Why sport outside school should not be called 'school sport'
Every young person in New Zealand deserves equal opportunity to play the sports they choose, at the level they choose, alongside their peers — without barriers based on how they are educated.
What changes at secondary age
From Year 9 onwards, most regions offer no club teams or competitions for secondary-age students. Sport shifts from clubs into schools, and control moves from regional sports bodies to school-led organisations, which sanction most competitions as “school sport”, even when they happen outside school grounds and hours.
At primary and adult levels, sport is inclusive and run through clubs. At secondary level, students are excluded or treated unfairly — not because of ability or interest, but because school-led bodies choose who gets to play.
Why this is unfair
Home educated students are domestic students regulated by section 38 of the Education and Training Act 2020 and overseen by the Ministry of Education. Their legal education pathway should not determine whether they can compete in sport that happens outside the school gate.
What HESSA is doing
HESSA is advocating for system change in secondary-age student sport so that all domestic students can compete. We are raising awareness with regional and national sporting organisations, supporting members through existing eligibility and inclusion processes, and calling for a competitive pathway that includes home educated students.
If you want to help, join HESSA or get in touch.