Enrolment Statement for Te Rā School

All parents/caregivers of children attending kindergarten and/or school commit to:

  • Respect and uphold key aspects of Waldorf special character education, our pedagogy and curriculum
  • Respect and uphold a healthy community life through respectful and purposeful communication via the school’s communication pathways
  • Pro-actively support the educational process at home and at school, with support and guidance from the teachers
  • Regularly attend class whānau hui to be informed about and accompany their child’s educational journey and learn more about our special character.

Our proprietor’s trust (Kāpiti Waldorf Trust) relies on parent donations to support Te Rā School in delivering Waldorf education according to its Special Character. Prior to setting the budget for the following year, the Trust asks parents on an annual basis to indicate the level of their donation for the following year.

Special Character Preference

State-integrated schools select preference students based on the connection to the special character of the school. 

A student shall be given preference of enrolment when the proprietors deem that the student’s parents, caregivers or legal guardians have demonstrated a connection with Waldorf Education, as per the Special Character of the school. This is determined during the enrolment process by a delegate of the school’s proprietor’s trust. The grounds for preference are the specific or general connection the family has to the aims, values and principles of Waldorf education.

Special Character Non-Preference

Te Rā School has a maximum number of 3 places for non-preference enrolment for students on the school roll. The applicants accept that they will be attending a school of special character and that their place in the school is conditional on their child/children’s participation in the programme.

Enrolments Waiting List

At the end of each calendar year, our waiting lists will be cleared. We ask that parents contact our enrolment officer to confirm that they wish to retain places on the waiting list early in the new school year. Priority criteria for both pathways apply:

  1. Siblings of children already enrolled at kindergarten or school.
  2. Children or grandchildren of permanent staff at Te Rāwhiti kindergarten and Te Rā School, members of the Board of Trustees or the Kapiti Waldorf Trust.
  3. For kindergarten enrolments only: children who have been attending one of our Te Rāwhiti playgroups on a regular basis with their parent/caregiver.
  4. Children of former students of Te Rā School.
  5. Transfers from other Waldorf kindergartens/schools (New Zealand or international).
  6. All other applications for enrolment.

Children in our kindergarten must be enrolled in school from their 6th birthday. Prior to their child’s 6th birthday, parents/caregivers are contacted to arrange a time for a Special Character interview. This is a requirement prior to being accepted on the school roll. When the proprietor’s trust confirms that school enrolment can proceed, 6-year-old children remain in kindergarten for the rest of the year, and the school reserves spaces for them in Class 1 of the following year.