The story of Ss Peter and Paul School began in High Street in 1855 (the school was established on the present site in 1929) when the ink was barely dry on the Treaty of Waitangi, when Auckland was the seat of Government, when the massive Wairarapa earthquake had drained the Basin Reserve and robbed Lambton of its Quay, and when the Hutt Valley was mostly farmland and bush.  

We have always had a strong sense of place, anchoring our school both to the centre of Lower Hutt and to the centre of a community of faith represented by the close presence of Ss Peter and Paul Church.  Education began here as a vocational mission, linking the ‘old’ Church in France with the ‘new’ Church in New Zealand through the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions, who still operate our neighbouring secondary school, Sacred Heart College.  We share the name, the precinct and the nominal boundaries of the parish of Lower Hutt.  From the beginning, worship and learning have sat side by side, testament to the Catholic belief that education and faith are not incompatible, but complementary.  

Education and faith also share the characteristic of journey: neither is ever complete; every phase is both a destination and a point of departure.  Saints Peter and Paul School is part of the journey in knowledge and belief of our pupils, and for all those who claim a stake in their Catholic education.  Our pupils and their families come from near and far:  Hinau Street, Thornycroft Avenue, Hall Crescent and Miromiro Road;  Stokes Valley, Petone and Kelson;  Featherston, Westport and Auckland;  Sri Lanka, Italy and Peru.  For the most part they graduate to intermediate and secondary schools in the Hutt Valley.  

The pupils who make up Ss Peter and Paul School reveal something of the way in which the gospel infuses every culture and ‘level’ of society.  The roll comprises predominantly New Zealand European students and significant numbers of Asian; New Zealand Maori; and Pacific Island Students.  Pupils from non-Catholic backgrounds make up 5% of the school roll, in line with the school’s integration agreement.  

Ss Peter and Paul School has high level decile ranking meaning that in the main the pupils come from relatively affluent homes.    

The School, which becomes the pupil’s second home for up to 8 years, was remodelled as four variable teaching space units in 1976.  The 'ideal' target roll for Ss Peter and Paul School, given the current property, is approximately 460.  Girls significantly exceed boys’ roll numbers due to the proprietors’ decision not to offer education to boys beyond year 6.  Facilities at Ss Peter and Paul School include a fully automated library; administration block; central courtyard with seating; two grass and two asphalt playing areas and an adventure playground.  Liturgy, school celebrations, choir, drama regularly take us into the parish church.

During their time at Saints Peter and Paul School, our pupils write their own story of achievement, guided by skilled and committed teachers, shaped by our special character and in conformance with the national education curriculum.  Saints Peter and Paul School aims to stretch every child, building on strengths and challenging weaknesses.  Classroom options include Japanese, French and Spanish at intermediate level, musical expression through violin, recorder, keyboard and choir, drama and art.  Many sports are offered, including netball, athletics and swimming.  Learning through computer technology is now an accepted part of a balanced school curriculum, as is Maori language.  The school offers talented pupils extension activities, and additional teacher assistance to those with remedial or other special needs, including those from non-English speaking backgrounds.  

Two groups of people have a significant influence over the stories of achievement written at Saints Peter and Paul.  The first are the parents and caregivers of our pupils:  their first teachers.  For the most part, our pupils come from families who are highly motivated about, and interested in, their education.  As our decile rating suggests (9), most of our pupils come from two-parent families with sufficient income to meet their needs.  There is a genuine partnership between home and school, centred on the needs and well-being of the children.   

The second group are the teachers who achieve those standards.  All of the teachers at Saints Peter and Paul School are fully qualified and registered professionals.  Many are well established identities at the school, specialising in one or other of the four teaching levels.  While there is a diversity of teaching styles and specialist skills among the staff, each teacher is competent across the full curriculum taught at each level. The teachers welcome the appropriate involvement of parents and caregivers in the teaching programme, both within and beyond the classroom.  Regular progress reports are sent home also, and parents and caregivers are encouraged to meet the teachers and discuss their children’s results.  It is due to the shared commitment of parents, caregivers and teachers to the children’s education that their stories of achievement become our story: one we can tell with pride and gratitude.