Eight residential special schools located throughout New Zealand support students who are hearing or vision impaired; or who have severe behaviour needs; or educational, social and emotional needs together with a slow rate of learning. This support is available when a student's local setting is not appropriate, and can be accessed through the Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE) and other service providers.

N.B. There are also 28 non-residential special schools throughout the country.

Residential special schools specialising in working with students with severe behaviour difficulties

The following co-educational schools are for students in year levels 3-8. Students accepted into these schools will have severe behaviour difficulties whose educational needs cannot be adequately met within their local schools.

• McKenzie Residential School, Christchurch.
• Waimokoia School, Auckland.
• Westbridge Residential School, Waitakere City
  Email contact: [email protected].

Residential special schools for deaf and hearing impaired students

The following schools provide educational programmes and specialist services for deaf and hearing-impaired students. They also employ Resource Teachers: Deaf to support deaf and hearing impaired students in mainstream schools. They both have residential schools, specialist early childhood education services, and resource centres.

• Kelston Deaf Education Centre, Auckland.
  The Centre supports deaf and hearing-impaired students in mainstream schools in the top half of the North Island.
• Van Asch Deaf Education Centre, Christchurch.
  The Centre supports deaf and hearing-impaired students in mainstream schools throughout the South Island and the lower half of the North Island.

Residential special school for blind and vision impaired students

• Blind and Low Vision Education Network NZ (BLENNZ)
  (Previously known as Homai National School for the Blind and Vision Impaired)
  BLENNZ provides a variety of educational options both on campus and at local mainstream schools for learners aged 5 to 21 who are blind or visually impaired. Residential placements are provided at the Homai campus as well as limited numbers of short-term booster placements for students from the Auckland area who require residential programmes to support their learning outcomes. There is an early childhood education centre on site. BLENNZ also provides assessment services for blind and low vision students throughout New Zealand.

Residential special schools specialising in working with students with educational, social and emotional needs, together with an underlying intellectual impairment

The following schools provide special education within a residential setting for students in year levels 7-10 (on enrolment) who need significantly adapted curriculum due to a slow rate of learning, and whose educational, social and emotional needs, including behaviour, cannot be met in their current environment.

• Halswell Residential College (for boys), Christchurch.
  
• Salisbury School, (for girls), Nelson.