University of Auckland researchers say smoking should be banned from the entrances to schools and early childhood centres.
They've called for teacher training to include ways of discouraging children from taking up smoking.
The recommendations come from the university's Centre for Tobacco Control Research, which will publish the results of its survey of teachers on Friday.
The centre's director, Marewa Glover, says one of the goals of banning smoking from schools in 2004 was that children wouldn't see their role models smoking.
Secondary Principals Association president Patrick Walsh supports the recommendations, but says it would be difficult to enforce a ban beyond school grounds.