in the case of a student who has turned 16, direct the board of another State school (that is not an integrated school) to enrol a student at the school if—

• (a) the student has been expelled under section 17; and

• (b) the Secretary has made all reasonable attempts to consult the student, the student's parents, the board, and any other person or organisation that, in the opinion of the Secretary, may be interested in, or able to advise on or help with, the student's education or welfare.

(4) A board must comply with a direction under subsection (3), and the direction overrides the provisions of any enrolment scheme the school may have in place.

(1) Immediately after a student is stood-down under section 14, the principal must tell the Secretary and (except in the case of a student who has turned 20) a parent of the student—

• (a) that the student has been stood-down; and

• (b) the reasons for the principal's decision; and

• (c) the period for which the student has been stood-down.

(2) Immediately after a student is suspended under section 14, the principal must tell the board, the Secretary, and (except in the case of a student who has turned 20) a parent of the student—

• (a) that the student has been suspended; and

• (b) the reasons for the principal's decision.

(3) Immediately after a board lifts a suspension, extends a suspension, excludes a student, or expels a student (whether under section 15 or section 17), the board must tell the Secretary and (except in the case of a student who has turned 20) a parent of the student—

• (a) that the suspension has been lifted or extended, and the period of the extension (if any), or that the student has been excluded or expelled; and

• (b) the reasons for the board's decision.

(1) The Secretary may from time to time, by notice in the Gazette, make rules (which must not be inconsistent with this Act) regulating the practice and procedure to be followed by boards, principals, students, parents of students, and other persons under sections 14 to 18, including (without limitation) rules—

• (a) setting out procedural requirements to be followed when a proposed stand-down, suspension, exclusion, or expulsion is to be considered or decided:

• (b) specifying who should be consulted about the circumstances of a stand-down, suspension, exclusion, or expulsion:

• (c) setting out the steps to be taken by the principal and board, respectively, when a student has been stood-down, suspended, excluded, or expelled:

• (d) specifying the notices to be given when a decision not to lift a suspension, or a decision to extend a suspension or expel a student, is made; and specifying the particulars to be set out in each notice:

• (e) specifying time limits within which specified things are to be done, and the reports that are to be produced and the persons who are to produce them:

• (f) providing reasonable measures (which must not be inconsistent with the Privacy Act 1993) to protect the privacy of individuals:

• (g) providing for such other matters as the Secretary considers desirable in the interests of natural justice.

(2) Before making any rules under this section, the Secretary must—

• (a) publish in the Gazette, and in such newspapers as the Secretary considers appropriate, a notice of his or her intention to make the rules; and

• (b) give interested persons a reasonable time to make representations about the proposed rules; and

• (c) consult such persons and groups as the Secretary considers appropriate.

(3) If there is any conflict between rules made under this section and the provisions of clause 8 of Schedule 6, the rules override clause 8.

(4) Rules made under this section are regulations for the purposes of the Acts and Regulations Publication Act 1989 and the Regulations (Disallowance) Act 1989.

(1) The Secretary may, on the recommendation of the chief executive of the department for the time being responsible for the administration of the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989, direct the board of a State school to enrol at the school any person; and in that case the board must do so.

(2) No direction may be given under subsection (1) unless the Secretary has taken all reasonable steps to consult—

• (a) the person's parents; and

• (b) the board of the school concerned; and

• (c) the chief executive of the department for the time being responsible for the administration of the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989, and any other person or organisation that, in the Secretary's opinion, may be interested in, or able to advise on or help with, the person's education or welfare.

(3) A board must comply with a direction under subsection (1), and the direction overrides the provisions of any enrolment scheme the school may have in place.

(1) A principal of a State school who believes on reasonable grounds that a student—

• (a) is not clean enough to keep attending the school; or

• (b) may have a communicable disease (within the meaning of the Health Act 1956),—

may preclude the student from the school.

(2) Forthwith after precluding a student from school under subsection (1), the principal shall make all reasonable efforts to tell—

• (a) the board; and

• (b) either the student (in the case of a student who has turned 20) or the student's parents (in every other case); and

• (c) in the case of a student precluded under subsection (1)(b), the Medical Officer of Health,—

that the student has been precluded, and why.

