St Mary's Catholic School (Hastings), Mahora

Key facts

About St Mary's Catholic School (Hastings)

St Mary's Catholic School, known in te reo Māori as Te Kura Katorika o Hato Mere, is a state-integrated Catholic primary school located in Hastings, New Zealand. The school operates under a Special Character defined by Catholic Gospel values, expressed in its motto 'Strive ever to do good'.

As a Catholic school, St Mary's is guided by the New Zealand Catholic Education Office (NZCEO) and the collective position of the Catholic Bishops of Aotearoa New Zealand. The school's board holds specific responsibilities under New Zealand legislation, including supporting equitable outcomes for Māori learners, providing te reo Māori pathways when requested, and ensuring school policies reflect the cultural diversity of Aotearoa New Zealand.

The school integrates te reo Māori, tikanga Māori, and karakia into its daily life, and describes authentic partnership with whānau Māori as a stated commitment. The NZCEO's guidance to Catholic schools — including building relationships with iwi and hapū and embedding Te Ao Māori — is reflected in the school's stated strategic direction.

Enrolment

St Mary's Catholic School Hastings is a full primary school accepting enrolments from Years 1 to 8. It operates as a state integrated Catholic school with a Special Character, and enrolment is divided into preference and non-preference categories.

Preference Enrolment

Preference enrolment is open to families who meet criteria related to Catholic faith. The Parish Priest acts as the agent for determining preference. The criteria, in order, are:

• The child has been baptised, or is being prepared for baptism, in the Catholic Church
• A sibling of the child has already been baptised in the Catholic faith
• At least one parent or guardian is Catholic and the child's participation in the school may lead to baptism
• A significant familial adult (such as a grandparent, aunt, or uncle actively involved in the child's upbringing) agrees to support the child's formation in the Catholic faith, with the parent or guardian's agreement — that adult must be practising their faith in their own parish
• One or both non-Catholic parents or guardians is preparing to become Catholic

A Diocesan Preference Certificate, signed by a Parish Priest or other authorised agent of the Bishop, is required. A separate certificate is needed for each child and for each school, and a new certificate is required if transferring to another school. The school retains the certificate.

Non-Preference Enrolment

State integrated schools may hold places for non-preference students. At St Mary's, a maximum of 20 non-preference places are available at any time. The non-preference allocation is full for 2026 and 2027, and the waiting list is closed. Non-preference students must accept the school's Special Character programme and are required to pay attendance dues set by the Proprietor.

Priority for non-preference places is given in this order:

• Siblings of non-preference students already enrolled
• Children of current staff or board members
• Siblings of former non-preference students
• Non-preference students transferring from another integrated school with the same Special Character
• Students who wish to participate in the school's Special Character programme

Families who cannot enrol immediately may request placement on a waiting list, ordered by date. The waiting list is cleared at the end of each calendar year, and families must reapply to be reinstated for the following year.

Enrolment packages are available from the school office.

Co-Curricular Activities and Sports

St Mary's Catholic School offers the following named sports and co-curricular activities:

• Cricket — available to Years 3–8; played on Saturdays at Cornwall Park Hastings and various school grounds
• Touch Rugby — available to Years 1–8; played on Tuesday afternoons at Mitre 10 Park, Frimley
• Netball — available to Years 1–8 across summer and winter terms; played at Mitre 10 Park, Frimley
• Hockey — available to Years 1–8; played at Mitre 10 Park, Frimley
• Barefoot 10's — available to Years 4–6; played on Wednesday afternoons at various school grounds; no cost
• Basketball/Miniball — available to Years 1–8; played at Hastings Stadium, Railway Road
• Flippa Ball/Water Polo — available to Years 3–8; played at HB Regional Aquatic Centre and Napier Aquatic Centre
• Volleyball — available to Years 5–8; played at Hastings Sports Centre, Railway Road
• Tennis — available to Years 5–8; held at St Mary's Catholic School, $60 for 8 weeks
• Young Vinnies — available to Years 4–8; meets Thursday lunchtimes at St Mary's School; no cost
• Kapa Haka — available to Years 1–8; meets Friday lunchtimes (Terms 2–4) at St Mary's School; no cost