Special Needs Inclusive, Observant, Bridge the Gap, Approachable Staff
Our three children studied at St. Benedict’s for three years. It was our first school in New Zealand after shifting from India. Coming from a different cultural setting the Principal and the staff helped us feel at home with school and its way here.
Our boys completed their intermediate years at St. Benedict’s and now continue their college at St. Patrick’s. They still hold close to their heart the Year 8 camp which has helped them to be adventurous in life. The school was supportive of the special needs to adapt to the new ways and the Principal Mr. Hinds has been observant of the children’s special interests to go above and beyond to nurture them. Our daughter started in Year 2; with English being her second language she was struggling to reach the required levels. With enormous help from the teachers she was able to bridge the gap. She has thoroughly enjoyed her time at school until she had to move to St. Joseph’s.
Last but not the least, a special mention about Coralie for her always pleasant disposition, happy ways and approachable nature. As parents, we are very happy and thankful that our children had the opportunity to study at St. Benedict’s.
Incredible Difference, They Belong, Structured Lessons, Greeted, Valued and Made to Feel Important, An Amazing Experience
Over the last three years both of our children attended St Ben’s and to say that they have enjoyed their time at the school is an understatement. From the first telephone call with the office staff to start the enrollment process to the point of meeting the principal has been a great experience. The genuine affection and concern that the staff showed my children at St Ben’s truly made such an incredible difference to their education.
As a family we wanted our kids to attend a school where they can feel that they belong, and this is what St Ben’s strives for. It’s the extra quality care the school provides that makes it such a special place. Such as when you arrive to collect your kids and Mr Hinds take the time to tell you little details of your child’s day – who they played with, perhaps sharing a photo of an activity that they have done, and simply just the kind of day they have had.
Our children were treated, without exception, with kindness and respect, each of my children made to feel valued and important, greeted by their names when they walked past a staff member. There is always an open door policy between the staff, principal and parents which is great as you feel valued.
Through the staff’s guidance and structured sessions we have watched the confidence grow and important social skills develop in our children that they will need, in particular, as they progress through schooling life.
We cannot thank the staff enough for the wonderful experience they have provided for our children while attending St Ben’s, and cannot recommend St Ben’s enough to friends or anyone that wants a wonderful and caring environment for their children – go for it as your children will have such an amazing experience!
(Johan and Lidia Fourie)
Welcomed, Supported, Community, Full of Lovely Respectful Children, Staff who Truly Care, We Recommend St Benedict’s
Impressive School, Welcoming Community, Healthy Work Ethic, Well-Rounded Curriculum, Excellent Communication, Culture of Respect, Approachable Staff, High Standards
Our two girls attended St Benedict’s from year 1 through to year 8 and loved every minute of it. From the beginning we were impressed with the warm welcoming community that St Benedict’s offered, the collegiality between students of all year levels, and the exceptional quality of teaching and support. Throughout their time at St Benedict’s our girls encountered teachers who fostered strong character and a healthy work ethic based on academic challenges and a well-rounded curriculum. In addition to great teaching staff, support staff are friendly and approachable, and provide excellent communication so that parents are always kept in the loop. St Benedict’s leadership team consistently fostered a culture of respect and the promotion of high personal and academic standards.
During their time at St Benedict’s we watched our girls grow from small children into well rounded, mature and independent young women under the guidance and support of teachers, friends and the wider school community. St Benedict’s has provided our girls with a solid foundation – academically and socially – to enter college with confidence.
(Nicole Cottrell and Pawel Dmochowski)
Approachable Teachers, Regular Communication, Academically and Socially advanced, Amazing Parent Community, Caring Learning Environment
From the first day our little boy started at St Benedict’s School we were impressed. The care and attention he received from his teachers and the administration staff allowed him to settle quickly and easily into the class routine and school environment. We always found the teachers very approachable and open to questions. The regular communication meant we always knew what was happening inside Samuel’s classroom, what was coming up in the term and what was happening in the wider school community.
Our main aim for our new entrant boy was for him to enjoy going to school each day. By the end of term one, that goal was achieved! Our boy would come home with stories of his day and would wake up in the morning with enthusiasm for another school day. His classroom teacher was awesome and she is a big reason his first year has been so successful. He learnt a phenomenal amount in his first year, not just academically but also socially. He had opportunities with different sports, performed onstage and developed a lovely sense of belonging.
Beyond the classroom, I joined the HOK (Help Our Kids) committee as a way to meet other parents and help fundraise for resources. It really showed me another side to the inner-workings of the school and how amazing the parent community at St Benedict’s really is. Over the course of the year, the HOK committee organised many fundraising events and the general volume of parent contribution and volunteer time is astounding.
The sense of community at St Benedict’s is very strong, warm and welcoming. Never did a school day go by without a friendly face saying ‘Good morning’ as we walked up the hill.
I would highly recommend St Benedict’s School. It is a very special, unique and caring learning environment.
(Kimberly and Greg Dobson)
Students’ Interests at Heart, Growing Academically and Socially, Added-Extras, Inclusive, Spiritual Growth, Positive Attitudes of Children, Achieving Goals, Community
Excellent School, Made to Feel Welcome, Weekly Newsletters, Year 6 and Year 8 Camps, Independence Encouraged
St Benedict’s is an excellent school. Our three girls all enjoyed their time there very much. We were made to feel very welcome and part of the school community by all the staff and the other parents. It was really good to be included on the weekly newsletter emails before we started so we could get a feel for how things worked and knew when the second hand uniform sale was. There is a great balance between academic learning, sport and arts. The camps in years 6 and 8 are brilliant, well organised, fun and challenging for the children. Independence is encouraged. It was lovely to see the children run straight outside to play after hanging up their bags in the morning. The school day starts with morning prayers – the children sit round in a circle, taking turns to lead the class and parents are welcome to attend. The Christian values are very much evident and we love the big pencils on the driveway in the house colours with the values written on them! There is a nice distinction to being in the intermediate (years 7 and 8) with students provided with a timetable and tasks for the week and encouraged to take on a variety of leadership roles. We were all extremely sad to leave and return to Ireland. Thank you to everyone at St Ben’s.