(3) Where a student has been precluded from a State school for being not clean enough, the board shall have the matter looked into; and shall either cancel the preclusion or confirm that the student should stay precluded until the principal is satisfied that the student is clean enough to go back to school.

(4) Where a student has been precluded from a State school on suspicion of having a communicable disease, the board shall have the matter looked into; and shall either cancel the preclusion or confirm that the student should stay precluded until the board has received a certificate from a doctor stating that the student is well enough to go back to school.

(5) Where any person is charged with an offence against section 29 (which relates to ensuring the attendance of students at school)—

• (a) it is a defence to the charge if it is proved that—

  • (i) the student did not attend because precluded for having a communicable disease; and

  • (ii) the time for which the student did not attend was no longer than was necessary for the board to cancel the preclusion or the student to get well enough to go back to school (as the case may be); and

• (b) except to the extent set out in paragraph (a), it is not a defence to the charge that the student did not attend because precluded under subsection (1).

(6) No principal or board is liable for any act done or omitted—

• (a) in good faith; and

• (b) with reasonable care; and

• (c) in pursuance or intended pursuance of a power or duty given or imposed by this section.

(1) Except as provided in this Act, every person who is not an international student is required to be enrolled at a registered school at all times during the period beginning on the person's sixth birthday and ending on the person's 16th birthday.

(2) Before a child's seventh birthday, the child is not required to be enrolled at any school more than 3 kilometres walking distance from the child's residence.

(1) An employee of the Ministry designated by the Secretary for the purpose (in this section and section 26 referred to as a designated officer) may, by certificate given to a person's parent, exempt the person from the requirements of section 20,—

• (a) on the parent's application; and

• (b) if satisfied that the person—

  • (i) will be taught at least as regularly and well as in a registered school; or

  • (ii) in the case of a person who would otherwise be likely to need special education, will be taught at least as regularly and well as in a special class or clinic or by a special service.

(2) A certificate under subsection (1) continues in force until it is revoked or expires under this section.

(3) If a designated officer refuses to grant a certificate under subsection (1), the applicant parent may appeal to the Secretary who, after considering a report on the matter from the Chief Review Officer, shall confirm the refusal or grant a certificate.

(4) The Secretary's decision is final.

(5) Every certificate under subsection (1) or subsection (3) shall state why it was given.

(6) Subject to subsection (7), the Secretary may at any time revoke a certificate under subsection (1) or subsection (3).

(7) The Secretary shall not revoke a certificate under subsection (1) or subsection (3), unless, after having—

• (a) made reasonable efforts to get all the relevant information; and

• (b) considered a report on the matter from the Chief Review Officer,—

the Secretary is not satisfied of whichever of the grounds specified in subsection (1)(b) the certificate was originally granted on.

(8) If the Secretary thinks any person exempted under subsection (1) would be better off getting special education, the Secretary may revoke the certificate and issue a direction under section 9.

(8A) A certificate for the time being in force under subsection (1) or subsection (3) expires when the person to whom it applies turns 16 or enrols at a registered school, whichever happens first.

(9) Every certificate of exemption under section 111 of the Education Act 1964 that was in force on 30 September 1989 shall be deemed to have been granted—

• (a) on the ground specified in subsection (1)(b)(i) if it was in fact granted—

  • (i) before 20 July 1987, under section 111(4)(a) of the Education Act 1964; or

  • (ii) after 19 July 1987, under section 111(3)(a) of that Act; and

• (b) on the ground specified in subsection (1)(b)(ii) if it was in fact granted—

  • (i) before 20 July 1987, under section 111(4)(b) of the Education Act 1964; or

  • (ii) after 19 July 1987, under section 111(3)(b) of that Act;—

and may be revoked under this section accordingly.

(1) Subject to subsection (2), the Secretary may, by certificate given to the parent of a person who has turned 15, exempt the person from the requirements of section 20—

• (a) on the parent's application; and

• (b) if satisfied that, on the basis of—

  • (i) the person's educational problems; and

  • (ii) the person's conduct; and

  • (iii) the benefit (if any) the person is likely to get from available schools,—

  it is sensible to do so.

