The B4 School Check is a free health and development check for your 4-year-old. It’s the last Well Child Tamariki Ora check and helps give your child the best start at school. Remember to take your child’s My Health Book with you to the check.
If you are concerned about the growth and development of your tamariki, and they have missed their 4 to 5 year old B4 School Check, you should phone Healthline 0800 611 116 to discuss any health or development concerns, contact your family doctor or talk to a teacher at your child's kōhanga reo, daycare or kindergarten.
How does my child get a B4 School Check?
If your child has turned 4, they are due for their B4 School Check now. If you are yet to hear from your local B4 School Check provider it’s important you contact them to make a booking.
It’s a good idea for your child to have their B4 School Check soon after their 4th birthday. That leaves enough time for your child to get any help needed before they start school.
[Daniel’s dad sits outside the house and speaks to the camera.]
Dad: He is definitely a bit of character, that little one. [Shot of Daniel drawing with highlighters.] One minute he’s just drawing in the corner of his bedroom and one minute he is just dragging his brother down the hallway.
[Music plays, over a shot of Daniel pulling his little brother along.]
[Shot of Daniel's grandma and granddad.]
Grandma: I remember when Daniel was born. I really loved him. When I saw him, he looks like his granddad. [Close up on Daniel’s granddad.]
[Shot of Daniel and his siblings playing together, which cuts to Daniel's mum speaking to the camera.]
Mum: When he wants something he wants to get it straight away.
[Back to the kids playing.]
JJ: I got the coolest toys and you always want to play with them.
Daniel: These are my toys!
[Back to Daniel's dad.]
Dad: He’s that kind of person that’s really hard to deal with. [laughs]
[Daniel with his brother and sister in front of the house. They are all wearing backpacks, and Daniel’s siblings are in school uniform. Daniel runs up to try touching the camera.]
Celila: This is our brother Daniel. He’s going to school when he's 5.
[Shot of the family getting ready in the morning. Daniel puts his lunchbox in a backpack, and puts his shoes on. All the kids run outside.]
Dad: When JJ and Celila are getting ready for school in the morning he wants to go to school with them.
Daniel: I put my lunch box in my bag. I put my shoes on. Then we hop in the car and we go to school.
[When the family get in the car, Daniel hops in the driver's seat and pretends to drive.]
Dad: Hey, what are you doing there?
Daniel: I’m driving.
Dad: Yay. Hop in the back.
[Dad buckles Daniel in his car seat. Shots of the family on a drive.]
Dad: The nurse told us there was this thing called the B4 School Check and we needed to have it done before he goes to school.
[Daniel at the B4 School Check, being weighed by the nurse.]
Nurse: Can you stand on there for me? [Daniel stands on the scales.]
Nurse: Perfect. [They high-5. Then Daniel gets his height measured.]
Mum [voiceover]: They check their height and their weight and did some learning things.
[The nurse is showing Daniel some blocks.]
Nurse: What colour’s that one?
Daniel: Red.
Nurse: Yes!
Nurse: What colour’s this one?
Daniel: Blue.
[Back to the family home, with Daniel and his mum arriving back from the B4 School Check.]
Mum [voiceover]: All parents want their kids to do well, that’s why I want Daniel to get his B4 School check done.
Daniel runs to talk to his grandma and show her his sticker.]
Grandma: Hi Daniel, have you been at school?
Daniel: No.
Grandma: Have you been at the kindy?
Daniel: No.
Grandma: Where have you been?
Daniel: B4 School Check.
Grandma: Oh, good boy.
Daniel: Here’s my sticker.
Grandma: You have a nice sticker.
[The family have come inside to have lunch.]
Dad [voiceover]: I don’t think getting a B4 School Check is anything major to do, but it’s really nice to know that Daniel's all ready and good to go for school.
[Shot of the kids outside, doing thumbs-ups.]
Dad: B4 School Checks – we’re on to it!
