New Zealand school planning
Search a New Zealand address or school name to explore available school enrolment home zones, nearby schools and mapped boundaries. Treat addresses near a zone edge with extra care.
Last reviewed: 22 August 2026
One address can match several overlapping primary, intermediate, secondary or composite school zones.
Important: A result is a mapping guide, not confirmation of enrolment eligibility. The formal written zone description takes precedence over the map; confirm directly with the school.
Choose an address to compare its location with available enrolment-scheme boundaries, or choose a school to view its profile and mapped zone area. Several zones can overlap because different school levels serve the same address.
A match means the address point appears inside the available mapped home zone. It does not assess residence evidence, special-programme criteria or any other part of an enrolment application.
The official polygon data is not survey-accurate. Streets and properties close to an edge need the current written zone description and direct confirmation from the school.
No match does not mean there are no nearby schools. Some schools have no enrolment scheme, an address can be outside all downloaded zones, and datasets or geocoding can change.
Use the same school zone checker for addresses and schools in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga, Dunedin and other New Zealand cities, towns and rural communities. Enter the full street address, including suburb and city, for the clearest match.
See available in-zone matches across primary, intermediate, secondary and composite school levels. Results can include more than one school because home zones may overlap.
Open a school profile to review its location, contact details and available zone extent. A map is a planning aid; use the school’s written enrolment-scheme description for confirmation.
In New Zealand, the official term is usually school home zone, although families may also search for a school catchment area. A state school with an enrolment scheme defines a geographic home zone to help manage its roll. Living inside that zone generally gives a student the right to enrol, but the school must still verify the family’s usual residential address and the application details.
Not every school has an enrolment scheme, and school transport eligibility uses different boundaries. If you are moving house, buying a property or preparing an application, check the current written zone description and contact the school before relying on a map result.
How NZ school zones and enrolment workUse the official school finder and contact the school before making enrolment, moving or property decisions.
No. It means the selected address appears inside the available mapped home-zone boundary. Check the current written description and confirm enrolment directly with the school.
The address may be outside the available mapped zones, a nearby school may not operate an enrolment scheme, or the address or boundary data may require updating. It does not mean there are no schools nearby.
Treat the result cautiously. The official polygons are not survey-accurate, and the written zone description takes precedence if it conflicts with the map.
Yes. Primary, intermediate, secondary and composite school home zones can overlap, so one address can return several schools.
You can generally apply, but a place is not guaranteed. Schools with available out-of-zone places must follow the applicable pre-enrolment and ballot process.
You can search available address and school records across New Zealand, including Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Tauranga and Dunedin. Coverage and mapped boundaries can change, so confirm the result with the school.
People sometimes search for a school catchment area, but New Zealand enrolment schemes use the term home zone. A home zone is the defined area whose resident students have priority for enrolment at that school.