Enrolment

At Roncalli College we strive to produce mature young men and women whose lives reflect their faith and who are committed to living in the service of others.

To apply online please follow this link.

Please note our 2025 roll is full and we are not accepting any further enrolments.

Roncalli College Preference Enrolment Scheme

Roncalli College is a Roman Catholic College with a maximum roll of 520 students. It is a co-educational secondary school in the South Canterbury region.

Qualifying Parishes means one of the following Catholic Parishes as defined by the Diocese:

• Timaru
• Waimate
• Mackenzie
• Opihi

Priority of Enrolment 

All applications for Enrolment will be processed in the following order of priority:

• Priority 1 Preference students who reside in a qualifying parish; and are already enrolled (as Year 8 students) in the following contributing schools:
  •  Sacred Heart Timaru
  • St Joseph’s Timaru
  • St Joseph’s Pleasant Point
  • St Joseph’s Temuka
  • St Patrick’s Waimate
  • St Joseph’s Fairlie
• Priority 2 Preference students who reside in a qualifying parish; and are siblings of students currently enrolled at the College
• Priority 3 Preference students who reside in a qualifying parish; and are children of past students
• Priority 4 Preference students who reside in a qualifying parish; and are the children of employees of the College who are not covered in priorities 1-3
• Priority 5 Preference students who reside in a qualifying parish; and are coming from another Catholic school within New Zealand
• Priority 6 Preference students who reside in a qualifying parish; and are from state, private or non-Catholic integrated schools
• Priority 7 All other preference students who reside in a qualifying parish
• Priority 8 All preference students who reside in any Catholic parish within the Diocese other than a qualifying parish;
  1. Siblings of students currently enrolled at the College
  2. Children of past students
  3. Children of Roncalli staff or Board members
  4. Students coming from another Catholic school within New Zealand
  5. Local students
  6. And are from state, private or Non-Catholic integrated schools

Non-Preference Enrolment

Non-preference students may be enrolled only if spaces remain after all preference applicants have been enrolled.

The maximum number of non-preference places available is determined by the Roncalli College Integration Agreement (5% of the maximum roll – 520 students). This equates to a total of 26 students.

Priority among non-preference will be given in the following order:

1. Sibling of students currently enrolled at the College

2. Sibling of a past pupil

3. Children of Roncalli staff or Board members

4. Non-preference students coming from another Catholic school

5. Local students who want to participate in the special character of the school

Criteria for non-preference students attending Roncalli College:

• Students support the special character of the College and understand that their place is conditional on their full participation in the Religious Education Programme and all events that are related to the special character of the College.
• Applicants accept that they will be required to pay attendance dues as set by the Proprietor (Bishop of Christchurch). Attendance dues and not voluntary.

N.B. If there are more applicants than places available within the same priority category, they will be allocated by ballot.

Waiting List

Unsuccessful applicants can choose to be added to the waiting list. This will be kept within relevant priority categories and ranked in order. Students on a waiting list may be offered a place at a lter date if one becomes available. The waiting list will remain current until the beginning of the next enrolment intake.

Pre-enrolment

Each year applications will be sought by a date determined by the Board of Trustees and will be advertised locally to the community. Applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application as soon as possible after the closing date.

Notes

• Applicants seeking priority status on the basis of enrolment at a particular school may be required to provide proof of enrolment at that school.
• Applicant seeking priority status on the basis of a sibling relationship may be required to produce proof of that relationship.
• The Board of Trustees delegates the Principal the responsibility to administer this enrolment procedure.

Places at other year levels

The selection process described above will so apply to students who enrol at Years 10-13 either at the beginning or during the school year. Applicants on the waiting list will have first offer  of places as they become available

Preference Criteria for Integrated Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Christchurch:

1. The child has been baptised or is being prepared for baptism in the Catholic Church.

2. The child's parents/guardians have already allowed one or more of its siblings to be baptised in the Catholic faith.

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 parents having the child baptised.

4. With the agreement of the child's parent/guardian, a significant familial adult 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. One or both of a child's non-Catholic parents/guardians is preparing to become a Catholic.