[Logos: B4 School Check, Ministry of Health, Health Promotion Agency and NZ Government.]
Title: Give your child the best start at school
Voiceover: The B4 School Check will give your child the best start to school.
Title: Free for children aged 4
Voiceover: If your child has just turned 4 then they are due to have their B4 School Check done now.
Title: 0800 933 922
Voiceover: If you are yet to hear from us, it’s important you call this number to find your local coordinator.
Where are the checks?
Your local B4 School Check provider will let you know where your child’s check will take place. The check takes place in a variety of community, health and education settings.
What happens at the check?
You and your child will have an appointment with a nurse for about 45 minutes. The nurse will explain what happens at the check and will ask if you agree (consent) to the check.
You will be able to talk with the nurse about your child and anything that is worrying you. Before your child’s check, look at the B4 School Check pages in the My Health Book for ideas for things to talk about.
Title: B4 School Check
[Shots of a family playing at a playground by the sea.]
Voiceover: Soon it will be your child’s 4th birthday. Only a year to go before school.
Voiceover: It’s important they get the best possible start – that’s why we set up the B4 School Check. To make sure they are healthy and able to learn well.
Title: Give your child the best start at school. Free for children aged 4.
Voiceover: The B4 School Check is the last Well Child check and it’s absolutely free.
[Shots of a mum and daughter attending the B4 School Check. Mum is talking to the nurse.]
Voiceover: It’s carried out soon after every child’s 4th birthday. So if we need to follow up with anything there is plenty of time to do it before your child starts school.
[The daughter gets her height measured.]
Title: 0800 933 922
Voiceover: If your child has recently turned 4 and you haven’t heard from us, it’s important you contact us on 0800 933 922 to find your local coordinator.
[Shot of a mum and son entering the building for their check, and greeting the nurse.]
Nurse: Hello, Hi, you must be Celia [they shake hands]. Hello, what’s your name? Is your name Daniel?
Daniel: Yep.
Nurse: Come on in, come with me.
[The nurse brings them into the room for the check.]
Voiceover: The check will take about 45 minutes and we would like you to be there too because as the parent or guardian you know your child best.
[Celia fills out a questionnaire.]
Voiceover: When you arrive, there’s a questionnaire and simple consent form to fill out.
[The nurse sits on the floor with Daniel, showing him some blocks.]
Nurse: And then what colour’s this one?
Daniel: Red.
Nurse: Yes.
[Shots of the nurse checking Daniel's height and weight.]
Voiceover: Then the nurse will check your child’s health and development, teeth, height, weight, immunisations and social and emotional wellbeing.
[Shots of Daniel with the bricks, the nurse showing him a book.]
Voiceover: There are also eyesight and hearing checks – though sometimes these are done separately by hearing and vision technicians.
[Shot of Daniel drawing with crayons.]
Daniel: Look at my drawing.
Nurse: That looks great, Daniel!
[Celia gives the nurse the Well Child book to look at, and they have a chat.]
Voiceover: Remember to bring your Well Child book so the nurse can record your child’s growth and development.
Voiceover: Your child’s preschool, kindergarten, or Kōhanga Reo teacher is also asked about the observations of your child’s learning and development.
[Shots of Daniel hopping, high-fiving the nurse, and looking at the book again.]
Voiceover: Most children really enjoy taking part in the check and you will too.
[Daniel doing a wooden number puzzle.]
Nurse: That’s awesome, mum, how he’s doing that.
Voiceover: You can watch your child in action and talk with the nurse about your child and things important to you.
[The nurse gives Daniel a sticker. Then Celia and Daniel head home.]
Title: 0800 933 922
Title: health.govt.nz/b4schoolcheck
Questionnaires about your child
At (or sometimes before) the check, you will be asked to fill out questionnaires about your child’s development and wellbeing. If your child goes to a preschool, kindergarten or kōhanga reo, they will also be asked about your child’s learning and development.
