School experience / English / Culture · Thames, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand

Evakona Thames Parent and Child Course

A family stay combining the child’s local primary-school immersion with optional private English lessons for the parent.

Weekly starts · check availability

Current course operates February–November outside New Zealand school holidays. 2026 fees verified; exact placement dates and 2027 rates/intakes require confirmation. Japan’s July–August break can overlap NZ school term, but December–January winter break does not fit this course.

By arrangement · Feb–Nov school terms; placement dates by arrangement Sources and official information

Year-round / by arrangement Spring break Easter Golden Week Summer break Autumn break Half-term / short breaks

Overlapping holiday tags help you browse broadly. School breaks vary; check the stated year, actual dates and duration.

Official sources checked · 2026-10-04

Ages / grades: Primary school: 5–13; ages 5 and 13 require consultation
Duration: Minimum 2 weeks; 2–4-week examples published
Attendance: Parent accompanies
Language: English; beginners; Japanese support

Why it is in this guide

The parent and child have different learning settings, then share everyday life with a host family.

Who it may suit

Families able to spend at least two weeks abroad, particularly children who would benefit from local classroom experience with Japanese-language coordination.

What to weigh up

This is term-time school experience. School holidays, host availability and the child’s support needs constrain dates. The cited total is an estimate.

Operating history and evidence

A recent provider-selected parent story supports actual primary-age participation. The independent parent account located concerns a different campus, infants and a 2019 stay, so current Thames primary-course review evidence is sparse.

Read participant accounts

Operator-published account · Published / experience date: 2026-09-04

Father with two primary-school sons

Describes local school participation and family homestay, including communication with hosts despite limited English.

Selected and published by Evakona; no independent verification or exact travel dates.

Read the source

Independent account · Published / experience date: 2020-03-19

Asahi GLOBE+ parent’s first-person account

A mother describes studying at Evakona and relying on a host who also provided childcare.

2019 Whitianga stay with infants, not the current Thames primary-school course; unsuitable as a current course rating.

Read the source

Independent account · Published / experience date: 2020-04-30

Asahi GLOBE+ follow-up on homestay difficulties

The same parent describes a required host change after childcare expectations strained the arrangement.

One historical infant-family experience, updated 13 May 2020; illustrates why care boundaries need agreement, not a current failure-rate claim.

Read the source

Age, language and eligibility

International families; primary placement for ages 5–13, with ages 5 and 13 subject to consultation in the 2026 estimate. The provider explicitly discusses children arriving with little or no English. A parent accompanies the child.

What the days look like

Local school approximately 8:55 am–3 pm, around 20–30 children per class. Parents may take 5 or 10 private lessons weekly, 55 minutes each.

Parents, accommodation and transport

Parent and child can share a homestay; self-contained units or independently arranged motel/cottage stays are alternatives. The quoted two-week option includes homestay. From Tokyo, allow a long-haul journey to Auckland and onward ground travel to Thames.

Included costs and the family budget

2026 published estimate: NZ$4,994 (Approx. ¥442,000) for one parent and one primary-school child, two weeks with homestay; NZ$3,294 (Approx. ¥291,000) with no accommodation arrangement. Flights, insurance, transfers and conditional extras remain additional. An agent-hosted provider itemization reconciles exactly to NZ$4,994 (Approx. ¥442,000).

Published fee examples

Reference fee · 2026 published estimate; not a 2027 quote

NZD 4,994Approx. ¥442,000

1 parent + 1 primary child; ages 5 and 13 require consultation · 2 weeks · Lodging included

2026 family estimate with homestay

Mandatory extras / tax to confirm

Included in this amount: Parent English, materials, child school placement/registration/tuition, family support, accommodation arrangement and two-person homestay with three meals daily, per the matching itemized 2026 sheet.
Extra / to confirm: Flights, insurance, local transport and spending; airport taxi NZ$400 each way per family of up to three, plus applicable surcharges. Teacher aide and dietary supplements may add costs.

Fee source · 2026-10-04

JPY estimates use 2 October 2026 reference rates, normally rounded to ¥1,000, with whole-yen values near filter boundaries. Payment rates and fees differ. Rates and sources

Before you book

Confirm school, dates, placement conditions and any teacher-aide charge before travel. Medical/travel insurance is required. Under-10 international school pupils must live with a parent/legal guardian unless in an approved school hostel. Visitor-visa school study can be limited to one period of up to three months per calendar year; verify the family’s own visa position.

Cancellation and refunds

Evakona requires written cancellation. Before commencement: NZ$500 cancellation plus non-refundable NZ$300 registration and confirmed arrangements. For courses up to 12 weeks, withdrawal within the first five days also loses first-week tuition; later withdrawal has no cash refund, with unused tuition credited for two years. The child’s host school has its own conditions. Homestay changes require 14 days’ notice; unapproved early departure is non-refundable.

Sources and official information

Official sources checked · 2026-10-04

An editorial comparison based on official information, not first-hand reviews, rankings or a safety guarantee. Match the school calendar, language needs, independence and the adults’ plans together.

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