Nau mai, Welcome
Atā whakatapoko – Our Kura
Our kura is a designated character school, established under section 204 of the Education and Training act 2020 (formerly Section 156 of the Education Act 1989). To be eligible for enrolment, whānau must accept and align with the school’s designated character, as detailed in the New Zealand Education Gazette.
We operate a ballot system for enrolment at all year levels. This includes siblings of current students. Unlike schools with traditional enrolment zones, living in a specific area does not guarantee a place at our kura.
The 2027 Enrolment Timeline.
The 2027 enrolment process is now closed. If you have missed being a part of the 2027 enrolment process please register your interest for the 2028 enrolment process below.
16th May-22nd June 2026: School Tours. Attendance at a tour is a prerequisite to progress with your 2027 enrolment.
Following your tour: You will be emailed the “next steps” to enter the enrolment ballot. This step needs to be completed by the 26th June 2026.
29 July 2026: The Ballot. Once complete, we will email you either an offer of a place or a notification of your position on the waitlist.
10 August 2026: Deadline to accept. Places must be accepted by this date. Unconfirmed offers will be passed to the next student on the waitlist.
Note: If you have attended a tour or participated in the ballot and have not received a follow-up email within three business days of the dates above, please contact us at enrol@aotawhiti.school.nz.
If you have missed the 2027 enrolment process or are planning for the 2028 school year, we would love to hear from you. You can register your interest in the link below. We will contact you when we open the 2028 enrolment process in May 2027.
The Enrolment Process:
1. Register Your Interest
You must register your interest so we can add you to our database. This ensures we can contact you when the 2028 enrolment process officially opens in May 2027.
2. Attend a School Tour
In May 2027, registered whānau will be invited to attend a school tour.
- A Mandatory First Step: Attending a scheduled tour is required if you wish to progress with enrolment.
- What to Expect: Tours are hosted by our Senior Leadership Team and include an opportunity for you to ask questions. Due to high demand, we are unable to offer private tours or visits outside of our scheduled dates.
3. Te Kōwhiri – Pre-Enrolment & Ballot
If you have attended a tour and want to proceed, you will move into the pre-enrolment phase.
- Reference Forms: Once pre-enrolment begins, we will email you reference forms. We require this These must be filled out by a caregiver and the child’s current educator.
4. Follow-Up Discussion
After our team receives and reviews the completed reference forms, we will typically contact you to arrange a phone call or invite you in for an face-to-face meeting to discuss the references together.