That first Monday alarm hits hard, so here’s a simple back-to-school reset before term starts.

For New Zealand state and state-integrated schools in 2026, Term 1 starts sometime between Monday, January 26 and Monday, February 9, and finishes nationwide on Thursday, April 2.

Schools can choose their own start day within that window, so local calendars can differ by up to about a week.

On the Hibiscus Coast, the senior schools are as follows.

KingsWay School has Years 1–10 starting Thursday, January 29, then Years 11–13 on Monday, February 2.

Orewa College has new students starting Thursday, January 29, with all students attending from Friday, January 30.

Wentworth College has an Orientation Day for all new and transferring students on Tuesday, January 27, then Term 1 starts on Wednesday, January 28 for College students, and on Monday, February 2 for Primary students.

Whangaparaoa College has Meet the Teacher days from Thursday, January 29, with all Years 7–13 attending from Thursday, February 5.

If your household is trying to avoid the Monday morning scramble, treat this like a short checklist: confirm your child’s exact start day, then get uniforms sorted, stationery ready, sports sign-ups done, and bus routes checked while you still have a little breathing room.

For any specific school, check the school’s own term calendar via the Education page in the app.

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