Schools are permitted to commence the 2026 school year anytime from today until Monday, 9 February.
Among them will be two brand-new state schools along with several new charter schools.
The new state schools will be located in Rolleston and Flat Bush, where rapid population growth has stretched existing schools to capacity.
Seven new charter schools are set to open at the start of Term 1. These include an online school, one focused on classical European education, and a specialist sports academy.
In certain areas, school enrolments have surged rapidly, hitting a record July high of 856,412 nationwide last year.
The Ministry of Education anticipates secondary school enrolments peaking this year before dropping next year.
Primary rolls continue their decline from last year.
Primary schools start the year with collective agreements for most staff still in negotiation. While one group of primary principals reached a settlement last year, principals and teachers from the NZEI Te Riu Roa rejected the government’s latest offers, with further talks slated for February.
Primary schools must hold at least 382 half-days this year, and secondaries 380, though schools can deduct up to four half-days as teacher-only time for curriculum work.