Enrolment Policy 2010
11 November 2009
Introduction
Pursuant to Section 7 of the Education Act 1989 this document defines who may be enrolled or registered with The Correspondence School (TCS the School) from
1 January 2010 for government funded tuition.
The Secretary for Education may, subject to the following, vary the entry criteria for the enrolment categories and gateways for TCS. This discretion to be used on a case by case, time-bound and exceptional basis and only for the purpose of addressing specific issues that in the opinion of the Secretary for Education reflect capacity
and/or capability needs in the early childhood or schooling sectors.
Contents
Section 1 Early Childhood Education Page 4075
Section 2 Adult and Young Adult Students Page 4078
Section 3 Years 1-13 Full-time Students Page 4079
Section 4 Years 1-13 Dual Tuition Provisions Page 4085
Published as a Supplement to the New Zealand Gazette, 25 November 2009, No. 170, page 4073
Section 1
Early Childhood Education (ECE)
General
The purpose of the ECE enrolment gateways is to provide equity of access to early childhood education for children whose location, health, educational or personal circumstances prevent attendance at a reasonably convenient service.
The two categories are Access and Referral.
Parents/caregivers can self-refer children meeting the criteria for the Access gateways to TCS. ECE enrolments through the Referral gateways must have the support specified.
Eligibility
Children may be enrolled in a full-time Early Childhood Education programme at The Correspondence School where they are:
(a) New Zealand citizens or permanent residents or verified domestic students, and
(b) under the age of 6 (i.e. 5 years of age or under), and
(c) not enrolled in a primary school, or about to be enrolled within the first two weeks of February that year, and
(d) not enrolled in a licensed and/or chartered ECE service for more than two four-hour sessions a week, and
(e) within one of the following enrolment categories and fit the criteria for a gateway where a vacancy is available.
A child ceases to be eligible for enrolment when age or changed circumstances mean that the gateway criteria under which they were enrolled are no longer met.
Priority
Children whose access to ECE is limited by their rural location and geographic isolation will normally be given first priority for enrolment.
Children approved by the School as eligible for entry but for whom a vacancy is not immediately available will have their names placed on a wait list. Wait-listed children will normally be admitted to the School in age order, oldest first.
Enrolment Categories, Gateways and Entry Criteria
Enrolment Category Gateway Entry Criteria
Access Geographic isolation Child of a family whose geographic location prevents attendance at a licensed and/or chartered English language medium ECE service.
To qualify, the student's home must be:
(a) more than 6km from a licensed and/or chartered English language medium ECE service; or
(b) located behind a geographic barrier (e.g. un-bridged river), preventing reasonable access to a licensed and/or chartered English language medium ECE service.
The School will establish entry criteria to ensure access by families with the highest level of need based on distance and accessibility.
Access Itinerancy Child of a family whose itinerancy requires a change of licensed and/or chartered ECE service each school term.
The minimum enrolment period is six months.
Parents/caregivers must provide, at the commencement of enrolment, an itinerary demonstrating that they will change location at least once per term and that each change in location will require a change of licensed and/or chartered ECE service. A written declaration to that effect will also be required.
The Chief Executive Officer of The Correspondence School will review these enrolments six monthly. For this review caregivers will provide a written declaration confirming that they continue to meet the requirements of this gateway.
Referral High health needs Child has a long-term illness or medical condition preventing their attending a licensed and/or chartered ECE service.
Caregivers must provide, each year, a medical certificate from a medical practitioner specialising in the condition preventing attendance, or a referral letter from a General Practitioner to a specialist.
Enrolment Category Gateway Entry Criteria
Referral Special development needs Child has special development needs such that no licensed and/or chartered ECE service able to meet their needs is available within a reasonable distance or travel time.
Caregivers must provide a Ministry of Education Special Education report detailing the nature of the child's special development needs and immediate teaching needs. This report will include verification that no locally available service is able to meet the child's special development needs.
Referral Special circumstances Child does not fit any ECE gateway, however may be admitted by the Chief Executive Officer of the School - for example where:
(a) a sibling has a medical condition such as a bone marrow transplant preventing, for reasons of cross-infection, the child attending a licensed and/or chartered ECE service, or
(b) the child's caregiver has a medical condition preventing attendance at a licensed and/or chartered ECE service.
