How to Enrol
1. Parents need to contact the school office for an enrolment form for each child. These need to be filled in and returned to the school. When seeking to transfer from another school (ie: not a new entrant), the enrolment form must be accompanied with a recent copy of a report, and any important information which the school needs to know to meet the individual needs of the student.
An important part of the enrolment procedure is that parents must sign their willingness to uphold the policies mentioned in this handbook.
2. The school is limited to a maximum roll of 120, of which only 9 may be from “non preference” families. These limits were negotiated the Ministry Of Education as part of the Integration Agreement and are beyond the control of the Board Of Trustees.
A “ preference” family is one in which the parents are members of the Reformed Congregations of NZ, or similar church. In practice this means that members of the Reformed Congregations, Reformed Church and Free Presbyterian Church are welcome as preference families. Other families who believe that their family environment matches that espoused by the Reformed Congregations may apply for this status. Once accepted all children are treated the same regardless of being “preference” or “non preference”.
3. All applications for enrolment are handled by the Board Of Trustees which meets on the third Monday of each month, except January. Applications take time to process. Typically the school roll for each year is finalised by October to November of the previous year. When considering enrolments the BOT must…
a) work within the above limits of total and “non preference” roll, ensuring places are available for the pre-school siblings of current students, and ensure that there is room in the class applied for.
b) ensure that after “preference” status and current families, the next priority is given to the oldest child of a family turning five.
c) be confident that the school is able to meet the needs of the student, consulting the staff if necessary.
d) consult with the School’s Proprietors who may need to visit the family to determine preference or non preference status.
The consequence is that spaces for non-preference students are very limited, and the school is seldom able to receive students transferring from a local state school. Parents should also be aware that little is to be gained from sending, or keeping, a teenager at school who really does not want to be here. We respect the sovereignty of parents, and will do our best, but there comes a time when a reluctant student is looking so hard for excuses that his/her negative influence on others, and the family, is not worth it. The student needs to be accountable to God for preferring an environment other than one based upon the Word of God.
