Enrolment Policy

The daily life of the college will be permeated with the values of Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Catholic Church. Special links will be maintained with the Marist Brothers as the College Founders and their special charism reinforced in the College.

Purpose

The Integration Agreement gives preference of enrolment to young men whose parents have established a particular or general religious connection with the Special Character of the school. (Scroll down for information on obtaining a Preference Card).

The school is a Roman Catholic School in which the whole community, through the general school programme and in its Religious instructions and observances, exercises the right to live and teach the values of Jesus Christ.

St John’s College has a maximum roll of 925 as determined by the Integration Agreement 1980.

Priority in Enrolment

Places will be offered first to preference students in Catholic Schools.

Where there are more applicants than places available, an order of priority for preference students will be established, based on some or all of the following criteria:

  • siblings currently or previously enrolled
  • past pupil connection i.e. parent or grandparent
  • students who can demonstrate an established connection with the Diocese
  • sons of current staff or members of board of trustee

Where places are available, enrolment of non-preference students will be considered in September.

The following criteria will be considered for non-preference students where places are available.

  • siblings currently or previously enrolled
  • past pupil connection i.e. parent or grandparent
  • students who can demonstrate an established connection with the Diocese
  • sons of current staff or of board of trustee members
  • students currently attending a Catholic School.

Furthermore the Principal will endeavour to establish that the family:

  • has a wish for a Special Character education for their son
  • will support the school in matters relating to Special Character
  • will make every endeavour to pay Attendance Dues
  • has great desire and acknowledges the benefits of having their son attend Saint John’s College rather than another school.

The selection for enrolment of non-preference students will be determined by Senior Management.

Notes
  • Enrolment will not be reliant on the ability to pay fees.
  • Participation in the general school programme that gives the school its Special Character is a condition of enrolment.

Information to assist parents/caregivers seeking Preference enrolment

A Parish Priest must decide on preference before the school’s Principal may consider enrolling a student. Parents should contact their local parish to arrange an appointment.

The criteria the Parish Priest may select from to determine preference are:

  • 5.1 The child has been baptised or is being prepared for baptism in the Catholic Church.
  • 5.2 The child’s parent/guardians have already allowed one or more of the child's siblings to be baptised in the Catholic faith.
  • 5.3 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 parent having the child baptised.
  • 5.4 With the agreement of the child’s parent/guardian, a significant familial adult in the child’s life, 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.
  • 5.5 One or both of a child’s non-Catholic parents/guardians is preparing to become a Catholic.

Read full details here: NZCEO Guidelines for Granting Preference of Enrolment . To learn more about supporting your child to become a member of the Catholic Church, refer to the information at the Cathedral.

  • In seeking preference of enrolment at a Catholic School you need to make a commitment to actively support your child in his faith formation and the practices of the Catholic Church.
  • The Diocesan Preference Certificate needs to be signed by a Parish Priest or other authorised agent of the Bishop. It is normal practice to make an appointment with the Priest.
  • A new Preference Certificate is required for each child in the family.
  • Preference Certificates are school specific. The name of the school the family intends to make an application for enrolment to, must be specified on the Certificate. If you intend to apply for enrolment at a number of different Catholic schools you should have the required number of Preference Certificates and ask the Priest to sign these during the one interview.
  • A new Preference Certificate is required for transfer to another school, eg primary to secondary school. In some exceptional circumstances the preference status of your child could change.
  • The school keeps the Preference Certificate – not the family.
  • If you are applying for preference of enrolment under criteria 5.2 which reads "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," it is important to recognise that one parent/guardian being Catholic is not sufficient in itself to guarantee that preference will be granted. The second part of the sentence has equal weight with the first.
  • If you are applying for preference of enrolment under criteria 5.4 the significant adult in the child's life, who is undertaking to support your child's formation in the faith and practices of the Catholic Church, needs to accompany you to the meeting with the Priest when seeking preference of enrolment.
  • It is the responsibility of the significant adult to provide some evidence to show they are an active member of the Catholic Church, if not personally known to the person granting preference of enrolment.
  • Priests and Bishop's Agents grant preference and they are the only people who may do so. Schools then decide which students they will accept for enrolment.
  • Attendance at a Catholic school by a non-preference student is not a ground for preference of enrolment at another Catholic school.