Section 2
Adult and Young Adult Students
Eligibility
Students may be enrolled with The Correspondence School, as an adult student, or as a young adult student where they are:
(a) a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident or verified domestic student, and
(b) resident in New Zealand.
Enrolment Categories, Gateways and Entry Criteria
Enrolment Category Gateway Entry Criteria
Access Young adult Student is 16 or over and is not enrolled at a school.
Students enrolled under this gateway may remain enrolled up to, and including the end of the school year in which the student turns 19 years of age.
Access Adult Adult students may be enrolled for an administration fee.
An adult for the purposes of enrolment at The Correspondence School is:
(a) turning 20 years of age during the year of enrolment, or older, and
(b) not attending a school full-time.
Students enrolled under this gateway may remain enrolled until all assessments for the subject area for which they are enrolled are complete or for 12 calendar months, which ever is the sooner.
The availability of courses offered by The Correspondence School may be restricted for this enrolment category.
Section 3
Year 1-13 Full-time Students
General
The purpose of the full-time enrolment gateways is to provide equity of access to compulsory education for students whose location, itinerancy, health, educational or personal circumstances prevent attendance at a reasonably convenient school.
The two full-time enrolment categories are Access and Referral.
Students meeting the entry criteria for the Access gateways can self-refer to TCS. Full-time enrolments through the Referral gateways must be made through the designated agency.
Eligibility
Year 1-13 domestic students may be enrolled in a full-time Primary or Secondary programme at The Correspondence School where they meet the entry criteria for one of the enrolment gateways identified.
Except for the gateways for non-enrolled students and for expelled or excluded students eligibility ceases when changed circumstances mean that the entry criteria for the gateway concerned no longer apply. Year 11-13 students whose circumstances change during term 3 or later may stay enrolled until the end of the school year in question.
Guidelines
Unless otherwise stated:
(a) the minimum period of enrolment is one term, and
(b) the student's continued enrolment is subject to meeting The Correspondence School's engagement and tuition requirements, and
(c) all enrolments are reviewed by the School on an annual basis or as specified for a specific category.
Enrolment Categories, Gateways and Entry Criteria
Enrolment Category Gateway Entry Criteria
Access Exceptional arts and sports performance Student is an elite athlete, dancer, musician, sports person or an outstanding actor or performer whose development programme precludes attendance at a reasonably convenient school.
Enrolment applications require a letter of attestation from the formally constituted and recognised national body for the activity:
(a) attesting that the student's exceptional attributes mean that they are likely to either represent New Zealand or develop to the top of the field for their age-group; and
(b) confirming that the programme planned for their development is appropriate and precludes attendance at a reasonably convenient school; and
(c) advising the likely duration of enrolment; and
(d) providing an educational profile from the student's previous school.
Access Geographic isolation Student is unable to attend a reasonably convenient school because of its distance or inaccessibility from their home.
To qualify, the student's home, nearest school bus route or nearest suitable public transport must be:
(a) more than 3.2 kilometres distant, increasing to 4.8 kilometres if the student is 10 years of age or over (private road distance does not count); or
(b) located behind a geographic barrier preventing reasonable access to a school, suitable public transport or school bus route.
The Ministry of Education's School Transport Service Agents are the confirming agencies.
Access Itinerancy Student would otherwise need to change schools each term because caregivers are itinerant. The minimum enrolment period is six months.
Parents/caregivers must provide, at the commencement of enrolment, an itinerary demonstrating that they will change location at least once per term and that each change in location will require a change of school. A written declaration to that effect will also be required.
The TCS Chief Executive Officer will review these enrolments six monthly. For this review caregivers will provide a written declaration confirming that they continue to meet the requirements of this gateway.
Enrolment Category Gateway Entry Criteria
Access Young parents Student is pregnant or whose primary care responsibility for a child prevents school attendance.
A student who is pregnant or a young parent, and otherwise eligible for a free place in a state or state integrated school, may self-enrol. They may also be referred by a school, caregivers, family or whanau.
