The new charter schools will have roles which range from six to 60. Photo:
Seven charter schools are expecting to open in the coming weeks with intakes ranging from six to 60 pupils.
Among them, the Auckland French International School, which was set up by a trust created by Auckland's Alliance Francaise.
The school's spokesperson Yves-Louis Dorsemaine said the school would start with six children and 14 more were enrolled to join as the year goes on.
He said most were not French, but from families that wanted their children to learn another language.
"In the long run we expect about 40 percent Francophone families, not just from France but other French-speaking countries... and mixed families, Kiwi-Francophone, and we probably will have about 60 percent non-French speakers," he said.
Dorsemaine said the estimate was based on the experience of similar schools in other countries.
In Northland's Doubtless Bay, another language-immersion charter school Te Rito, Te Kura Taiao, was opening with 45 mokopuna.
One of the school's founders, Hailey Tobin, said one reason for setting it up was that there was no local kaupapa Māori school.
"Our other kura are based in Kaitaia so already that's at least a half-an-hour car drive but if you're on a bus it's going to take a lot longer so I think that's another reason why for whānau it has been a really good option," she said.
Tobin said the school was getting a lot of support from local hapū and families and more enrolments were scheduled for later in the year.
In Auckland, North West College was scheduled to open on 10 February and its sponsor, Sherida Penman Walters, said she was hoping to start with 45 students across Years 7-9.
She said the school provided an alternative for West Auckland families.
"The local schools are great schools, there's no issue with that. But a lot of parents are looking for a school which is a little bit smaller rather than the 3000-plus school and also where their kids could actually explore their creative arts side," she said.
The charter model gave the school freedom to carve out more time for the creative arts, Penman Walters said.
"So in the morning they have an hour of maths, an hour of English and an hour of science and technology. And then in the afternoons they can choose from a selection of creative arts that they wish to pursue," she said.
The seven charter schools included two Australian-owned schools for disengaged students - Mastery School in Christchurch, which was starting with 60 primary-aged students, and the Busy School in Auckland which expected to open with 15-30 teens.
Busy School principal Moana Va'aelua said families told her the school was filling a gap.
"I'm taking responses from families around 'yes, the school is very much needed, it's been needed for a long time, we wish we could have had our students on this pathway' and most of the children that we are speaking to are already disengaged from school. It doesn't mean they don't want to learn anymore, they're just disengaged from school," she said.
The group's general manager, education futures, Bodie Green said it had nine Queensland campuses.
He said the school tested the waters with New Zealand schools, businesses and the government before applying for a charter school.
"We would not have considered applying for a charter school in New Zealand unless it was needed, wanted, and would be of value. So after all of those conversations it was clear to us that there is a need to provide our type of education for kids who are at risk disengaged and then decided to explore the opportunity," he said.
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