In the 1970s, a large number of non-English speaking people came to live in New Zealand. Many of them were from Southeast Asia or the Pacific Islands.

Some immigrants needed help learning English for daily life. Many women with young children could not attend classes, so volunteer tutors gave them lessons at home.

ESOL home tutoring started independently in different towns and cities. In 1992, the National Association of ESOL Home Tutor Schemes (Inc.) was formed. In 2009, the organisation was renamed as English Language Partners New Zealand.

In 2012, English Language Partners celebrated 20 years as a national organisation.
At a Special General Meeting in September 2014, English Language Partners voted to amalgamate into one legal entity (from 23 distinct legal entities). This amalgamation enables the organisation to achieve increased efficiency and ensures that a consistently high level of service continues to be delivered to learners throughout the country.