St Benedict's School (Khandallah), Wellington

Key facts

About St Benedict's School (Khandallah)

St Benedict's School is a Catholic primary school in Khandallah catering for students in Years 1 to 8, covering both primary and intermediate schooling. The school was founded by the Brigidine Sisters, whose influence continues to shape its character.

The school operates under four stated values, collectively referred to as EPIC: Empathy, Perseverance, Integrity, and Creativity. These values are described as derived from the founding Brigidine order and are presented as central to the school's approach.

The school's stated motto is "Developing our Children's Minds, Growing our Children's Hearts".

Enrolment

St Benedict's School is a state-integrated Catholic school with a maximum roll of 320 students, as set by its Integration Agreement. At least 95% of places are reserved for preference students — children with a Catholic family connection — under Section 29(1) of the Private Schools Conditional Integration Act 1975. Up to 5% of the roll may be offered to non-preference students; 4 non-preference places are available for the 2026 school year. All students must be New Zealand citizens or residents.

Preference eligibility

A child qualifies as a preference student if at least one of the following applies:

• The child has been baptised, or is being prepared for baptism, in the Catholic Church.
• A sibling has already been baptised Catholic.
• At least one parent or guardian is Catholic and the child's enrolment may lead to baptism.
• A significantly involved family adult (such as a grandparent, aunt, or uncle) is Catholic and undertakes to support the child's formation in the faith.
• One or both non-Catholic parents or guardians is preparing to become Catholic.

Preference enrolment requires a signed preference certificate, signed by a Parish priest, Lay Pastoral Leader, or an agent of the Bishop.

Priority order for preference applicants

When applications exceed available places, preference students are prioritised in the following order:

• Siblings of current students
• New entrant students from families living in the Ōhāriu Parish area
• Children of staff members
• Students who have previously attended St Benedict's School and are returning

Enrolment process

Prospective families are asked to contact the school to arrange a meeting with the Principal and a guided tour. Parents and caregivers must agree, as a condition of enrolment, to support the school's special character programme and to pay Attendance Dues as determined by the Proprietor and approved by the Ministry of Education.

Curriculum

St Benedict's School follows the New Zealand Curriculum and the Religious Education Curriculum, adapted to meet the needs of its learners. All teachers are trained in the Better Start Literacy Approach by the University of Canterbury.

A partnership with Victoria University of Wellington and the Confucius Institute delivers Mandarin language lessons from Year 4 onwards. The school also offers Kapa Haka and te reo Māori. Specialist physical education and sports coaching is provided through Kelly Sports.

The school uses several named frameworks to support student wellbeing and behaviour, including the KiVa Programme, Positive Behaviour for Learning, and the Te Whare Tapu Whā wellbeing model.

From 2026, the William Pike Challenge Programme — a year-long youth development initiative — will be offered to Year 7 and 8 students, combining outdoor activities, community service, and personal passion projects.

Extracurricular options include Splat drama, guitar lessons, music, STEM, and other creative activities.