Education and English classes
By law, parents must send their children to school from ages six to 16, unless they have obtained permission from the Ministry of Education to homeschool.
You can enrol your child from age five, but keep in mind that once they are enrolled, they must go to school.
Contact your school to talk about uniforms and devices (laptops, tablets, etc.) your child may need and let them know if you require some economic support to acquire these, they will give you options.
Pre-school-age children (under six years old) can be enrolled at kindergartens, play centres and childcare facilities. Between the ages of three and five, your child may be eligible for 20 hours per week of free early childhood education.
Talk to staff at your early childhood education centre to find out more.
To find a list of these centres, have a look at the Early Childhood Education tab on the Citizens Advice Bureau community directory
There are 19 primary schools located throughout Ashburton District, ranging from large to small, town and rural. Some schools are full primary which offer education from Years 1 to 8 and others offer education from Years 1 to 6 only. Children are legally required to begin primary school by age six.
Primary schools in Ashburton are zoned, which means that your child is guaranteed to get a place at your nearest school. If you want your child to go to a school outside the area where you live, you may have to apply, and a place isn't guaranteed.
Get in touch with schools at least six months before your child turns six, to ensure they visit the school and are ready to start after their sixth birthday.
For a list of schools visit CAB's directory
Ashburton Intermediate School covers Years 7 and 8 of primary education. If your child's primary school doesn't have Years 7 and 8, your child should attend Intermediate School.
To get in touch, visit their website
There are three secondary schools in Ashburton District. Ashburton College is a co-educational secondary school for Years 9 to 13 located in Ashburton.
Mount Hutt College is a co-educational secondary school for Years 7 to 13 which is located in Methven.
Ashburton Christian School is a state integrated school taking children to year 13 and is un-zoned. They give preference to children whose parents have established a particular or general religious connection. Get in touch with them to book an interview.
The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is the secondary school qualification in New Zealand for students in Year 11-13. It is widely accepted by employers in New Zealand and internationally.
To learn more about NCEA and how it works, visit the Ministry of Education's website
Adult and community education
If you have a child who wants to study at tertiary level, and you are on a work visa and not eligible for the 2021 Resident Visa, they may need to apply for a ‘Fee Paying Student Visa’ instead.
With this visa, they will need to pay the full cost of their courses and enrol with an approved education provider. Find more information on the Immigration website.
To be eligible for a Student Allowance and Student Loan you need to meet the residency requirements.
This means you need to be either:
- a New Zealand citizen, or
- an Ordinarily Resident* in New Zealand and have:
- lived in New Zealand for at least 3 years, and
- held a residence class visa for at least 3 years.
* Ordinarily resident means you normally and lawfully live in New Zealand, intend to stay here and consider New Zealand to be home.
If you meet the residency requirements, before you apply, find out what you will need in the Studylink website
ARA Institute of Canterbury | Te Pūkenga has a campus in Ashburton offering a wide range of subjects with National Certificates and Diplomas.
Other nearby tertiary educational institutes are the University of Canterbury – Te Whare Wananga o Waitaha in Christchurch and Lincoln University – Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki, in Lincoln.
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
ESOL classes are available for people who want to improve their English. Education providers will have ESOL available for school children. English classes are free for residents and citizens.
Ashburton Learning Centre
ESOL classes for adult learners are run by the Ashburton Learning Centre The Centre is located on the corner of Park and Havelock Streets, Ashburton.
They also offer support for:
- Neurodiverse learners. (people with dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, ADHD, ADD and in the spectrum).
- Reading, writing and math.
- Computing classes.
- Driver's licence support.
ARA|Te Pūkenga
They are a tertiary institute, offering practical, industry recognised qualifications. ARA offers a range of programmes that provide students with English for general purposes, exam preparation or preparation for further academic study. They also offer customised group programmes for groups of students with specific areas of interest.
To get in touch you can visit their website email schoolofenglish@ara.ac.nz call 03 940 8000 or visit them at 37 Alford Forest Road,
Ashburton.
English Language Partners
They offer online classes, and you can learn English for work, everyday life and academic study. They offer part-time classes and cater to all levels.
To get in touch you can visit English Language Partners or call 03 688 9030.
Literacy Aotearoa
Teaches reading, writing and math skills. Private, one-to-one or small group tutoring for adults. Service is free for Residents and Citizens.
ILN - Intensive Literacy and Numeracy: This programme supports students with reading, writing, communication and math skills.
WLN - Workplace Literacy and Numeracy: Gets you up-to-standard for work and the environment you are working in. this course helps you with Health and Safety terms, to understand numbers and reports, etc.
ACE - Adult and Community Education: Supports people who want to learn the road code to sit their learner's licence, budgeting, basic computer skills, among other courses. Visit their webiste to find out more or contact them on 027 721 2002 or email info.c9@literacy.org.nz.
Ashburton Library | Te Kete Tuhinga
The Ashburton Library offers a free tool called Clarity English to practice and improve your English skills. All you need is your library card and headphones, if you have them, or buy a pair from the library counter for a small fee. You can bring your own laptop or use the free computers available at the library. It is located at 2 Baring Square East, Ashburton.
Follow their Facebook page
It is an organisation that offers a programme with about 40 educational events during the year, and created a website where you can find learning events happening in the district. The aim is that through the programme and website all residents in the district can easily find opportunities to 'Keep Learning'.
These events are open to the whole community, usually run by professionals or volunteers with expertise and a willingness to share their passion. They are often free or have a small fee to cover expenses.
Visit https://keeplearningmc.nz/ to find out more.