The check
The nurse will:
- check your child’s height and weight
- check your child’s teeth
- ask if your child has been immunised
- ask you questions about your child’s learning and development and strengths and difficulties
- ask you questions about your child’s health and wellbeing
- provide you advice and support about your child’s health and development.
A vision and hearing technician will check your child can see and hear well. This may happen at a different time to the rest of your child’s B4 School Check.
After the check
If you or the nurse has any concerns, the nurse will discuss this with you and offer to refer you to other services that may help. The nurse can also help if your child needs any catch-up immunisations.
[Cornelius sits on the doorstep to his house and waves at the camera.]
Cornelius: Hello my names Cornelius, this is my whare, I’m 5.....and a quarters.
[Cornelius’ dad, in the kitchen.]
Dad: When he was born he had a cheeky little grin on his face – we knew he was going to be a bit of a handful.
[Cornelius at the doorstep hugging a Superman toy.]
Cornelius: This is my Superman.
[Cornelius stands with his older brother in the doorway.]
This is my brother.
[Cornelius mimes some of a haka.]
Davey Boy does, like, haka.
[Back to Cornelius' dad.]
Dad: He just loves to talk a lot, that boy.
Cornelius: Do you know I have a sister? [Cornelius hugging his sister.] I love my sister.
Sister: I love my brother.
[Shots of a touch rugby game.]
Cornelius: I play touch. My Daddy plays. My brother plays rugby and me and my sister plays rugby and my Mum and my Dad ref. And that’s it.
[Back at the house, Cornelius has his backpack on and calls up the stairs to his dad.]
Cornelius: Dad, are we going to school now?
[Cornelius gets in the driver's seat of the car, pretends to drive it.]
Cornelius: We are off to school. I drive my car.
[Cornelius' grandma in the living room.]
Grandma: Cornelius, he just loves school. You know, full stop.
[Back to Cornelius in the doorway]
Cornelius: You know you get a sticker and when you have 1 more you get a party [mimes dancing].
Cornelius: [Counting his toes] 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
[Back to Cornelius' dad.]
Dad: So when Cornelius was 4 years old the nurse got a hold of us and told us that he had to have a B4 School Check.
[Back to Cornelius, who is measuring his sister's height with a tape measure, then the Superman's height.]
Cornelius: The nurse measured me and my height and my weight. [Cornelius jumps on some scales.] I’m 74.90!
Cornelius: And looked in my eyes and my ears. [Checking his toy's and his sister's ears with a torch.] Her ears are all good.
Cornelius: We played some games. [Playing with his sister in the lounge.]
[Back to Cornelius' dad.]
Dad: B4 School Check was all about how he can count whether we knew his colours, his shapes and things like that.
[Back to Cornelius, who is counting.]
Cornelius: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20...
[Back to his dad.]
Dad: It was very important for us to know that Cornelius was up to date and was where he was meant to be at that stage before he hit school.
So we’ve had our B4 School Check done. Been there, done that.
[Back to Cornelius.]
Cornelius: Been there, done that! [Goes back inside, dragging Superman behind him.]
[Logos: B4 School Check, Ministry of Health, Health Promotion Agency and NZ Government.]
Title: Give your child the best start to school
Voiceover: The B4 School Check will give your child the best start to school.
Title: Free for children aged 4
Voiceover: If your child has just turned 4 then they are due to have their B4 School Check done now.
Title: 0800 933 922
Voiceover: If you are yet to hear from us it’s important you call this number to find your local coordinator.
Your child’s results
You can get a copy of your child’s B4 School Check results. The nurse will also record your child’s growth and development in your child’s My Health Book.
The nurse will explain what happens to the information collected about your child during the check. This includes who will have access to the information and what will be shared with your child’s doctor, preschool, kindergarten or kōhanga reo, and the school your child will be going to.
More information
Related websites
Ministry of Education
Information about how your child learns and tips on how you can support their learning and prepare them for school.