Enrolment applications for pregnant students must be supported by a midwife's or medical certificate and where appropriate include an educational report from the student's current school or school previously attended. Where for confidentiality reasons this educational report cannot be obtained TCS will manage this directly with the student, their caregivers, family or whanau. After the birth the student may stay on the TCS roll until the end of the school year.
Students enrolled under this gateway who have the primary care responsibility for their child may remain enrolled as a full-time student up to and including the end of the school year in which the student turns 19 years of age.
Access Overseas students
Group A This group is for New Zealand citizens or New Zealand permanent residents who:
" will be absent from New Zealand for at least six months, and
" whose children need to continue education while overseas, and who are:
" military, diplomatic personnel or others employed by the New Zealand Government whose duties take them overseas, or
" university staff and others on sabbatical leave, or
" teachers recruited by inter-governmental, or non-governmental organisations for service overseas.
Parents/caregivers must make a written declaration that they meet the following criteria for such students to be enrolled:
" no employer subsidy towards the education of the student is provided, and
" they intend to return to New Zealand on completion of the service overseas, and
" there is no suitable local education service available.
The parent/caregiver's employer must also verify all three criteria.
The initial application for enrolment must be made within 12 months of the departure of the family from New Zealand. There is no maximum period of enrolment.
Enrolment Category Gateway Entry Criteria
Access Overseas students
Group B This group is for New Zealand citizens or New Zealand permanent residents who;
" prior to the first application have lived in NZ for two consecutive years or more, and
" are travelling or living overseas, and
" will be absent from New Zealand for at least six months, and
" intend returning to New Zealand, and
" whose children need to continue education while overseas, and
" will be either continuing their education within the New Zealand system or be taking up employment in New Zealand.
Parents/caregivers need to show that they:
" are going to non English speaking countries where a suitable or comparable New Zealand education system is not available; and require full-time enrolment as they are unable to obtain admission to a suitable school locally, or
" are candidates for New Zealand national qualifications for which local schools do not cater, or
" require enrolment in specific subjects with TCS as they have transferred to an overseas school where New Zealand national qualification subjects taken previously are not available, or
" are in years 9-10 at the time of departure from
New Zealand, and cannot obtain tuition in subjects they wish to advance to New Zealand national qualification level and no suitable subject is available at the school.
Parents/caregivers must make a written declaration that they meet the following criteria for such students to be enrolled:
" no employer subsidy towards the education of the student is provided, and
" there is no suitable local education service available, and
" declare that they intend returning to New Zealand.
Five years is the maximum total period of enrolment for any one student.
Enrolment Category Gateway Entry Criteria
Referral Child, Youth and Family Student is in the custody and/or guardianship of the Child, Youth and Family (CYF).
CYF are the referral agency and all such enrolments require the approval of a CYF manager. The CYF referral letter must:
(a) clearly state the supervision arrangements for the student's study with the School,
(b) provide an educational profile, and the name of the previous school, and
(c) set a review period for ascertaining whether a
face-to-face schooling option is available and appropriate.
Referral Corrections Student is in the custody of the Department of Corrections.
The Department of Corrections is the referral agency and enrolments will be through a Department manager.
Applications need to specify the likely duration of the enrolment and identify the supervision arrangements. Where available they should be supported by an educational profile. Students enrolled under this gateway may remain enrolled up to, and including the end of the school year in which the student turns 19 years of age.
Referral Ministry of Education Student is non-enrolled, expelled or excluded.
The Ministry of Education is the referral agency and all referrals must be signed-off by a Ministry Early Childhood and Regional Education Regional Manager (or their delegate).
The Ministry referral letter must:
(a) clearly state the supervision arrangements for the student's study with the School,
(b) provide an educational profile, and the name of the previous school, and
(c) set a review period for ascertaining whether a face-to-face schooling option is available and appropriate.
Non-enrolled
Student is under 16 years of age, and is non-enrolled and unwilling to attend school, or who local schools are unwilling to enrol.
Or
Excluded/expelled
Student is under 16 years of age and excluded from school, or is over 16 years of age and expelled.
