Leaving school
This section provides information about choosing to leave school before the end of Year 13. If you want more information about being made to leave school, please see the stand-down, suspensions, and being kicked out of school section.
Leaving school When can I leave school for good? Can I choose to be home schooled instead?
This section provides information about choosing to leave school before the end of Year 13. If you want more information about being made to leave school, please see the stand-down, suspensions, and being kicked out of school section.
You can choose to leave school if you are 16 years old. However, before you leave school you need to think about what you will do next. For example, will you get a job, start tertiary study, do an apprenticeship, or travel?You might be able to leave school at 15 years old if you get permission from the Ministry of Education (this is called an early leaving exemption). The Ministry of Education usually only agreed to early leaving exemptions in exceptional circumstances.
Your parents or caregivers can apply to the Ministry of Education for you to be home schooled. However, you need to show the Ministry that you will be taught as well and as regularly at home as you would be at school. For more information, see the Te Kura Correspondence School website.