Cohort Entry – Beginning Term 1 2027

1. Vision & Purpose – Cohort Entry Consultation

The consultation was guided by the school’s core philosophy: “Poipoia te kakano kia puawai” (Nurture the seed, and it will blossom).

At East Taieri School, we are committed to improving the learning journey for every child. Currently, our continuous entry model (starting on or near a 5th birthday) is being shifted by our community needs, with many families already opting to start at the beginning of terms.

We investigated Cohort Entry as a way to provide a more structured, supportive milestone for our new learners. Cohort entry means New Entrants start school in groups at the start of each term or at a mid-term date set by the Ministry of Education, rather than on the day or week of their fifth birthday.

With over 80% of the community in support and less than 10% in opposition, the East Taieri School Board of Trustees had an exceptionally strong mandate to move forward with this change, and has moved to do so.

We will now notify the Ministry of Education of our policy change that we wish to adopt and give one term’s notice before starting.

Cohort entry will be in effect as of Term 1 2027.

2. Consultation Reach & Demographics

We engaged with the following groups to ensure Cohort Entry would be acceptable to our school community:

  • Parents of current and prospective students
  • Local Early Childhood Centres
  • East Taieri School Staff

The high participation from prospective parents (31.5%) and staff (16.3%) ensures the data reflects both current operational needs and future community expectations.

3. Key Consultation Data

A. Preferred Entry System

When presented with the choice of entry systems, the community showed a decisive preference for a structured group-start model.

  • Cohort Entry: 71.7%
  • Continuous Entry: 15.2%
  • No Preference/Unsure: 13.1%

B. Direct Support for the Proposal

The survey asked specifically if the community supported the Board considering the introduction of cohort entry. The result was a majority in favour:

  • Yes: 81.5%
  • No: 9.8%
  • Unsure: 8.7%

4. Strategic Analysis

  • Alignment with Evidence: The community preference aligns with ERO research cited in the consultation, which indicates that starting in cohorts helps children feel a stronger sense of belonging, reduces anxiety, and builds friendships faster. It also has a positive impact on connecting new parents with each other.
  • Operational Impact: For educators, this model allows for planned, uninterrupted learning experiences, which reflects the staff’s support of this.

Start dates and visits:

East Taieri School will have eight entry points each year for new students, the start of each term and a midpoint set by the Ministry of Education.

After turning 5, children start in the cohort that follows their birthday. Students must be 5 before starting school. Families can choose a later cohort if it is more convenient or better suits their child.

Children will have 5 Explorer sessions and 2 formal school visits prior to starting school.

Visits at the end of Term 4 for tamariki starting in cohort 1 the following year will be slightly different in timing due to end-of-year school events. These children will be able to attend Explorers for up to 7 weeks in Term 4.

All information regarding visits will be communicated to whānau by Natalie King, the Team Leader for the Junior Team and Michelle Day (Transition to School Office Administrator).

If your child needs extra visits or a modified transition process, this can easily be arranged, following communication with Natalie King.

2027 Cohort dates

Term 1

  • Start of Term Cohort: TBC in consultation with schools on the Taieri
  • Mid-Term Cohort: 8 March 2027

Term 2

  • Start of Term Cohort: 27 April 2027
  • Mid-Term Cohort: 31 May 2027

Term 3

  • Start of Term Cohort: 19 July 2027
  • Mid-Term Cohort: 23 August 2027

Term 4

  • Start of Term Cohort: 11 October 2027
  • Mid-Term Cohort: 15 November 2027

If you have any further questions or you wish to gather more information, please contact Garth Powell (Principal) or Natalie King (Junior Dean/Transition to School Coordinator).