Enrolment Category Gateway Entry Criteria
Referral Ministry of Education Special Education Psychological/psycho-social grounds
Student has assessed psychological or psycho-social needs verified by a Ministry of Education psychologist. All referrals must be signed-off by the Ministry Special Education Service Regional Manager (or their delegate).
The Ministry referral letter must:
(a) clearly state the supervision arrangements for the student's study with the School,
(b) provide an educational profile, and the name of the previous school,
(c) include a statement from a Ministry of Education psychologist indicating how the psychological or psycho-social issues are to be addressed, and
(d) set a review period for ascertaining whether a face-to-face schooling option is available and appropriate
(a) psychological grounds
The psychological grounds must reside within the individual student and be of sufficient severity to prevent or seriously impede the student from attending a reasonably convenient school.
(b) psycho-social grounds
The psychological grounds must reside within the individual student. The social grounds must reside within the student's relationships in the wider environment, including their family, whanau and school.
While neither factor on its own might be sufficient, in tandem, there will be good reason for an enrolment recommendation.
Section 4
Dual Tuition
Authority
Section 158 of the Education Act 1989 (the Act) provides that, by agreement between the boards concerned, students enrolled at one state or state integrated school may receive tuition at or from another. The board of the school at which the students are enrolled may pay the board of the school giving that tuition for that tuition.
Section 7A of the Act further provides that students of registered private schools may receive tuition from a correspondence school subject to the appropriate fee, if any, prescribed by the board with the Minister of Education's consent.
Eligibility
Schools may register Year 1-13 domestic students with The Correspondence School for supplementary government funded dual tuition where the entry criteria for one of the registration gateways set by the attached schedules are met.
This supplementary dual tuition is additional government resourcing to that provided school's through operations monies and staffing entitlements, or to registered private schools through the per student subsidy.
The supplementary dual tuition is for curriculum adaptation and for curriculum capability purposes. The curriculum adaptation categories cover circumstances where a student's home school is unable to provide the required specialist programming or curriculum adaptation. The curriculum capability categories are to enable, generally smaller schools, to provide a full and balanced curriculum.
Accountabilities
The school at which the students are enrolled retains all legislative accountabilities, including for attendance, while its students are registered for supplementary government funded dual tuition from TCS.
All supplementary government funded dual tuition arrangements are subject to a Service Level Agreement (SLA) being in place between the registering school and The Correspondence School.
The SLA defines the tuition, supervision and support responsibilities of both parties and the circumstances in which these dual tuition arrangements may be terminated by TCS.
Students for whom dual tuition is terminated by TCS because its return of work
and/or course completion requirements have not been met cannot be re-registered for the course or programme concerned that school year.
Guidelines
Unless otherwise stated:
(a) the minimum period of tuition is one school term, and
(b) all dual tuition arrangements, except those for Regional Health School students, cease automatically at the end of each school year, and
(c) the maximum number of subjects any student may take at any one time is two.
Schedules
The following schedules set out the dual tuition provisions by student year group and by school type.
Schedule Dual Tuition Provisions For
Page
1 Year 1-13 Students 4088
2 Year 1-8 Students 4090
3 Year 7-8 Students 4092
4 Year 9-13 Students 4093
5 Year 12-13 Students 4095
Definitions
These school type definitions apply to the Schedules:
Type Explanation
All All state (including state integrated) and registered private schools whose registration covers the year group in question plus government institutions.
Regional Health School The Northern, Central and Southern Regional Health Schools
Special Schools All state special schools.
The exclusion to school type eligibility is that Special Schools cannot access the Year 1-8 Special Education Needs Gateway.
K?ra Kaupapa M?ori A school established under Section 155 of the Education Act 1989
Designated special character school A school established under Section 156 of the Education Act 1989
M?ori Medium School A Section 155 school, or a Section 156 school where te reo M?ori is the principal language of instruction.
Attached Unit Any Teen Parent Unit, Activity Centre or Alternative Education programme that is the responsibility of a Board of Trustees of a state or state integrated school.
