Cohort entry information for 2025 for your information.

After gaining positive feedback from our school community, the Rangiora Borough School Board resolved to implement Cohort Entry for New Entrants to begin in 2024. This has gone very well during the first year of implementation.

Cohort entry means that a child starts school on either the first day of Week 1 in a term after they have turned 5, or the first day of Week 6 in a term after they have turned 5. There are always two intakes per term.  The dates are identified on the school calendar for each year and notified nationally to schools by the Ministry of education on the Ministry website. 

From the Ministry of Education website:
Cohort entry is about helping children to settle better in school. There is evidence that starting school alongside other children helps them build relationships and supports a smoother entry to school life.

Schools that are already using cohort entry believe it offers their children the best start to their school life. It can also mean less disruption for new entrant teachers who can prepare for groups of children arriving on a specific date rather than on an individual and ad hoc basis through the year.

This image below shows how children turning 5 become a Cohort group, and start school together:

Start dates for 2025 cohort entries will be:

Term 1
3 February
10 March

Term 2
28 April
26 May

Term 3
14 July
18 August

Term 4
6 October
10 November

What ERO states are the benefits of Cohort Entry?

In short, cohort entry helps children settle into school life and routines better.

The Education Review Office found the following benefits of Cohort Entry:

• Supports the emotional wellbeing of young children as they start school in groups, sometimes with friends from early learning. For some children, this meant they felt like they belonged at school, were less anxious, and settled quickly into school routines.

• Supports learning for new children as teachers can teach without the constant interruption of new students arriving any time during the year.

• Helps whānau connect with other whānau and the school as school visits and activities can be scheduled so parents can come together in groups.

• Helps schools to plan children’s transitions from early childhood to school, making the experience better for children and whānau.