Frequently asked questions
What is an international student?
Your child will need a student visa if he/she will study in New Zealand full time and the course is for longer than three months. This type of visa is not necessary if your family arrives in New Zealand with a work visa. Not all schools in New Zealand can accept children arriving in New Zealand on a visitor visa or a student visa.
Are the programmes offered in private schools?
No. All schools offering bilingual programmes are publicly funded and therefore free to NZ citizens, permanent residents and work visa holders. Some schools ask for an administrative donation each year. However, every child participating in a bilingual programme is encouraged to make a donation to Frenz. See our page "Cost" for more information.
Is there a cafeteria/canteen at the school?
No. New Zealand schools do not have cafeterias and children need to bring their own lunch and snacks with them at school.
What are the school hours?
Every school has slightly different shcool hours but generally speaking, school starts at 9am and finishes at 3pm. You can drop off and pick up your child directly in their classroom.
What does my child need to bring to school?
Your child needs to bring his/her lunch and snack, a water bottle and a hat and sunscreen for the summer terms (Term 1 in February-April and Term 4 in October-December). Your child's teacher will let you know what other school stationeries he/she will require.
I am arriving on a work visa. What will bilingual education cost?
If you are arriving on a work visa, your child(ren) will be considered as domestic students. Therefore, schools will be free (some school ask for small administrative donations). However, to participate in a bilingual programme, your family will need to become a member of Frenz ($40/family/year) and we ask that a donation of $500/year/child be made to Frenz. Without Frenz, bilingual education would not be possible in NZ because the ministry doesn't supply schools with French learning resources. With your donations, Frenz supports all the schools offering bilingual education in NZ y buying all their French learning resources.
When do I pay my membership and donation?
Once your child(ren) have started school, the Frenz manager will contact you regarding membership fees and donations.
I don't have a child enroled in a school offereing bilingual education. Can I still be a member and borrow French books?
Yes. Anyone can become a Frenz member, which gives your family access to any of our French libraries hosted in each school offering bilingual education. Find out the libraries opening hours at contact@frenzschool.org.nz
Can you join a bilingual programme part way through the year?
It depends on the school. Birkdale North School in Auckland and Burnside Primary in Christchurch accept children through out the school year whereas Richmond Road School in Auckland has a wait list most years and it may not be possible to join part way through the year. Contact the schools directly to find out if your children can join partway through the school year.
When do enrollments start for the following school year?
Birkdale North School (Auckland North) and Burnside Primary (Christchurch): you can enrol at any time during the school year and children can start at any time.
Can we apply for a bilingual programme even if we don't live in the school zone?
Yes you can.
What level of French is required to be accepted in a bilingual programme?
The bilingual programmes are taught in French so children need to understand French in order to progress through the curriculum. Visit out page on eligibility for more details.
How do families maintain bilingualism after primary school?
What can I do to prepare my child to a bilingual programme if our child was born in NZ and hasn't got access to a bilingual education before school?
Exposure, exposure, exposure :)
Do the bilingual programmes follow the french curriculum?
No. The schools teach the New Zealand curriculum in French.
Are there parent groups to support each other?
Yes. Each school has a parent group and help each other out all the time. We become a family away from home!
Is the FRENZ donation compulsory?
Donations in their nature are not compulsory. However, everybody participating in the bilingual programme must understand that bilingual education would not be possible in NZ without donations. More and more children across NZ have this incredible opportunity to have bilingual education thanks to years of donations by visionary parents like you who donated time and money to open, grow and support bilingual units. Without donations, bilingual education would not be a reality in NZ so we thank you for supporting your children's bilingual education by donating to your association: Frenz :)
How involved are parents in kiwi schools? What is expected of parents? What sort of help do parents provide around the school?
Parents can be as involved as they can/want in Kiwi schools. You can ask to come read to children, go on school trips, etc. But in the bilingual programmes, we need extra help as teachers are being asked to do double the work: put French books away, scan and repair French books in the library, help do school promotion, etc. Visit our "Get Involved" page to find out how you can help out.
Est-ce que vos programmes sont offerts dans des écoles privées?
Non. Toutes les écoles proposant des programmes bilingues sont financées par l'État et sont donc gratuites pour les citoyens néo-zélandais, les résidents permanents et les titulaires de visa de travail. Certaines écoles demandent un don administratif chaque année. Cependant, chaque enfant participant à un programme bilingue est encouragé à faire un don à Frenz. Voir notre page "Coût" pour plus d'informations.
Qu'est-ce que mon enfant doit apporter à l'école?
J'arrive avec un visa de travail. Combien me coûtera l'éducation bilingue?
Est-ce que les dons de Frenz sont obligatoires?
Les dons dans leur nature ne sont pas obligatoires. Cependant, tous ceux qui participent au programme bilingue doivent comprendre que l'enseignement bilingue ne serait pas possible en Nouvelle-Zélande sans dons. De plus en plus d'enfants à travers la Nouvelle-Zélande ont cette incroyable opportunité d'avoir une éducation bilingue grâce aux années de dons de parents visionnaires comme vous qui ont donné du temps et de l'argent pour ouvrir, développer et soutenir des sections bilingues. Sans dons, l'éducation bilingue ne serait pas une réalité en NZ alors nous vous remercions de soutenir l'éducation bilingue de vos enfants en faisant un don à votre association: Frenz :) Consultez notre page «Coût» pour plus d'informations sur la façon dont les dons sont utilisés et pourquoi ils sont essentiels au succès de nos programmes bilingues.
Quand doit-on payer les frais d'adhésion (membership) et les dons?
Une fois que votre/vos enfant(s) auront commencé l'école, la manager de Frenz vous contactera au sujet des frais d'adhésion et des dons.
Quel niveau de français est requis pour être accepté dans un programme bilingue?
Les programmes bilingues sont enseignés en français alors les enfants doivent comprendre le français pour pouvoir progresser. Les programmes bilingues ne sont pas pour enseigner le français aux enfants. Veuillez visiter la page "à qui s'adresse l'éducation bilingue" pour plus d'information.
Est-ce que mon enfant peut commencer l'école n'importe quand pendant l'année scolaire?
Quand dois-je inscrire mon enfant?
Est-ce qu'il y a une cantine/cafétéria à l'école?
Non. Les écoles néo-zélandaises n'ont pas de cantine/cafétérias et les enfants doivent apporter leurs lunchs et collations à l'école.
Quelles sont les heures scolaires?
Je n'ai pas d'enfant inscrit dans une école offrant une éducation bilingue. Puis-je toujours être membre et emprunter des livres en français?
Est-ce que je peux inscrire mon enfant dans une école même si nous n'habitons pas dans la zone scolaire?
Oui, cela est possible.
Comment les familles maintiennent-elles le bilinguisme de leurs enfants après l'école primaire?
Est-ce que les parents peuvent s'impliquer dans les écoles Kiwi? Qu'attend-on des parents? Quel genre d'aide les parents peuvent-ils apporter à l'école?
Que puis-je faire pour préparer mon enfant à un programme bilingue si notre enfant est né en Nouvelle-Zélande et n'a pas eu accès à une éducation bilingue avant l'école?
Est-ce que les programmes bilingues suivent le programme français?
Non, les écoles enseignent le curriculum néo-zélandais.
Est-ce qu'il y a de l'entre-aide entre parents?
Oui, chaque école a un groupe de parents et les familles s'entraide tout le temps. Nous devenons votre famille en Nouvelle-Zélande!
Qu'est-ce qu'un étudiant international?