Government institutions The following Child Youth and Family contracted Care and Protection and/or Youth Justice Residences:
- Epuni Education Programme (MoE Number 4934)
- CLS Residential Youth Justice Education Programme (MoE Number 5570)
- Te Poutama Arahi Rangatahi Education (MoE Number 4930)
- Kingslea School (MoE Number 518)
- Central Regional Health School - for Palmerston North Care and Protection Unit (MoE Number 1630).
Dual Tuition Schedules
Schedule 1 11 November 2009
Year 1-13 Students
School Type Registration Entry Criteria Subject
Limit
Category Gateway
Regional Health School Curriculum adaptation High Health Needs At the request of a Regional Health School (RHS) principal, a student already enrolled with the RHS, may receive dual tuition for all, or part of their learning programme.
The RHS must support each request with an educational plan detailing the learning outcomes sought, confirming that the student has appropriate supervision and advising the reporting and review arrangements for the student's learning programme. None
Special
Schools
and Government institutions Curriculum adaptation Special Circumstances For students whose special school or government institution is unable to provide the specialist programming or curriculum adaptation appropriate to their assessed special education needs.
At the discretion of The Correspondence School CEO, supplementary dual tuition applications can be accepted where it is evident that the:
(a) dual tuition is essential to the student's learning circumstances,
(b) special school or institution does not have the capability to meet the learning needs identified, and
(c) the capability required is beyond what could reasonably be expected of the special school or institution.
Applications must be supported by the student's Section 9 Agreement, and a current IEP less than 6 months old. The IEP is to specify the required tuition duration.
All dual tuition arrangements are to be reviewed annually to confirm appropriateness and to identify the steps that the special school or institution is taking to raise its capability to meet the needs of the student concerned. 2
School Type Registration Entry Criteria Subject
Limit
Category Gateway
All Curriculum capability Emergency Staff Vacancy Where a school has an emergency staff vacancy and no suitable applicants are available.
The Correspondence School CEO may approve year 1-13 class dual tuition as an emergency measure subject to the enrolling school:
(a) confirming that it is continuing to advertise the vacancy, and
(b) organising classes so that a minimum number of students are enrolled, and
(c) providing appropriate supervision and resources, including text books, and
(d) for Year 1-8 classes confirming that Emergency Staffing Scheme assistance is not available.
Approvals may be granted for a minimum of four weeks and for a maximum of one school term. Approvals can be repeated on a term by term basis at the discretion of the Correspondence School CEO subject to the criteria above. As approved on application/
reapplication.
Schedule 2
Year 1-8 Students
School Type Registration Entry Criteria Subject
Limit
Category Gateway
All
(except special schools) Curriculum
adaptation Special Education Needs For students whose school or government institution is unable to provide the specialist programming or curriculum adaptation appropriate to their assessed special education needs.
At the discretion of the TCS CEO, dual tuition applications will be accepted where the programme developed in association with TCS contributes to:
(a) overcoming barriers to achievement as identified through the student's Individual Education Plan (IEP), and
(b) the inclusion of the student in the home school, and
(
Applications must be supported by a current IEP less than 6 months old and a statement by the school or institution on the special education assistance already provided the student.
Schools on institutions receiving this supplementary dual tuition support are expected to undertake a programme of development leading to the school/institution being able to independently provide the specialist programme or curriculum adaptation required.
Reapplications for a successive year are subject to the TCS CEO's discretion and must identify the:
(a) progress against the student's IEP from the earlier dual tuition, and the
(b) further achievement and inclusion goals sought. Up to 75 percent of learning programme
School Type Registration Entry Criteria Subject
Limit
Category Gateway
All
(except private schools)
Curriculum adaptation Gifted and Talented Students who are gifted and talented and whose home school is unable to provide the curriculum enrichment and acceleration required.
