St Anne's School has served the St Anne's Parish community for over 100 years.

During that time the diversity of the ethnic mix has changed considerably but still has a strong Catholic migrant component. St Anne's School prides itself on recognising and supporting all of the different ethnicities that contribute to this vibrant community. We place a strong emphasis on the preservation of first language and the celebration of the different cultures and heritage.

History of our Parish

Land was purchased between Green and Daniell Streets and a new school was opened in 1893.

In 1897 a small Chapel was opened in Newtown but within months this was inadequate. It was decided to build a new school and enlarge the existing school to use solely as a church.

Fr Ainsworth SM was appointed as the first Parish Priest of the new Wellington South parish of St Anne’s in 1902. The parish included Island Bay, Kilbirnie, Miramar and Seatoun which would later become separate parishes.

Polish Chaplains began saying Mass in Newtown in the 1950’s. From about 1974 the Polish community began having Mass at St Joachim’s which was built in 1966.

The Catholic Samoan Community formally began in Wellington in 1955. Initially a monthly Mass in Samoan was held at St Joseph’s. In 1968 they moved their base to Newtown.

The Cook Island Community at St Anne’s began celebrating Mass together in the 1970’s.

In the late 1970’s a Vietnamese Chaplain was appointed to serve the people in Newtown and for a time a weekly Mass was celebrated at St Joseph’s in Mount Victoria, where he was based. Later, in the 1980’s a monthly Mass in the Vietnamese language was celebrated at St Anne’s.

The new church was opened in December 1975.

The new school was opened in September 1984