"We provide a Catholic Education for the whole child."

Through its curriculum, celebrations, cultivation of the aesthetics and Religious Education Programme, the school attempts to give witness to the essential wholeness of the human experience - social, moral, physical, spiritual and intellectual development.

St. Mary's School was founded by the Sisters of the Mission in 1912. It was originally opened in the old Convent (cited by the Miro tree on the field) and in 1914 the present wooden block was opened.

Integration into the state system occurred in 1982 and in 1989 the first lay Principal was appointed. The school still has close contact with the Sisters who live in the Convent behind the school.

In 1993 the new administration block and library were completed, and in 1997 and 2000, new classrooms were built.

St Mary's supports the mission of the Immaculate Conception Parish. Ellerslie and St Bernadette's, Mt Wellington, by offering quality education within the context of Catholic values and traditions. As such, there are genuine efforts to establish a true community of faith and learning - one which recognises the uniqueness and dignity of the individual and operates on the gospel values of respect and care for one another.

Our aim is the pursuit of excellence in education with allowances for each individual's personal abilities. We aim to provide an enriched environment within which the aquisition and development of basic skills and learning processes is integrated into the total learning experience.