La Découverte - Tuia Burnside Primary School
French/English Bilingual Special Programme
Supported by FRENZ
Tuia Burnside Primary School – French Special Programme
Tuia Burnside Primary School is proud to offer a unique French Special Programme, where students receive 60% of their learning in French while following the New Zealand Curriculum. This immersive bilingual environment provides students with the opportunity to develop fluency in French while engaging in a rich and well-rounded education.
The programme caters to students from Years 1 to 6, with space for up to 50 students. Currently, we have space available for four students, and when demand exceeds capacity, a ballot system is used for enrollment.
For more information on how to apply, please see the attached link.
Eligibility criteria for being part of La Découverte include:
- The child comes from a French-English bilingual background.
- One parent or caregiver is a capable French speaker and is committed to support the child's bilingual education.
- The child can express their needs, feelings and ideas in French, as appropriate to their age.
- After being accepted into La Découverte, all families are required to join FRENZ, the supporting organisation (www.frenzschool.org.nz).
Process for application:
- Complete an 'Expression of Interest' form and email it to admin@burnsideprimary.school.nz or contact the school office 03 351 9407.
- Applications will close on 31st August in the prior academic year to enrolment if a ballot is required.
- Every year, the school will publish the number of spaces that are available for the following year and will contact prospective applicants.
- If more applications are received than places available for any given year, interviews of families are organised and a points system is used for allocation of spaces. Most of the points are for the child’s French language proficiency. Siblings of students already in the program are also prioritised. Details of the point system can be found here (link to 2023 school zone information):
The programme is supported by a New Zealand NGO called ‘FRENZ’ which helps create and run French-English bilingual education units in New Zealand. The current yearly donation to FRENZ for families is $550 per year, per child. Please visit the FRENZ website [https://www.frenzschool.org.nz/] for more information.
External link