St Patrick’s College in Kilbirnie, Wellington, was evacuated on Wednesday morning after a bomb threat was made via email.
Rector Neal Swindells said the threat was made about 9.30am.
After contacting the police Swindells made the decision to send staff and students home.
Police remained at the school for much of Wednesday, working with the school’s management team, and investigating the threat.
As far as Swindells knew, the school had not received such a threat in the recent past.
He was not sure if any other schools in Wellington had been threatened in the same way on Wednesday.
It was obviously unsettling for staff and students, but the school had to make the decision to disrupt everyone’s day to make sure they were safe.
The threat follows similar incidents in February which closed a number of schools around the country.
At the time, police said the “robotic sounding” phone calls could be linked to an international hoax which had hit the US and other countries.
Evans Bay Intermediate School, neighbouring St Patrick’s, was also evacuated, and students moved to nearby Rongotai College.
College principal Kevin Carter said his school was happy to help out. “They were very close to St Pat’s, and they wanted to evacuate the area.”
Carter said the intermediate students watched a movie in the hall for about an hour and a half, then headed back to their own school shortly before 2pm.