(2) The Secretary shall not exempt under subsection (1) any person who has neither completed the work of form 2 nor enrolled for a class above form 2.

(3) The Secretary shall tell the chief executive of the department for the time being responsible for the administration of the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989 the name and address of every person exempted under subsection (1).

(4) If satisfied that it is in the best interests of any person to do so, the Secretary may revoke the person's certificate under subsection (1).

(1) On an application from the chief executive of the department for the time being responsible for the administration of the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989, the Secretary may, by a certificate given to the chief executive of that department, exempt a person from the requirements of section 20 if satisfied that the requirements set out in subsection (2) have been met.

(2) The requirements referred to in subsection (1) are that the person—

• (a) has been placed—

  • (i) in a residence established under section 364 of the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989; or

  • (ii) in a residential programme instituted by, and operated under contract with, the chief executive of that department where the person would otherwise be in a residence established under section 364 of that Act; and

• (b) will receive education services appropriate to the person's needs.

(3) The Secretary may at any time revoke a certificate granted under subsection (1)—

• (a) on notification by the chief executive of the department for the time being responsible for the administration of the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989 that the person exempted has been released from a residence other than for a temporary period; or

• (b) if the Secretary is no longer satisfied that the person exempted meets the requirements of subsection (2); or

• (c) at the request of the chief executive of that department and if satisfied that an exemption from section 20 is no longer required.

(4) A certificate under subsection (1) continues in force until revoked under this section.

For so long as a certificate under section 21 or section 22 continues in force—

• (a) the exempted person does not have to be enrolled at any school; and

• (b) no person has to have the exempted person enrolled at any school.

(1) Where the parent of a person required by this Act to be enrolled at a registered school fails or refuses to ensure that the person is enrolled at a registered school, the parent commits an offence, and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding $3,000.

(2) The payment of a fine in respect of a conviction for an offence against subsection (1) is not a bar to proceedings for a further such offence.

(1) Except as provided in this Act, every student of a registered school (other than a correspondence school) who is required by section 20 to be enrolled at a registered school shall attend the school whenever it is open.

(2) Every board shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that students who are required by subsection (1) to attend the school whenever it is open do so.

(3) For the purposes of this section, a student attends a school on any day if, on the day,—

• (a) it has been open for instruction for 4 hours or more; and

• (b) the student has been present for 4 hours or more when it was open for instruction.

(4) Nothing in subsections (1) to (3) applies to a participating student who is enrolled at a registered school for the purposes of the secondary component of his or her secondary-tertiary programme, but he or she must attend the school for any portion of the programme as notified by the provider group or lead provider under section 31J.

(1) A student aged 16 and above, or the parent of a student aged under 16, may ask the principal to release the student from tuition in a particular class or subject.

(1A) A request under subsection (1) must be made in writing, and at least 24 hours before the start of the tuition.

(1B) This section applies only to students enrolled at a State school that is not an integrated school.

(2) Unless satisfied that—

• (a) the parent or student (as the case may be) has asked because of sincerely held religious or cultural views; and

• (b) the student will be adequately supervised (whether within or outside the school) during the tuition,—

the principal shall not release the student.

(3) Upon receiving a request from a parent under subsection (1), the principal must, before agreeing to release the student, take all reasonable steps to find out the student's views on the matter.

(4) Subject to subsection (2), the principal shall release the student from the tuition and (if the student is to be supervised outside the school) let the student leave the school during the tuition unless satisfied, in the light of—

• (a) the student's age, maturity, and ability to formulate and express views; and

• (b) any views the student has expressed,—

that it is inappropriate to do so.

(5) Nothing in this section limits or affects section 79 of the Education Act 1964.

(1) The parent of a student enrolled at any State school may ask the principal in writing to ensure that the student is excluded from tuition in specified parts of the health curriculum related to sexuality education and, on receipt of such a request, the principal must ensure that—

• (a) the student is excluded from the relevant tuition; and

• (b) the student is supervised during that tuition.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) requires a principal to ensure that a student who is to be excluded from tuition in specified parts of the health curriculum related to sexuality education is excluded at any other time while a teacher deals with a question raised by another student that relates to the specified part of the curriculum.

