It is a place where children are articulate, caring and respectful, displaying a strong sense of citizenship; a place endorsed by a safe and nurturing community. Our parents have high expectations of their children, matched by unconditional support.  At Sunnyhills we strive to unlock the potential in every child as we grow lifelong learners.

Our business first and foremost is children’s learning; preparing our young people with the skills they need for the future. The Sunnyhills’ ‘Learning for life’ philosophy fosters independence, curiosity and critical thinking.  Students are engaged, and lead their own learning pathways through inquiry based topics.  They display a ‘have a go’ attitude and are not afraid to take responsible risks. 

Opportunities, both inside and outside the classroom are plentiful and diverse.  Children’s learning is supported by high quality teaching, well resourced classrooms, a music and environmental educational specialist teachers and we have learning assistants in all of our junior classrooms. The Arts, sports and culture are valued and are an integral part of our varied programme.

Sunnyhills School provides quality education for children from New Entrant to Year 6.  Our school is a nurturing, positive environment where children learn to take responsibility for their own learning in their pursuit of 'Learning for Life'.  Sunnyhills School focuses on high quality teaching and learning.

Our results show strong academic achievement, sustained over time.  We place a great importance on our relationship with parents, working together to ensure that children achieve their potential.

The Education Act gives a guarantee of enrolment to students who live in the home zone specified in the school’s enrolment scheme.  

Use this LINK to check whether you are in our school zone

The Board needs to be sure that an in zone address is genuine, because it is required to manage the enrolment scheme for the benefit of local students.

The address given at the time of application for enrolment must be the student’s usual place of residence when the school is open for instruction. This means that if you currently live at an in zone address but move to an out of zone address before your child’s first day of attendance at the school, your child will not be entitled to enrol at Sunnyhills School.The Ministry of Education has advised that parents should also be warned of the possible consequences of deliberately attempting to gain unfair priority in enrolment by knowingly giving a false address or making an in-zone living arrangement which they intend to be only temporary eg:

• Renting accommodation in-zone on a short-term basis;

• Arranging temporary board in-zone with a relative or family friend;

• Using the in-zone address of a relative or friend as an “address of convenience”, with no intention to live there on an ongoing basis.

If the school learns that a student is no longer living at the in-zone address given at the time of application for enrolment and has reasonable grounds to believe that a temporary in-zone residence has been used for the purpose of unfairly gaining priority in enrolment at the school, then the board may review the enrolment. Unless the parents can give a satisfactory explanation within 10 days, the board may annul the enrolment. This course of action is provided for under section 110A of the Education Act 1989.

Documentation required for enrolment:

• Child's passport or Birth Certificate

• Visa Documents - if relevant.  These include Residency Permits and Student Visas, Parents' work permits etc.

• Parents' Passports if they have work permits.

• Proof of Address 1) a copy of a power account - this must be your current, permanent place of residence.  

• Proof of Address 2)We no longer accept private rental agreements.  All rental agreements must be through a Licensed Rental Company or Real Estate Agent. OR if you have recently purchased a property, then the sales and purchase agreement.

• Immunisation form - or certifcate from your local Doctor for all children enrolling.  If you do not wish to immunise, we must be advised for our records in case of a health emergency.

• 2025 Enrolment Applications, along with the child's Birth Certificate or Passport,  need to be submitted to the school office a minimum of one term prior to your child's start date.

• 2026 Enrolment Applications to be submitted to the school office by 6 October 2025.

Out of Zone Applications

• 2025 Out of Zone applications have now closed.

The following documents will give you all the information you need to enrol your child at Sunnyhills school.  

You can download our enrolment form, a map of our school zone, information for new entrant children starting in 2025 and a copy of our school enrolment scheme.  Alternatively please feel free to come in to the school office to pick up an enrolment pack that includes these documents.

We welcome both short term and long term international students.  We offer a very successful short term programme at the start of Term 3 (July/August) only.  This programme comprises of in class learning alongside New Zealand domestic students in their  usual daily lessons, 4 separate sessions per week of NZ cultural experiences for our international students, and where possible the inclusion with our specialist release programmes for music, technology and environmental studies.  

• We do not take short term international students in February.  

• There is a minimum 2 week stay for short term internationals.

For all inquiries please email us: international@sunnyhills.school.nz

Short term international applications for July/August 2025 study are open spaces are limited.  

Our Bright Sparks programme information can be found on this page.