St Brigids School (Johnsonville), Wellington

Key facts

About St Brigids School (Johnsonville)

St Brigid's School is a state-integrated Catholic full primary school located at 9–11 Phillip St, Johnsonville, Wellington, catering to students in Years 1–8 with a maximum roll of 330. It serves families in Wellington's northern suburbs and has a close association with the St Francis of Assisi Parish.

The school was established in 1929 and has maintained a connection with the Brigidine Sisters since its founding. The school crest draws on the cross symbol of the Brigidine Sisters and incorporates a flame, a traditional symbol associated with St Brigid.

The school describes itself as multicultural. Its four core values are:

• Love – Aroha
• Courage – Māia
• Faith – Whakapono
• Inclusiveness – Kotahitanga

The school's vision is expressed as "Learning together with strength of character and gentleness of heart." Its Catholic character is described as central to the school's approach, alongside a curriculum that includes music, cultural, leadership, and sporting activities. The current principal is Jennifer Ioannou.

Enrolment

St Brigid's is a state-integrated Catholic primary school. It draws students mainly from the Newlands, Woodridge, Paparangi, Johnsonville, and Churton Park areas. The school operates a preference and non-preference enrolment system, administered in conjunction with the St Francis of Assisi Parish Ohariu.

Preference enrolment

Preference places are available to students who meet at least one of the following criteria, as determined by the St Francis of Assisi Parish Ohariu Priest or an authorised representative:

• The child has been baptised or is being prepared for baptism in the Catholic Church.
• One or more siblings have already been baptised in the Catholic faith.
• At least one parent or guardian is Catholic, and the child's participation may lead to baptism.
• 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 Catholic faith, with parental agreement.
• One or both non-Catholic parents or guardians is preparing to become Catholic.

To apply for a preference place, families must contact the Parish Office at office@stfrancisohariu.nz to arrange for a Preference Certificate to be signed by a Proprietor's Representative, then provide a copy to the school.

Non-preference enrolment

The school has a maximum of 32 non-preference places. As of 2026, that cap has been reached and no further non-preference enrolments are being accepted for that year. Non-preference students must accept that the school has a special character and that their place is conditional on participation in the school's programme.

Application steps

The enrolment process requires families to obtain and complete an enrolment form, then return it with supporting documents: a birth certificate for children born in New Zealand, or a passport for children born overseas. New Entrant enrolments are approved by the Principal during the year before the child turns five. Families who are offered a place must sign and return a confirmation slip to secure it.

Cohort entry

New entrants start school in small groups on set dates across the year. Children must have turned five before their start date. For 2026, entry dates fall across all four terms:

• Term 1: 30 January and 9 March
• Term 2: 20 April and 2 June
• Term 3: 20 July and 24 August
• Term 4: 12 October and 16 November

A New Entrant pack is prepared approximately two months before the child's fifth birthday. School visits are typically held on the two Wednesdays before the relevant cohort entry date.

Curriculum

St Brigid's School follows Te Mātaiaho | The New Zealand Curriculum alongside Tā Tātou Whakapono | Our Faith Curriculum, which incorporates Catholic Character and Religious Education.

The school identifies the following as integral curriculum areas:

• Literacy and numeracy
• Science
• Digital Technology
• Tikanga and Te Reo Māori
• Arts
• Languages

The school also describes a Local Curriculum approach that draws on the local environment and community. Play-Based Learning (Tākaro te Ako) is named as a feature of the curriculum, alongside student-led activities such as passion projects, market days, and science fairs.