(Natasha and Ian Robinson)
Committed Staff Who Know Their Students, Child-Centred School, Sets Students up for High Achievement at Secondary School
Our family has been associated with St Benedict’s school for over 15 years, with all of our three boys attending. I also attended St Benedict’s as a child. I have always been impressed with how committed the teaching and support staff are to the students, and how much they come to really know them, as people, with all their quirks and individual needs.
I find St Benedict’s to be a very ‘child-centred’ school, with a great mix of education focus, Christian values and fun. Skills such as how to get along with others and how to be kind and thoughtful sit alongside academic achievement. However, I have found that my kids have also done very well academically – which set them up for high achievement at secondary school.
My boys have maintained friendships from St Benedict’s well past secondary school, that I know will be lifelong. I love the sense of community, and the special Catholic character, that this wonderful school creates.
(Mick and Mary Ward)
School Support, Christian Values, Endless Opportunities, It’s Cool to Achieve
We currently have two students at St Benedict’s School in Khandallah, Wellington. Our elder son has been through St Benedict’s and now attends college. We couldn’t be happier with our choice of primary school. All our children have thrived in the St Benedict’s environment; its ‘cool to achieve’ and to give anything and everything a go. The school’s support for the children’s individual endeavours and outside achievements is humbling to say the least.
The inclusive school community rallies round when one of its own is in need, fundraises like crazy when the school needs some type of improvement and has wonderful Christian values that underpin the way the staff and students operate.
Our children are enthusiastic each morning to go to school (somewhat of a miracle for a twelve year old boy) and always come home happy. Opportunities for the children are endless and wide ranging – just what you need to express yourself in today’s busy society.
Thank you St Benedict’s – it will be a sad day in our house when our youngest leaves for college.
(Rebecca and Anthony Tuck)
Family Values, Spiritual Growth, Positive Experiences, Holistic Development
St Benedict’s is such a special school for us and our two boys. It has a very good Catholic education which stresses family values and spiritual growth. The boys will often come home telling us bible stories and the life lessons they learned from it. Their development is holistic. The school lessons and activities are well balanced and are very much enjoyed by the children. The supplementary home work blends perfectly with the learning development in school. As parents, we also get informed on what is being taught in school daily through this.
Both boys love doing art and getting involved in sports. The exposure the school is giving enables them to discover their own personal interest while enjoying the activities with their friends and classmates. This is one reason why our boys always look forward to attending classes. Adding the positive experience from their teachers. Generally, we appreciate the family feel at St Benedict’s School – from the principal, teachers, staff and the other parents that we meet.
(Francis and Mhay Faraon)
Well-led School, Sense of Community, Supportive Office-Staff, Inclusiveness
We arrived at St Benedict’s School in the last term of a school year, we found it to be a positive, welcoming and well-led school. There is a very strong sense of community, one in which we were made to feel a part of from the very first day. Not only were the staff outstanding but also both the parents and children who were constantly engaging and reaching out to both my child, and us as a family.
Communication is regular and very effective, and requests through the office staff are efficient, supportive. The Office Staff are always going above and beyond to ensure students’ and parents’ needs are met.
Our youngest child has also recently started at the school and we have been impressed with the inclusiveness, organisation and support put in place to make her first days at school extra special. Both our children are constantly learning and achieving on a daily basis, always coming home with a smile on their faces, a story to tell and a sense of pride to be part of a warm and caring school community.
We couldn’t be happier with St Benedict’s School and look forward to the opportunities and years ahead.
(Sam and Kate Twigg)
Welcoming Community, Supportive Teachers, Advanced Education, Well-Rounded Curriculum, Parish Links, Prepares Students Well for College
When we first came to New Zealand in 2010, we were anxious at how our 2 boys (then 5 and 7 years old) will cope with their new environment, especially in school. We looked for a school that will not only provide them good education, but more importantly one with a welcoming community for people from different cultures, with a nurturing environment, and can also provide a strong foundation of our Catholic faith. We asked friends, did online research through NZ education portals and, with a prayer, ended up choosing St Benedict’s.
In just a couple of months we already felt that we made the right choice. Coming from Japan and not speaking English at all, we saw how our children were supported by their teachers, school staff and school friends as they went through their adjustment. Our older son was provided a dedicated ESOL teacher and assigned a school buddy. Soon enough our boys fully adapted to the school and New Zealand culture in general.
Our boys are particularly strong in maths, P.E. and music. Through their learning and experience at St Benedict’s they found themselves in advance maths classes, confidently playing basketball and football in school and for their clubs and performing in church and events with their guitar and drums. They are altar servers in our parish.
Both our boys have now moved on to secondary school. St Benedict’s prepared them well in facing the opportunities and challenges ahead of them. Their years at St Benedict’s helped them become responsible, diligent, spiritually strong and socially-aware young men. We are immensely grateful and blessed.
(Joey and Ning Ibarra)
Engaged Students Who Are Fun!
Teaching the children at St Benedict’s School was so much fun. The kids were engaged the whole way through their lessons and got stuck in to all the activities we offered. We feel so confident that the students will know what to do if an emergency arises. They can call 111, check if someone is breathing, roll someone in to the Side Stable position and do CPR if necessary. We were really glad to deliver our ASB St John in Schools Programme to them and look forward to doing it in the future.
(Melissa Rosamond, Community Educator, ASB St John in Schools, St John New Zealand)