Primary education begins for a child when he turns five years old. School lasts all year and as soon as the child turns five he/she begins to enter the school system. New Zealand is unique in this aspect with no start dates. When a child turns five they can go to school whenever the term or the family sees fit to start. All students must be enrolled in school by age six, so the first year leaves plenty of time for families and their children. There are four terms of the school year in which a child can enroll or begin classes:1. First quarter: from the end of January to the beginning of April - two weeks break2. Terna two: from mid-April to early July - two week break3. Term three: mid-July to end of September - Two week break4. Fourth term: mid-October to mid-December: six weeks holiday. Classes generally begin around nine in the morning and end in the late afternoon (3-3 p.m.), which is about the normal school day for a child in the United States. New Zealand's national curriculum aims to achieve: “confident, connected, actively engaged, lifelong learners” (https://www.newzealandnow.govt.nz). With fundamental concepts such as: English, art, health and physical education, languages, mathematics, science, social sciences and technology. The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is what ensures students receive the highest standards of education. These are the standards that students are tested on during their primary education period and can achieve a score of one, two or three on their certificate. Schools send out report cards twice a year and teachers are always welcome to come and talk to the teacher. School discipline involves holding a student for detention or extra school work as for us in New Zealand it is completely illegal... of paper ......t with current times and consistent. This includes much of school regulation. Higher education in New Zealand includes higher education and vocational education. Technical and vocational education in New Zealand takes place within schools and external providers in years 11-13 of primary school, or by the age of around 15-18, students can begin learning and gain certificates or NCEA level 2 qualifications. These are commercial classes such as construction, agriculture, mechanics, etc. I think this is a great way to help students get more education on a high paying trade job and get a higher education. Not all students want to go to university and if they don't know about other business courses they may get stuck. This helps provide tools and certifications to students who may not want to go to college or who will need a good job to help pay for college.