Enrolment

Preference Certificates are issued by your local Parish. The Parishes that serve Aquinas College are the Parish of St Thomas Aquinas, located in Elizabeth Street, and the Parish of All Saints by the Sea, located in Mount Maunganui. Please contact one of these to organise your preference certificate.

Enrolment preference is given to students or families with an established Catholic connection. To establish this, families must obtain a Preference of Enrolment Certificate from their Parish Priest. A student qualifies for preference enrolment if they meet one of the following criteria:

• The child has been baptised or is being prepared for baptism in the Catholic Church.
• The child’s parents/guardians have already baptised one or more children in the Catholic faith.
• At least one parent/guardian is a Catholic, and although their child has not yet been baptised, their involvement in the school may lead to baptism.
• With the agreement of the child’s parent/guardian, a significant Catholic family member (e.g. grandparent, aunt, or uncle) who lives nearby and is actively involved in the child’s upbringing undertakes to support the child’s formation in the faith and practices of the Catholic Church.
• One or both of a child’s non-Catholic parents/guardians are preparing to become a Catholic.

Aquinas College welcomes non-preference (non-Catholic) families to apply for enrolment. However, as a Catholic school, preference applications are given priority.

The number of non-preference places available each year is limited and depends on the number of preference applications received. Due to high demand, non-preference enrolment is highly competitive.

Attendance Dues are a mandatory fee set by the Catholic Integrated Schools Office of the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton to fund the maintenance and improvement of school buildings. 

The 2026 Aquinas College Attendance Dues for Year 7 or 8 students are $536 per student, and $1,072 per student for Years 9 to 13. Attendance Dues are invoiced by and payable to the Catholic Integrated Schools Office. For more information, please visit our School Fees page.

In addition, the Aquinas Board requests a voluntary contribution from families to support the resources and facilities that enhance every student’s education. This Aquinas College Contribution is $1,200 for one student, with a maximum contribution per family of $3,000.

The Aquinas Board has set the 2026 Aquinas Contribution at $1,200 per annum per student. Most families generously contribute, recognising the benefits for all students. The contribution is tax-deductible, and a 5% discount is available if paid by March 31.

The Aquinas College Contribution consists of:

1. $1,000 – Education Enrichment Contribution
2. $200 – Building Fund Contribution (collected on behalf of the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton)

Education Enrichment Contribution

This contribution funds vital services we offer students. As a low-equity index school, our government funding per student is lower than that of schools with higher equity indices, resulting in a funding shortfall for Aquinas. We need your support.

Your contribution helps pay for:

Financial support for students in need, ensuring access to school trips, sports teams, and uniforms. Assistance for Aquinas families facing hardship.

• Additional teaching staff beyond Ministry-approved levels
• Increased teacher aide funding
• Specialised literacy and numeracy support programmes
• Student well-being services and counselling. Unlike most schools, Aquinas has two counsellors, a staffing commitment well above our government funding
• Student well-being services and counselling. Unlike most schools, Aquinas has two counsellors, a staffing commitment well above our government funding

Building Fund Contribution

The fund, collected on behalf of the Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, helps maintain and improve our school’s facilities. It supports projects such as:

• Construction of the new Joy (Arts) Block
• Redevelopment of the Family (Technology) Block
• Refurbishment of the Administration Block

Since our land and buildings are owned by the Catholic Diocese, government funding for building development is lower than that provided to state schools. For generations, Aquinas families have supported the Building Fund, ensuring quality facilities for future students. By choosing Aquinas College, we encourage you to continue this tradition of support.

Our Middle School programme is designed to provide a connected and supportive learning journey that nurtures the whole child. Students are supported in developing confidence, self-regulation, and strong learning foundations, while being challenged to grow academically, socially, and spiritually.

Students in Year 7 & 8 learn within a homeroom structure, have specialist teachers in areas such as the Arts, Technology and Languages, and can access enrichment opportunities including the GATE programme and EPro8. The St Thomas Aquinas Middle School Award also recognises holistic achievement across academics,
culture, service, sport and personal growth. Further information about our Middle School programme is available on our curriculum page.

As a Catholic special character school, Religious Education is a compulsory subject for all students from Year 7 to 13. Our core curriculum is based on the eight learning areas of the New Zealand Curriculum: English, The Arts, Health and Physical Education, Languages (French and Te Reo Māori), Mathematics and Statistics,
Science, Social Sciences, and Technology.

As they progress through the year levels, students are offered a range of subject options and pathways. Further information about curriculum structure and course offerings is available on our curriculum page.

At Aquinas College, Religious Education is more than just a subject — it is at the heart of everything we do. As a Catholic Special Character school, faith is woven throughout school life, relationships and learning.

Students from Years 7–13 participate in Religious Education classes, prayer, liturgies, retreats, Masses and celebrations throughout the Church year. Senior students can also take part in our Intentional Discipleship Pathway (IDP) programme — the first school-based youth ministry programme of its kind in New Zealand —
where students grow in faith through leadership, retreats and peer ministry opportunities.

Aquinas College values and celebrates the language, culture and identity of our Māori and Pasifika students. Throughout the year, students have opportunities to participate in Pasifika language weeks, cultural celebrations, kapa haka, speech competitions, Mass celebrations and community events. Information about our Māori and Pasifika programme is available here.

Aquinas College has a dedicated Learning Support team that works alongside students, families and whānau to support a wide range of learning needs.

Using a strengths-based approach, the team develops individual learning plans, supports access to Special Assessment Conditions, and helps students engage in meaningful learning and community opportunities. Further information is available on our Learning Support page.

Aquinas College is non-zoned, which means free school bus transport is provided to most suburbs in the city. Most buses are for Aquinas students only, although a few are shared with Bethlehem College. Please visit our bus webpage for routes and information.

Uniforms can be purchased at NZ Uniforms in Elizabeth Street, Tauranga. Information on uniform items is available here.

We also have a secondhand uniform shop. This is open on Wednesday lunchtimes and holds sales at the beginning of the school year.

We are a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) college. Our approach combines digital devices with traditional written learning. Technology supports student learning and engagement while maintaining the importance of student-teacher and student-peer interaction. Information on device requirements is available on our Digital Devices webpage.

Aquinas College has one of the highest sporting participation rates amongst secondary schools in the Bay of Plenty. More than 70% of our students are involved in sports, and our range crosses more than 20 sporting codes. To find out about our sporting opportunities, please visit our Sports webpage.

Aquinas College has a vibrant Arts programme that offers students opportunities in the visual arts, performing arts and cultural activities. Students are encouraged to participate, create and perform through school events,
concerts, productions, and local, regional and national competitions, while developing creativity, confidence and collaboration skills.

We encourage you to follow our Instagram and Facebook pages for regular updates and information on life at Aquinas. Once you are enrolled, we use the SchoolBridge App to communicate key information, register absences, make payments and more.