RELA is pleased to be able to offer a Family English Package. This is for those parents who would like to come and study some English with us while their child studies at a local primary school, pre-school or at RELA.

We have had a number of families coming to study with us in the past. Some come for just 2 or 3 weeks while others stay for up to a year. These families have come from Japan, New Caledonia, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Tahiti and Brazil.

Familes can choose to stay in one of our homestays, at a local motel with self-catering kitchen facilities or rent a house for the time they are here.

Below is a sample of some of the families we have welcomed in the past.

Brugger Reist Family from Switzerland studied in 2010 and 2011
Manuela decided to bring her boys, Kim and Timo, to New Zealand as part of a round the world holiday. While in New Zealand she decided that the boys should undertake an English course to help them improve their English ability. Before coming to New Zealand Timo had never done any formal English learning and he was placed in our low Elementary class. Kim had already had some English tuition in Switzerland and placed in our Intermediate class. Manuela also wanted to improve her own English which was already very good.
The three enrolled for a 3 week English with Activities programme and then 5 weeks of part-time English. However within the first week the boys were so happy that they decided to change to a full-time English course. After this course, the plan was for their father to join them and they would travel around the rest of New Zealand before continuing on their world tour. However, Kim decided that he would much prefer to continue his English studies with us so he switched to a student visa and undertook a further 2 months of intensive full-time English.
While Manuela, Timo and Kim were all here they rented a fully-furnished house. When his parents and brother left, Kim joined a New Zealand homestay family.

Kenji, Valeria, Joh and Rena from Japan Studied during 2010 Kenji is Japanese and his wife, Valeria, was born and raised in Brazil. They brought their two children, Joh who was 9 and 6 year old Rena , with them to Rotorua to learn English and experience a New Zealand childhood. Joh and Rena  studied at a local primary school for two terms while Kenji and Valeria worked on improving their English. They stayed together in a motel for the 4 months that they were in Rotorua.

Yuko and Hina from Japan Studied during 2009 and 2010 Yuko came and studied at RELA for almost one year, while Hina went to Kawaha Point Primary School. Yuko studied both full time and part time while Hina was at school. During her stay in Rotorua Yuko has taken both her IELTS and TOEIC tests. They have both travelled and enjoyed many good holidays around New Zealand, as well as making lots of new friends. Click here to read what Yuko has to say about life in Rotorua.

Saori and Keita from Japan Studied 2010 While Keita went to Kawaha Point Primary School, Saori studied part time at RELA. She liked studying English Language in the mornings, however she enjoyed the freedom of having afternoons to herself, to relax, run errands and finish her homework. Keita made many new friends at his primary school, and they both had a lovely time while studying in Rotorua.

Mello Family from Brazil
January 2009

While in New Zealand on holiday, the Mello family decided to study English at RELA.

Arthur, Claudia and their children Thais, Bruno and Sofia, spent six weeks studying at the school doing a combination of English with activities and full time English.

Claudia Mello's comment:
We were very happy especially because our children were very happy to study English and all teachers were patient with them. We chose to study at RELA because this is the school that found a course for children and parents.
This is a great idea!

Bruno and Sofia Mello studying in the RELA Juniors class while their parents and sister study in the RELA General English classes.

Extra Information

The New Zealand Government has introduced rules to help keep international students safe while they study in our country. These rules mean that some students who enrol on our Family programme may need to get a student visa before coming to New Zealand.

• Any students studying for longer than 3 months must have a student visa.
  
  
• The students will only be able to enrol at a school which is a signatory to the Code of Practice. Most of the primary schools in Rotorua are signatories.
  
  
• Any student who is aged 10 and under must be accompanied by a mother or father. They cannot be here on their own or with a grandparent, aunt or uncle. The parent needs to come on a Guardian Visa. This also means that they need to apply for a visa in their home country, and have it issued before arriving in New Zealand. The parent can study on a Guardian Visa but only between the hours of 9.30am and 2.00pm. However, we are happy to have them start in class as soon as the child is settled in their own class.
  
  
• From our experience having young students aged 5 and 6 in primary school does not work. It is too traumatic for them and they do not cope at all well. They are much better at a daycare.
  
  
• Daycares do not have the same restrictions with visas. A student can come and study on a visitor visa and the mother can also study on a visitor visa at RELA. However, the daycare would need a month's notice. There would also be a limit to the number of students they could have.
  
  

• If the course is for less than three months, the students can study at RELA on a visitor visa. The parents can also study on a visitor visa. There will be no need to apply for visas in advance. We could accept bookings at short notice. However, the students may be taught on a one-to-one basis, or be in a very small class with other students from the same country.
  

Please take a look at our Family and Tour Leader Policy