What is cohort entry?

Children are able to start school in cohorts after they have turned five.

There will be two entry points per term:

On the first day of term week 6 during a term and week 6 of each term.

Cohort entry does not replace the legal requirement that a child start school at age six. Parents, caregivers and whānau can still choose to not enrol their student before then.

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The benefits of cohort entry

Cohort entry is about helping children to settle better in school. There is evidence that starting school alongside other children helps them build relationships and supports a smoother entry to school life.

Schools that are already using cohort entry believe it offers their children the best start to their school life. It can also mean less disruption for new entrant teachers who can prepare for groups of children arriving on a specific date rather than on an individual and ad hoc basis through the year.