UPDATED: Mount Maunganui's St Thomas More Catholic School was one of 13 schools around the country to receive bomb threats today.

Police say the calls, which began at about 11.20am and stopped at midday, were similar to those received by 27 schools a fortnight ago on February 24 and 25.

St Thomas More Catholic School in Mount Maunganui was one of 13 schools across New Zealand to receive bomb threats today. Photos: Tracy Hardy

Officers attended all of the schools targeted today and worked with management teams to decide on the appropriate response.

'A number of schools made the decision to evacuate as per their standard emergency procedures, but most have resumed normal operation after being cleared by police.

'Until police can rule out any actual threat, we take all such calls seriously and respond accordingly. The safety of students, teachers and schools is our priority.”

Like the threats made on February 24 and 25, today's calls involved the use of a synthesised voice and occured at a similar time and day of the week.

At least three of the schools targeted today have previously received calls.

Police are now undertaking a number of lines of inquiries to establish the exact origin of the phone calls. Similar incidents have also occurred overseas in United States, and more recently Australia.

"[We' are continuing to work with the Ministry of Education and individual schools to gather information and ensure the safety of staff and students.”

Police say they will not be disclosing the schools' names due to their ongoing investigation and in the interest of preventing further calls being made to other schools.

EARLIER:

A bomb threat has been called in to St Thomas More Catholic School in Mount Maunganui.

A concerned parent who contacted SunLive says she received a text message from the school within the last hour saying St Thomas More had received a phone call about a possible bomb threat.

"The text message said everyone was safe and the police were there,” she says.

'The text also said no-one is to come and collect their child and they'll update us shortly. But I'm just really worried and waiting to get a phone call so I can grab my kids.”

The concerned parent believes St Thomas More's students and staff must still be inside the schools' buildings as she could not see anyone assembled outside.

Police have confirmed they are dealing with a number of incidents where schools have received calls which are of concern.

"Police staff are currently liaising with each school and are working with the leadership teams to determine the individual response at each school.

"The priority for police and the schools is to ensure the safety of students and staff," says a statement from police.

"Police have well established procedures for dealing with such incidents and we are currently working through those procedures with each of the schools at the moment."

EARLIER:

Reports are coming in of a heavy police presence around St Thomas Moore Catholic School in Mount Maunganui this morning.

A caller to SunLive's 0800 number says they saw several officers in and around the school grounds shortly after 11.50am.

A Bay of Plenty Police spokesperson says they were unable to comment at this time.

SunLive will update this story once more information is available.

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