Te Kura Summer School

Te Kura accepts short-term registrations over the summer break. Te Kura Summer School is a learning programme available for eligible ākonga (students) who require a few NCEA credits to progress to further study, training or employment.

“The teachers were so supportive and dedicated to helping me reach my goals. Summer School at Te Kura was by far the best decision I ever made.” – Summer School ākonga

“It was daunting at first because I had been out of school for a long time. My teacher was amazing at keeping me on track.” – Summer School ākonga

Flier for Te Kura Summer School 2020 (English)
Flier for Te Kura Summer School 2020 (Te Reo Māori)
Flier for Te Kura Summer School 2020 (Gagana Samoa)
Banner image for Te Kura Summer School 2020

Summer School Direct Links

Dual ākonga - Register here 

Young Adult ākonga - Register here

Adult ākonga

Current Full-time or Young Adult Te Kura ākonga – Register here

Some questions and answers for ākonga (students)

When is Te Kura Summer School?

Te Kura Summer School runs from 21 December 2020 to 10 February 2021.

Applications for Summer School open on the following dates and close on 2 February 2021:

  • 10 November 2020 – Dual ākonga
  • 10 November 2020 – Young Adult ākonga
  • 23 November 2020 – Adult ākonga
  • 07 December 2020 – Current Full-time or Young Adult Te Kura ākonga

Who can register?

Summer School registration is for:

  • Dual ākonga intending to complete an NCEA level at the school they are currently attending.
  • Young adult ākonga (aged 16-19 years) intending to move on to further study, training or employment.
  • Adult ākonga (turning 20 years or over in 2021) intending to move on to further study, training or employment.

Summer School ākonga (students) must be:

  • A New Zealand citizen, permanent resident, or verified domestic student
  • Residing in New Zealand
  • Registering to complete a NCEA Certificate or Endorsement requiring up to:
    • approximately 10 credits (if registering before Monday, 18 January)
    • 6 credits (if registering from Monday, 18 January)

If you are unsure of your eligibility to register, please phone the Summer School Intake Team on 0800 65 99 88 option 6, or email summerschool@tekura.school.nz.

How much does it cost?

  • Dual ākonga (students) attending a state or state-integrated school can register for free.
  • Young adult ākonga (aged 16-19 years) who meet the eligibility criteria* can register for free.
  • Adult ākonga (turning 20 years or over in 2021) are required to pay an Administration Tuition Fee of $116 per course.
*Eligibility criteria in the Ministry of Education’s enrolment policy may be subject to change.

How can I register?

You can register online, through our website.

Applications for Summer School open on the following dates and close on 2 February 2021:

  • 10 November 2020 – Dual ākonga
  • 10 November 2020 – Young Adult ākonga
  • 23 November 2020 – Adult ākonga
  • 07 December 2020 – Current full-time Te Kura ākonga
Summer School registration queries: Contact the Summer School Intake Team on 0800 65 99 88 option 6, or email summerschool@tekura.school.nz

What subjects can I study in 2020?

  • NCEA Level 1: English, Maths, Te Reo Māori, Kaupapa Māori and Gagana Samoa
  • NCEA Level 2: Most subjects (limited standards)
  • NCEA Level 3: Most subjects (limited standards)

A complete list of Te Kura Summer School subjects and standards can be found here.

How will my course be delivered?

All study is completed online in My Te Kura, our online learning environment. With access to a device and connectivity, you can study anywhere, anytime, at your own pace.

Read more about using My Te Kura

We encourage you to set clear, achievable goals in discussion with your school before starting Te Kura Summer School, and to keep in touch with your Summer School kaiako (teacher) throughout the programme. As a general guide, allow 10 hours of study time for one credit.

What support will I receive?

For help with course content and confirming what is required for your desired standards, our qualified kaiako (teachers) are available online to support you. Their contact details will be provided to you once your registration has been processed.

For help with accessing My Te Kura and other general online learning queries, you can contact our Student and Whānau Support Team who are available Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.

  • Summer School registration queries: Contact the Summer School Intake Team on 0800 65 99 88 option 6, or email summerschool@tekura.school.nz
  • General online learning queries: Contact the Student and Whānau Support Team on 0800 65 99 88 option 2, or email hub@tekura.school.nz

Te Kura will be closed from midday on Thursday, 24 December 2020 and will reopen on Tuesday, 5 January 2021.

What are the expectations for work return?

It is your responsibility to return work regularly so you can achieve your learning goals.

