Source: New Zealand Government
Today’s roll return data tells us what we already knew; families want schooling options that reflect the needs of their children, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour.
Data released today shows that as of July 1, 2026, there were 1,732 students enrolled in 17 charter schools.
“These numbers show that diversity and choice in New Zealand’s schooling system is important to parents,” Mr Seymour says.
“On 1 July last year we had just seven schools. One year later we’ve more than doubled that to 17 and more than six times the number of students are enrolled.
“We knew there was demand for charter schools. In some cases, demand is even higher than we expected. Some sponsors are telling us that the demand is even greater than they can physically accommodate.
“Some are moving into bigger spaces. For example, Northwest College in Auckland has had to move into a bigger building to accommodate its growth, and it continues to receive regular inquiries about enrolment. Newer schools are in huge demand too. Twin Oaks School only opened in Term 3 last year and has already had to move into a bigger space.
“Charter school rolls continue to grow, and more young New Zealanders are unlocking their potential. Students who were not attending are at school, and those who were behind are ahead. Five of the first seven schools to open in early 2025 are exceeding their targets for attendance, and five are exceeding their achievement targets.
“For example, TIPENE took initial assessment data in February 2025. It showed more than half their students were below the expected levels in mathematics, reading, and writing. By the end of the year, 81 per cent of students were achieving at or above the expected level in mathematics, 79 per cent in reading, and 80 per cent in writing.
“Charter schools show that education can be different if we let communities bring their ideas to the table.
“These schools have more flexibility in return for strictly measured results.
“The charter school equation is: the same funding as state schools, plus greater flexibility plus stricter accountability for results, equals student success.
“There are more ideas in the communities of New Zealand than there are in the Government. That’s why we open ideas to the wider community and apply strict performance standards to the best ones.
“With another two schools having just opened this term, and another two schools opening early next year, I expect to see this strong growth continue.”
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/08/13/charter-school-rolls-grow-again-by-almost-18/