For one Canterbury high school there will be no end of school holiday mass shave, as student facial hair is totally allowed.
Lincoln High School principal Kathy Paterson said the decision to allow students to grow facial hair was carefully planned out, and heavily incorporated the views of students themselves.
"If you think about it, it's probably more natural than dying your hair bright blue, or pink or whatever," Ms Patterson told TVNZ1's Breakfast today.
"It's just something that some of the kids feel quite passionately about and when they watch some of their role models on TV they think it's a good idea too."
The rule change was instigated by Lincoln students in 2016, who approached school management to change the rules around facial hair.
A case from students then had to be presented to the student council, and if the school council agreed, it would be decided upon by the board of trustees.
Students, parents and staff, adding up to 1700 people, were surveyed during the board's decision making process.
The result was a no facial hair rule from term four 2017.
However, there are some strict conditions.
Facial hair can be no longer than three centimetres, and no hair on the neck.
"There's definitely no rulers out, and it's just quietly ticking along in the background," Ms Paterson said.
"I haven't seen anything that looks scruffy at all, and one of the key things we've really appreciated is the respectfulness from the students in terms of the process we've been through.
"No issues whatsoever."
Despite this, Ms Paterson said no other schools have inquired about the success of the facial hair model.
The trial no facial hair rule will end in third term this year, and a decision will be made about Lincoln school policy.
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