10 February 2021 is the final day you can submit work to ensure your Te Kura Summer School credits count towards your 2020 school year and included on your 2020 Record of Achievement. This is especially important for students requiring University Entrance.

Please make sure you factor in time for your kaiako (teacher) to mark your work and provide feedback. Remember that you may have to resubmit work, and your marks may be moderated by a second kaiako. Please don't leave your first submission of work until 10 February, as this will not allow time for any resubmissions.

What if I don’t finish my assessments in time?

If you don't finish your assessments by the final due date, there may be other opportunities for you to achieve your learning goals:

  • If you will be returning to your school in 2021, you can discuss your learning goals with your school.
  • If you will not be returning to your school, you can choose to continue receiving support from Te Kura to achieve your learning goals. If you wish to remain with Te Kura in 2021, it is important to let us know so you are not removed from the Te Kura roll.

What happens with my results if I was enrolled at another school this year?

If you were enrolled at another secondary school in 2020, we will refer any Summer School credits you achieve to your previous school. Your previous school will need to report the results to NZQA for inclusion on your 2020 Record of Achievement. Please let your school know you have registered for Te Kura Summer School so your Principal's Nominee can look out for your results.

When will my results appear on my NZQA Record of Achievement?

If you were enrolled in another secondary school in 2020:

  • Any results awarded during Te Kura Summer School will generate an automated email alert to the Principal’s Nominee at your school. They will report your results to NZQA so they are included on your 2020 Record of Achievement.
  • If your results do not appear on your 2020 Record of Achievement after 7 working days, please follow up with your school. Your school will be closed for much of December and January, so it is important to let them know you have registered for Te Kura Summer School.

If Te Kura was your only school in 2020:

  • From January 2021, any results awarded during Te Kura Summer School will be regularly reported to NZQA so they are included on your 2020 Record of Achievement.
  • If your results do not appear on your 2020 Record of Achievement after 10 working days, please email ncea.registration@tekura.school.nz with your name, Te Kura ID and the missing standard number/s.

If you were not enrolled with a secondary school in 2020:

  • Any results awarded during Te Kura Summer School cannot be backdated to the 2020 school year. Your results will be included on your Record of Achievement update in January 2022.
  • April 2021 is the earliest your Record of Achievement can be updated, if this is required by your course provider. Our Te Kura Qualifications team will email you with instructions for updating your Record of Achievement in April 2021. 

Te Kura working in partnership with schools

We are working with the Ministry of Education to support ākonga (students) affected by disruptions due to COVID-19. The temporary expansion of Te Kura learning programmes will enable us to provide targeted teaching support to ākonga at risk of not achieving their NCEA goals this year.

Working in partnership with schools across New Zealand, Te Kura Summer School offers ākonga the opportunity to achieve up to 10 NCEA credits to go on to further study, training, or to secure a job.

Some questions and answers for schools

How can partnering with Te Kura support our school?

We have found that ākonga (students) are likely to achieve their Te Kura Summer School goals with support from their school. We work in partnership with schools to support ākonga and ensure we are meeting NZQA regulations.

If you are referring ākonga to Te Kura Summer School, please advise them on what subjects they need to register for and how many credits they need to achieve. Let them know they will need to work hard, be self-motivated and keep in touch with their Summer School kaiako (teacher).

Ākonga have a single Record of Achievement in an academic year, so credits achieved at Te Kura Summer School by the NZQA deadline (usually mid-February) are referred to their previous school of enrolment. Credits achieved at Te Kura Summer School will benefit your ākonga and your school.

How can my school help our ākonga (students) to achieve their goals through Te Kura Summer School?

There are four ways you can support your ākonga (students) to achieve their goals with Te Kura Summer School:

  • Registration: Schools can identify ākonga who might benefit from registering for Te Kura Summer School. Registrations open on 10 November 2020.
  • A space to learn: Schools can provide a venue and access to laptops and connectivity during the summer break.
  • Learning support: Schools can provide learning or pastoral support at their chosen venue during the summer break.
  • Become a Te Kura Summer School kaiako: Join our teaching team for the summer break and support ākonga throughout your region.

I would like to express my interest in joining the Te Kura Summer School teaching team. Where do I sign up?

To express your interest in joining our Te Kura Summer School teaching team, please visit our Te Kura Careers Centre.

I would like to learn more about Te Kura Summer School. How can I contact you?

To learn more about Te Kura Summer School, or to express an interest in partnering with us, please email: summerschool@tekura.school.nz