K-12 Education System in New Zealand
The education system in New Zealand is a three-tier model. It comprises of primary and intermediate schools, followed by secondary schools (high schools) and tertiary education at universities and polytechnics.
The New Zealand’s K12 education system consistently ranks amongst the best education systems in the world. The PISA scores for literacy, maths and science are amongst the highest in the world. Formal schooling system begins at the age of 5. In general, learners complete K-12 education at around 18 year of age.
The academic year in New Zealand varies between institutions, but generally runs from early February until mid-December for primary schools, late January to late November or early December for secondary schools and polytechnics, and from late February until mid-November for universities.