A New Kind of School for a New Generation of Families
Tōtara Point School was founded for families who want more than the status quo. We are a school where academic excellence, personal formation, and Catholic values are not just aspirations – they are daily realities.
Our school exists for families who believe that success is about more than grades – that it’s about integrity, perseverance, purpose and service. We believe that the early years of education are the foundation of a whole life. With this in mind, we focus intently on forming children, aged 5 to 11, in the habits of mind and heart that will serve them for a lifetime.
We believe
education
must be
As St Josemaría Escrivá taught, everyday life, including school life, is a place where sanctity and purpose can be found. We help children discover this from their earliest years.
Children are capable of much more than they’re often given credit for. We challenge them to rise, not settle.
Habits shape the heart. We teach children to pursue truth, beauty, goodness, and virtue.
Parents are not bystanders. They are partners. Together, we raise children to become men and women of character.
As St Josemaría Escrivá taught, everyday life, including school life, is a place where sanctity and purpose can be found. We help children discover this from their earliest years.
Curriculum
Excellence in Learning
At Tōtara Point School, we offer a world-class academic programme, grounded in the Cambridge Primary Curriculum. This internationally respected programme is paired with best-practice teaching methods that emphasise clarity, depth, and mastery.
We teach children to:
- Read fluently and with deep comprehension
- Write with clarity, structure, and beauty
- Think logically and solve complex problems
- Understand and apply mathematical concepts with confidence and precision
- Explore science through curiosity, experimentation, and evidence-based thinking
Our curriculum is knowledge-rich, carefully sequenced, and unapologetically ambitious.
We enrich this core with:
- Literature: Stories that shape the imagination and deepen moral understanding
- Mathematics: A structured, conceptual approach that builds solid number sense, problem-solving skill, and confidence
- Science: Hands-on exploration of the natural world that inspires awe and sharpens critical thinking
- Music and Art: Encountering beauty through disciplined creativity
- Physical Education: Daily movement that builds strength, teamwork, and resilience
- Religious Education: A Catholic worldview integrated into every subject and aspect of school life
We set high expectations for all students. Learning is purposeful, calm, and joyful. There are no shortcuts – just the daily habits of hard work, attention to detail, and striving for excellence.
At Tōtara Point School, every subject is an opportunity to cultivate virtue, truth, and a love for learning.
Mentoring
One-on-One Mentoring for Every Child
At Tōtara Point School, each child is known by name and known in depth. Every student is paired with a dedicated personal mentor who walks closely with them throughout the year.
Mentors guide students in academic progress, personal habits, social development, and moral growth. They encourage, challenge, and coach each child – helping them grow in responsibility, purpose and virtue.
The mentor also serves as a bridge between school and home, building a relationship of trust and unity with parents. This reflects our belief, echoed by St Josemaría Escriva, that parents are their children’s primary educators and that true education happens best when families and schools walk together.