Enrolling as an International Student

All New Zealand children enrolled at a State School are entitled to a 'free education'. State schools are funded by the Government and teachers are paid by a Central Government pay service. International students do not qualify for 'free' education and are required to pay a fee. The fee set by the Westburn Board of Trustees includes:

• The cost of employing extra staff

• ESOL (English lessons for children who have English as their Second or Other Language)
• A portion of the school's operational cost
• Administration
• A Crown fee (A charge imposed by the Government for the use of a state owned facility)
• Additional charges which include the annual cost to the school for being a Signatory to the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students) and GST ( Goods and Service Tax, a Government tax amounting to 15% of the total fee)

Student Welfare

Westburn School, as a signatory to the Code of Practice has a number of obligations relating to the welfare of international students.

Important Information held by the School
Westburn School will hold current information for each international student at all times. As well as the information required on the enrolment form, copies of the passport and permits will be included. Full names and current addresses of parents must be obtained.

In-School Support and Conditions for International Students

• The liaison person to whom pastoral care issues should be addressed is Mrs Kaylene Yeoman. She or the school principal will be the first point of contact for an international student facing difficulties adapting to the new cultural environment.

• Where parents or caregivers have concerns about any aspect of an international student's schooling, they should follow the procedures in the school policy 'Dealing With Parental Concerns'.

• Where parents or caregivers have concerns that there have been breaches of the Code, advocacy procedures are outlined in Summary of the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students.

• Upon enrolment, students will be informed of the school code of rights and responsibilities. If they have concerns about an aspect of their education or treatment within the school, they should inform one of the following:

  • The classroom teacher

  • The school international student liaison person

  • The ESOL tutor

  • Their parent or caregiver

  • Their 'buddy' student

• As part of the enrolment procedures, school personnel must have contact with the parents of an international student prior to or at the time of enrolment to establish communication arrangements in the case of an emergency.

• Where first language contact for either support or counselling are required the liaison person, in consultation with the principal will organise to obtain the services of a suitable interpreter.

• If school personnel are concerned that an international student has been, or is likely to be, ill treated, harmed, abused or neglected they obliged to notify the Children's Young Person's and Families Service or the New Zealand Police, in accordance with the "Breaking the Cycle" CYFS reporting protocol.

• The Education Rules 1999 (Stand -down, Suspension, Exclusion and Expulsion) apply to all students including international students enrolled at Westburn School and those Rules must be complied with.

Circumstances in which Tuition may be Terminated

• Where a child is absent or consistently truanting from school then the signatory will terminate enrolment.

• If a child's behaviour is of an unacceptable level, then a meeting with the child, the parent(s), and the school will be arranged. If the behaviour does not improve, written notification will be given to the parent(s) warning of the danger of termination of the enrolment. If there is no further improvement, the parent(s) and the student will be notified in writing that the student must leave at the end of that term, or earlier if the school decides, and will not be eligible to return the following term. There will be no refund of fees paid if this occurs. Please refer to the school's 'Refund Conditions for International Students' Appendix A.

• An 'acceptable level of behaviour' is set out in the school's Student Management Plan.

• If an enrolment application is found to be inaccurate in any way, including false or misleading information given at the time of enrolment, the contract may be terminated at the school's discretion.

• Upon termination of enrolment, the Immigration Service will be notified as required.

Orientation for International Students
Upon enrolment but prior to starting school, international students and their parent / caregiver will be introduced to their classroom teacher, the school international student liaison person, ESOL tutors and if possible, a 'buddy' student who speaks their language. A copy of 'The Handbook for Homestay Families and International Students' will be issued.

Notification of Contact Details
Maintaining contact with international students and their families is of key importance. Please ensure that should any contact details change from those supplied to the school upon enrolment, the school is notified immediately of these changes. Contact details will include:

• New Zealand residential address

• New Zealand residential telephone number

• Email address

• Emergency contact details

• Country of origin residential address

• Country of origin telephone number

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International students enrolled at Westburn School must live with a parent or a legal guardian. The school office will ensure that at all times, current details including residential information about parents or legal guardians are held with enrolment details.

Enrolment Procedure

Children can be enrolled at a New Zealand State Primary School from their fifth birthday. Education becomes compulsory at age six. Children fourteen years and over attend Secondary School. Education remains compulsory until the age of sixteen.

To enrol at Westburn Primary School you must approach the Principal with a request for enrolment. Westburn Primary is a State School (Year 1 to 8) and our first priority is to cater for resident students between the ages of five and fourteen. A request for enrolment can be made by visiting the school or by e-mailing the school office info@westburn.school.nz

If a vacancy exists at your child's age and class level you may be offered a place.

 The details completed in the 'Offer of a Place' form are required by New Zealand Immigration for the issuing of a Student Visa and a Guardian Visa. You may like to visit the New Zealand Immigration website for more information about the Student Visa at www.immigration.govt.nz.

You will be required to complete a Student Enrolment Form that provides information about your child and your family.

