Regular attendance at school is a requirement of the Education Act 1989. 

If your child is absent, please telephone the school office to notify the class teacher and please also send a note of explanation on their return to school. 

If you need to collect your child early for any reason, please call the school office before 10am on the day, to inform us and to seek permission from the principal to release your child.  Unexpected collection of children causes disruption to teaching and learning.

If your child is late, they must report to the school office on arrival, before going to their classroom.

Full school assemblies are held fortnightly on Fridays at 2.15pm in the school hall. 

At these assemblies, classes are rostered to lead the school in liturgies, students receive certificates in recognition of achievements and at times guests address all students. 

The assembly time is advertised in the school newsletter and on our school App. Parents are most welcome to attend these assemblies.

Statements are sent out once a term and comprise of the following:

Fees for 2024 :

Attendance Dues - $129 per term, per student - compulsory

Special Character Contribution - $15.00 per term, per student - tax deductible

Total per term - $144 per child

These contributions can sometimes fluctuate, but parents will be informed if this happens. School contributions will be displayed on the statements that are sent home. If parents have difficulty in paying these, you are encouraged to speak with the school's Finance Officer about payment options, or alternatively, make an appointment to speak with our principal or parish priest.

It is extremely important that parents can be contacted in an emergency. 

Please ensure that the school always has up-to-date home and emergency telephone numbers.

Also please share your physical address and email address with us if these change, so that we can update our records.

We do not have a dental clinic on site. For annual dental check-ups, for emergency treatment or change of appointment times, please contact the local Dental Clinic, 46 Beach Road, Papakura - Telephone: (09) 299 8112.

Students require permission to leave the school grounds.  Please contact the school office before 10am if you need to collect your child during the school day.

An adult must sign children out at reception when a student is taken out of school during school hours. 

Should a student return on the same day, the adult must also sign the student back in.

Parents are asked to name all children's clothing. 

In the event that items of school uniform have gone missing, parents and students are encouraged to look in the lost property box located at the student entrance to the office.

Please ensure that the school has up to date medical history and vaccination records for your child. 

If you are unsure, please contact the school office to confirm that we have up to date details.

If you would like to discuss any aspects of your child's education outside of the school's formal reporting times, please make an appointment in the first instance with your child's classroom teacher to discuss these. 

For wider school issues, parents are welcome to contact the assistant principals, deputy principal (SENCo), or the principal.

The school welcomes parent involvement in many areas of the school's life. 

Opportunities for involvement include being a member of the Board of Trustees, PTFA (Parent, Teacher and Friends Association), on road patrol rosters, transporting and helping at specific school events such as productions and sporting events, and making classroom resources or supporting a teacher with activities inside the classroom. We value every contribution to the life of our school - large or small.

Two formal reports and a Goal Setting Sheet are sent home during the year:

A Goal Setting Sheet is shared with parents during Term 1 at Goal SettingConferences.

A Progress Report is provided at the end of Term 2 and an Achievement Report at the end of Term 4.

Outside these times, parents are welcome to make an appointment with their child's teacher to discuss their progress.

Students are encouraged to arrive at school between 8.15 a.m. and 8.40 a.m. with our first session commencing at 8.55 a.m for morning prayers. This is a crucial time for all children and staff and we encourage you to have your child/ren in class in time for prayers.

School Day timetable is as follows :

8.40am - First bell - classrooms open - children may go to class and prepare for the school day

8.55am - Class prayers and roll call; session 1 begins

10.40am - Morning Tea (Play)

10.55am - 11.10am - Morning Tea (eating)

11.10am - 12.45pm - Session 2

12.45pm - Lunch (playtime)

1.10pm - 1.25pm - Lunch (eating)

1.25pm - class meditation

1.30pm - Roll call and session 3 begins

2.55pm - Afternoon prayers - classes dismissed

St Mary's has a clear nutrition policy.

Children may drink only water while at school. We have a Nutfree policy and parents are asked to avoid nuts and all traces of nuts in lunch boxes. Sweets and lollies are discouraged, except for special occasions or treat days.

After School care is provided in our school hall by Navigators (Gateway Community Trust) from 2.55pm to 6pm from Monday to Friday. 

Parent may enrol children as follows :

Pick up an enrolment form in the school office or call 09 298 1807 or email reception@navigators.community for more information

Morning care is also available.

Uniforms are available for purchase from the SAS Sport Shop located at 28B Wood Street, Papakura. The shop hours are :

Monday & Tuesday 8:30 am–5 pm

Wednesday Closed

Thursday 8:30 am–5 pm

Friday 8:30 am–1 pm

Saturday & Sunday Closed

Shop Telephone: 296 6063 - or visit: www.theuniformshoppe.co.nz 

WINZ Quotes are available through SAS Spm1s. 

Please ensure all uniform items are clearly named.

Stationery may be purchased online through OfficeMax. Stationery lists are provided with the end of year school reports for each new year. Stationery lists are also posted on our school website for your convenience. Some replacement stationery items are available for purchase through the school office.

Our Public Health Nurse visits the school on request to monitor our students' health.

Nits/Lice - Are occasionally a problem at any school. A standard letter is sent home to all parents of a class where head lice are detected, outlining appropriate treatment.
Sick Bay - To provide a place for the treatment of minor injuries occurring at school. Parents will be notified when their children are unwell and asked to collect them from school. Parents are always contacted if children have been seriously hurt. The care and well-being of the students at St Mary's Catholic School is always a priority.
Immunisation - Parents are asked to produce an Immunisation Certificate, which is located in your child's Plunket Book or may be requested from your GP.
Medication - Parents whose children require any medication to be taken during the school day are asked to inform reception and to sign a consent form. The reception staff will share information with the classroom teacher. All medical supplies will be kept in a secure place in the school office.
Healthy Food - Children have more chance of making the most of learning opportunities if they eat a healthy balanced diet. For this reason, we discourage sweets, fizzy drinks and highly coloured and flavoured snack foods at school.

Peanut Allergy - Many children are now presenting with various allergies and parents are asked to keep the school informed of any such changes. Peanuts present a health and safety risk to many children. St Mary's Catholic School is a Nutfree school and we require peanut-free foods and snacks on site. We appeal to all parents and staff to make every effort to avoid bringing items to school which contain any traces of peanuts.