The principal of a State school—

• (a) may, if satisfied that—

  • (i) a student will receive outside the school tuition acceptable to the principal; and

  • (ii) releasing the student would not result in a contravention of section 25(2),—

  release the student from attendance at the school, for a period or periods agreed with a parent of the student, to receive the tuition (and, where appropriate, travel between the school and the place where the tuition is to be given):

• (b) may, if satisfied that—

  • (i) a student has, on any day on which the school was open for instruction, been present at the school for 4 hours or more; and

  • (ii) there are good reasons for the student to leave before the school closes on that day,—

  let the student leave early on that day.

(1) A designated officer (as defined in section 21(1)) may, by certificate given to a student's parent, exempt the student (entirely or partly) from attending a school—

• (a) on the parent's application; and

• (b) if satisfied that—

  • (i) the student is under 10, and the walking distance between the student's residence and the school is more than 3 kilometres; or

  • (ii) the walking distance between the student's residence and the school is more than 5 kilometres; or

  • (iii) it is sensible to exempt the student for some other reason.

(2) If a designated officer refuses to grant a certificate under subsection (1), the applicant parent may appeal to the Secretary who, after considering a report on the matter from the Chief Review Officer, shall confirm the refusal or grant a certificate.

(3) The Secretary's decision is final.

(4) Subject to subsections (6) and (7), a certificate under subsection (1) shall specify the day on which it expires; and until it expires or is cancelled, the student's parent is not subject to section 20 in respect of the student.

(5) Every certificate under subsection (1) shall state the grounds on which it was granted.

(6) No certificate granted under subsection (1)(b)(iii) shall specify an expiry day more than 7 school days after the day it is granted.

(7) No other certificate under subsection (1) shall specify an expiry day more than 1 year after the day it is granted.

(8) Where a certificate under subsection (1) expires, a designated officer may, subject to that subsection, issue another in its place.

(9) The Secretary may at any time cancel a certificate under subsection (1).

(1) If satisfied that a student's absence was or will be justified, the principal of the school may exempt the student from attending the school for a period of no more than 5 school days.

(2) The parent of a student exempted under subsection (1) is not subject to section 25 in respect of the student for the period to which the exemption relates.

(3) In the absence of evidence to the contrary, a certificate from the principal of a school that—

• (a) a student was absent from the school for any period; and

• (b) the principal is not satisfied that the absence was justified,—

is proof that the student was absent for that period without being exempted under subsection (1).

(4) For the purposes of subsection (3), judicial notice shall be taken of the appointment and signature of every principal.

(1) The Secretary, by notice in writing to the parent of a student—

• (a) who has a certificate of exemption for the student under subparagraph (i) or subparagraph (ii) of section 26(1)(b); or

• (b) who has been directed under section 16(7)(c) to enrol the student at a correspondence school,—

may call on the parent to have the student enrolled at a correspondence school specified in the notice, and ensure that the student does the work of the course in which the student is enrolled.

(2) Enrolment under subsection (1) shall be—

• (a) for the period of exemption, in the case of a student exempted under section 26(1)(b); and

• (b) until the student turns 16, or for a shorter period specified in the notice, in every other case.

(3) A parent who fails to comply with a notice under subsection (1) to have a student enrolled at a correspondence school commits an offence, and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding the maximum fine provided for in section 24(1) (which relates to the failure to enrol at a registered school).

(1) Every parent of a person who,—

• (a) while enrolled at a registered school, does not attend as provided in section 25; or

• (b) while enrolled at a correspondence school, does not do the work of the course in which the student is enrolled,—

commits an offence, and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding an amount calculated at the rate of $30 for every school day for which the offence has occurred.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1), a fine imposed for an offence against that subsection shall not exceed $300 for a first offence against the subsection (or section 120(1) of the Education Act 1964), or $3,000 for a second or subsequent offence.

(3) The imposition of a penalty under this section does not affect or restrict the operation of any provision of the Children, Young Persons, and Their Families Act 1989.