PLEASE NOTE: All international students enrolled at Westburn School in must live with a parent or a legal guardian.

The definition of a legal guardian is the person with the legal right and responsibility to provide for the care of the student, including education and health, and only appointed by a New Zealand or foreign court.

The legal guardian would also be the person who would normally provide for the care of the student in the student's home country.

Further information will include particulars about your child's health and any requirements for special needs the school may have to address.

Past experience with the English language for ESOL (English as a Second or Other Language) will also be sought. On a separate form you will be asked to provide the school with information about your child's previous schooling and levels of achievement. This information will assist teachers with class placement. More comprehensive diagnostic tests are conducted once your child has settled into Westburn School and will include an assessment of proficiency in the English language.

All the information you provide for the school will remain confidential. Please refer to the school's policy on 'Collection and Storage of Personal Information' in your Information Pack.

If any of the details you provide at the time of enrolment change, it is your responsibility to notify the school of the change.

At the time of enrolment you will also be required to sign the school's 'Computer and Internet "Use" Agreement'. An explanation of this agreement is included in your Information Pack.

A copy of the school's policy on 'Dealing With Parental Concerns' is also included to outline procedure for dealing with grievances should they arise.

The school's policy for ESOL completes the information provided at the time of enrolment. Information about the curriculum and other general information about the school is available on our website at: http://westburn.ultranet.school.nz and in the information pack.

Support and Training for International Student Staff

In order that the highest level of service is available for international students enrolled at Westburn School staff working with them will be offered suitable professional development opportunities. These will be linked to their personal appraisal programmes.

An overview of the Westburn school curriculum is provided in the Curriculum Plan. The Curriculum Plan is in four sections; explaining the content of the curriculum, the delivery by the teaching staff, assessment, reporting and self review with the Board of Trustees.

The latest Education Review Office Report on Westburn School is available at www.ero.govt.nz. The Education Review Office is an independent body contracted by the Ministry of Education to evaluate and report on the performance of all schools.

Summary of the New Zealand Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students

Introduction
When students from other countries come to study in New Zealand, it is important that those students are well informed, safe, and properly cared for. New Zealand educational providers have an important responsibility for international students' welfare. This pamphlet provides an overview of the "Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students" (the Code), and provides a procedure that students can follow if they have concerns about their treatment by a New Zealand educational provider or agent of a provider.

What is the Code?
The Code is a document that provides a framework for service delivery by educational providers and their agents to international students. The Code sets out the minimum standards of advice and care that are expected of educational providers with respect to international students. The Code applies to pastoral care and provision of information only, and not to academic standards.

When does the Code apply?
The Code commenced on the 31st of March 2002 and was revised in September 2003 to include provisions for very young students. You will need to check with the Ministry of Education if your provider is a signatory to the Code.

Who does the Code apply to?
The Code applies to all education providers in New Zealand with students enrolled on international study permits. The Code is mandatory to these providers and must be signed by them.

What is an "international student"?
An "international student" is a foreign student studying in New Zealand on a student permit from the New Zealand Immigration Service.

How can I get a copy of the Code?
You can request a copy of the Code from your New Zealand educational provider. The Code is also available online from www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/international.

How do I know if an educational provider has signed the Code?
The New Zealand Ministry of Education will maintain a register of all signatories to the Code. This list will be available from www.minedu.govt.nz/goto/international. If the educational provider that you are seeking to enrol with is not a signatory to the Code, you will not be granted a permit from the New Zealand Immigration Service and you will not be able to study at that institution.

What do I do if something goes wrong?
If you have concerns about your treatment by your educational provider or by an agent of the provider, the first thing you must do is contact the principal, the international student director, or another person who has been identified to you as someone that you can approach about complaints at your institution. The Code requires all institutions to have fair and equitable internal grievance procedures for students and you need to go through these internal processes before you can take the complaint any further. If your concerns are not resolved by the internal grievance procedures, you can contact the International Education Appeal Authority (IEAA).

A summary of the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students
The Code sets standards for educational providers to ensure that:

• high professional standards are maintained

• the recruitment of international students is undertaken in an ethical and responsible manner

• information supplied to international students is comprehensive, accurate, and up-to-date

• students are provided with information prior to entering into any commitments

• contractual dealings with international students are conducted in an ethical and responsible manner

• the particular needs of international students are recognised

• international students under the age of 18 are in safe accommodation

• all providers have fair and equitable internal procedures for the resolution of international student grievances

Full details of what is covered can be found in the Code itself. The Code also establishes the IEAA and the Review Panel to receive and adjudicate on student complaints.

What will the IEAA do?
The purpose of the IEAA is to adjudicate on complaints from international students.

The IEAA will investigate complaints and determine if there has been a breach of the Code. The IEAA has the power to impose sanctions on educational providers who have committed a breach of the Code that is not a serious breach. These sanctions include an order for restitution, publication of the breach, and / or requiring that remedial action be undertaken.