School Admissions and the Segregation of School Intakes in New Zealand Cities

Abstract

Although small, New Zealand is a useful comparative case for studying changing school admissions policies and their impact in urban areas. This article reviews New Zealand's admissions policies and their impact over three periods: the post-war social-democratic period, the 1990s when quasi-market policies were embraced in New Zealand; and the period since 2000 when the present Labour government reintroduced school admissions by residential zoning. The available evidence from all of these periods shows that New Zealand's urban middle classes have always sought and been successful in finding ways to educate their children in socially advantaged schools, but have done this in different ways depending on the policy of the day. The evidence from all periods also shows socially advantaged urban schools participating enthusiastically in this project.