Applications must be supported by a current IEP less than 6 months old (which may be developed with TCS in anticipation of an application)
Registrations, at the request of the principal, and at the discretion of the TCS CEO will only be accepted where:
(a) PAT, TOSCA, ASTTle or equivalent assessments show that the student is exceptionally able and in the top 5 percent of their age group, and
(b) the registering school substantiates that:
- the dual tuition is essential to the student's learning programme,
- it can appropriately supervise and integrate the tuition, and
- it is undertaking a programme of development to enhance their ability to provide similar enrichment and extension programmes. 2
Schedule 3
Year 7-8 Students
School Type Registration Entry Criteria Subject Limit
Category Gateway
All
meeting the entry criteria Curriculum capability Technology This enrolment gateway is for geographically isolated schools with no access to Year 7-8 technology tuition.
The principal may apply to the Ministry of Education for approval to enrol the school's Year 7-8 students with TCS for technology tuition. 1
All
meeting the entry criteria Curriculum capability Te Reo Student requires NCEA level Te Reo
The principal of a M?ori Medium school, or the principal of a school offering level 1 M?ori immersion, may apply to the Ministry of Education to register Year 7-8 students for dual tuition in NCEA Level 1 or higher Te Reo M?ori programmes.
1
Student is transferring from a M?ori Medium School
A Year 7-8 student transferring from a M?ori Medium School, or from a school offering level 1 immersion, to a school unable to offer M?ori language tuition may receive dual tuition in Te Re Reo M?ori. This tuition may continue for Years 9-13 if Te Reo is not available through the student's Year 9-13 school. 1
Schedule 4
Year 9-13 Students
School Type Registration Entry Criteria Subject Limit
Category Gateway
All Curriculum adaptation
These three special circumstance gateways are for Year 9-13 students whose additional educational needs place them at risk of non-achievement and whose home school is unable to provide the specialist programming or curriculum adaptation required. Applications for reasons of time-table clash are excluded as are applications for domestic students on overseas cultural exchange programmes.
Remedial Teaching Student has specific learning difficulties requiring remedial teaching.
The student must be two or more years below their chronological age in a curriculum area. Clear evidence must be provided that the dual tuition programme is essential to their circumstances. Dual tuition applications are considered by the TCS CEO on an individual student basis. This gateway is not for group enrolments.
2
Reintegration Student is at risk of exclusion or expulsion, or who may otherwise qualify for full-time enrolment with TCS through the psychological/psycho-social gateway.
The dual tuition, at the discretion of the TCS CEO, is to assist the student's reintegration into a local school. The supporting documentation must show that the school, caregivers and other stakeholders (e.g. Ministry of Education) support the purpose of the supplementary dual tuition and that the school can appropriately supervise and support the dual tuition.
2
Gifted and Talented Student is gifted, exceptional, and studying an additional subject or subjects for which the home school is able to provide supervision and support.
Dual tuition is at the discretion of the TCS CEO.
PAT, TOSCA or AsTTle or equivalent results must show that the student is in the top 5 percent of their age group. An IEP must support the application along with evidence that the school can appropriately supervise and support the dual tuition. 2
School Type Registration Entry Criteria Subject Limit
Category Gateway
All Curriculum capability Subject not available School is unable to offer a Year 9-13 subject
This gateway is to enable all schools with a Year 9-13 roll of less than 600 at the time of application to offer a broader and more balanced curriculum.
Dual tuition is not available in the registering school's language/languages of instruction.
OR 4
Student is on approved cultural exchange to a N.Z. school
Student is on an approved cultural exchange in New Zealand, requires the subjects on return to the country that they are from, and the subject is not available in their N.Z. home school.
OR 2
Student has transferred from another school during that year.
Short, modular courses do not qualify and the maximum period of dual tuition is for the remainder of the school year.
OR 2
Cultural affinity
Student has a demonstrated family or cultural affinity with a particular ethnic group and requires tuition in that language. 1
Attached units
Curriculum capability Subject not available Student is attending an Activity Centre, Teen Parent Unit or Alternative Education placement.
4
Schedule 5
Year 12-13 Students
School Type Registration Entry Criteria Subject Limit
Category Gateway
All Curriculum capability Small Senior Classes School has only a small number of students studying the subject at Year 12 or 13 levels.
The maximum number of students able to be registered for tuition in any subject level is six. The TCS CEO has the discretion to vary this limit to meet the needs of rural schools with a Year 1-13 student roll, at the time of application of less than 600. 2