St Patrick's School (Invercargill), Georgetown

Key facts

About St Patrick's School (Invercargill)

St Patrick's School is a state integrated Roman Catholic primary school located in South Invercargill, catering for students from Year 0 to Year 6 with a maximum roll of 300 pupils. The school was opened on 12 March 1944 by the Dominican Sisters and continues to identify with the Dominican mission.

As a state integrated school, St Patrick's holds a Special Character established by the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Dunedin. This character shapes the school's general programme, religious instruction, and observances, with the school community expected to live and teach the values of Jesus Christ. The school motto is "Child of the light", and its vision — To nurture the whole child in a Catholic environment / He tautoko te tamaiti i te ao Katorika — reflects this faith-based orientation. The school was originally staffed by the Sisters of the Dominican Order and is today staffed entirely by lay teachers.

St Patrick's places emphasis on cultural diversity. Te Reo Māori is taught in all classes every Monday and integrated across the curriculum throughout the week. The school participates in Te Pōhā Mātauraka o Murihiku, a rūnaka-led programme led by Waihōpai, Awarua, and Ōraka Aparima Rūnaka that supports schools in Murihiku to embed localised mātauraka Māori. Students can also join a Kapa Haka Roopu and a Pasifika group, the latter led by school community members.

The school operates a parent and community association called Friends of St Pat's (FSP), which organises fundraising, social events, and community-building activities, and meets each term.

Enrolment

St Patrick's School is a Catholic integrated school. Enrolment begins by contacting the school office to arrange an appointment with the Principal. A school information book covering day-to-day operations is provided at the enrolment visit.

The school applies a preference order for enrolment based on Catholic faith criteria. In descending priority, preference is given to:

• Children baptised in the Catholic Church, or being prepared for baptism
• Children whose siblings have already been baptised Catholic
• Children of at least one Catholic parent or guardian, where the school placement may lead to the child's baptism
• Children whose non-Catholic parents or guardians have arranged for a Catholic grandparent or other significant adult (such as an aunt, uncle, or godparent) to support the child's formation in the faith
• Children of one or both non-Catholic parents or guardians who are preparing to become Catholic

Under the school's Integration Agreement, up to 5% of enrolments may be children who do not meet any of the above preference criteria, under an open enrolment category.

An attendance due of $520.00 per child per year is charged by the Dunedin Diocese on behalf of the Bishop to contribute to the ownership costs of Catholic school buildings and land. This payment is a legal obligation, not a voluntary donation, and is administered by the Diocese rather than the school. Automatic payment bank forms are provided upon enrolment.

Co-curricular Activities and Sport

St Patrick's School offers the following named sporting activities for Year 0–6 students, with coaching support provided by Sport Southland:

• Swimming
• Netball
• Cricket
• Touch
• Football
• Basketball
• Athletics
• Cross-Country running

The Junior and Middle Syndicates also deliver the Perceptual Motor Programme (PMP), which focuses on fine and gross motor skills, coordination, concentration, eye tracking, and memory skills.