How to enrol

Children may attend school when they have reached the age of five years. In New Zealand it is compulsory for children to attend when they are six. Enrolment may be made at any time, but it is recommended that it takes place at least 6 weeks before starting school. When enrolling a child for the first time, parents/caregivers must show a birth certificate or, for children born in another country, their passport.

As a school we have a cohort entry policy in place to guide when children start school. This was updated recently in line with the changes to the 2019 Education Act. This means that have two entry dates per term for children beginning school. The criteria for this, is as follows:

Children may start school only after they have turned five years old
Children will be able to start school on the first day of term, or at a mid-point during a term in line with dates set by the Minister of Education, once they have turned five years old.
Parents’ have the choice of waiting for the next entry point if they believe their child is not ready to start school. Once their child has enrolled at school they must attend school.
Parents who choose not to start their child until the age of six must ensure they start school on their sixth birthday.
Students’ already enrolled at another school who move to St Patrick’s School do not have to wait for the next cohort intake.

On enrolment further details and choices of starting dates will be explained further.

A summary of the school enrolment procedures are as follows:

Contact the school office to make an appointment to meet the Principal at which the enrolment process will be explained.
If after the meeting an application for enrolment is agreed the school office will email you a link to the online enrolment form. You will also be given a paper copy of extra forms that also need to be returned.
Depending on preference or non-preference enrolment:

Preference students: Parents make an appointment to meet the parish priest and take the preference enrolment form to be signed
Non-preference students: Your child’s name may need go on the waiting list for the 10% non-preference students

Complete the online enrolment form and return any paper forms required to the school office. Please note: Preference students are not enrolled without the signed preference enrolment form
Following the completion of all enrolment documentation being returned to the school office:

A letter of acceptance will be emailed to you
The school pre-school co-ordinator will make contact with you approximately a term before your child’s starting date with details about our 3 school visits
You should be able to find all information you need on the website, or if you require any additional information, contact the school office

It is our philosophy to keep the junior classes as small as possible. Within the smaller classes, children are given the opportunities to explore the joys of learning, building an appetite for their life-long journey of learning.

Integration Agreement

“The school is a Roman Catholic School community, through the general school programme and in its religious instructions and observances, it exercises the right to live and teach the values of Jesus Christ. These values are as expressed in the Scriptures and in the practices, worship and doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, as determined from time to time by the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese”

Criteria for Preference Enrolment

The child has been baptised or is being prepared for baptism in the Catholic Church.
The child’s parents/guardians have already allowed one or more of its siblings to be baptised in the Catholic faith.
At least one parent/guardian is a Catholic, and although their child has not yet been baptised, the child’s participation in the life of the school could lead to the parents having the child baptised.
With the agreement of the child’s parent/guardian, a significant familial adult, such as a grandparent, aunt or uncle who is actively involved in the child’s upbringing undertakes to support the child’s formation in the faith and practices of the Catholic Church.
One or both of a child’s non-Catholic parents/guardians is preparing to become a Catholic.

Attendance Dues

Accounts are sent from the Catholic Schools’ Board. These fees are used to pay for the upkeep of our school buildings and property and are administered from the Arch Diocese of Wellington. The Catholic Schools Board website has up to date information regarding fees and methods of payment. A local parish committee has the responsibility for monitoring payments. In cases of hardship please discuss with the parish priest or the principal.

Preschool Programme

To help children get ready for starting school at St Patrick’s, we run a pre-school programme prior to their starting date. This involves visits to school to enable them to meet adults, learn routines, build friendships and ease the transition to school. At these visits they will be given a booklet containing useful information about school routines.

Pre-school visits are organised as follows:

visits take place on a Friday afternoon from 1.45pm – 3.00pm
on a arrival at the school office you will be met by a staff member and be asked to sign in
all preschoolers are able to attend as many visits as they would like/need in the term or 10 week period prior to their starting date at school
we would like all pre-schoolers to make at least a minimum of 3 visits
during these visits parents/ caregivers will listen to a presentation as well as a Q&A session.
parents are encouraged to leave once their child is settled but can stay if needed

Any further questions can be directed to our pre-school coordinator Jane Cayless –

\janec@stpatsmstn.school.nz