Whether your family is new to Twizel or you are well established in our amazing community, we warmly welcome you to Twizel Area School.

We know starting a new school can seem daunting. We have a lot of experience in helping students make a smooth transition and integrate well with their new class and teacher.

First days

We feel lucky to have a school culture where our students naturally welcome new classmates and take care of them in their first few weeks. Kotahitanga (Inclusion and Unity) is a concept we often talk about, and everyone understands how to practise inclusion and celebrate diversity. In our experience, new students tend to make friends quickly and settle easily into their new learning environment. Click the menu on the left side of this page to learn more about our kawa (protocol) regarding the first few days at Twizel Area School.

New entrants

If your child is joining as a new entrant student, they will enjoy the support of an older buddy student until they are fully settled into their new routine. We hold orientation meetings for new entrant parents twice a year, call us to confirm the dates for this year.

Additional Support

If you feel your child needs to 'catch up' with their class academically, this is usually not a problem for their teacher to accommodate. We will always stay in close communication about your child's progress. We have a dedicated SENCo (Special Education Co-ordinator), Specialist Teacher and thriving ESOL (English as a Second Language) programme.

Arrange a tour

If you would like to find out more about our school and whether we would be a good fit for your child, you can arrange a personal tour with our Principal, Kate Staniford, who would be more than happy to show you around and answer any questions you may have. Just give us a call to arrange.

Enrol your child

If you have made the decision to enrol your child at our school, welcome on board! You can read more about the process by clicking the menu on the left-hand side of this page at either New Entrant (age 5-6) or age 6+ level, then fill out our enrolment form online, or call into the school to collect a hard copy.