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Dear Parents and Caregivers
Kia ora koutou.
Although this has been a short week, it has certainly been a busy one! The first couple of days were focused on our senior leavers, 16 from Year 12 and 204 from Year 13. It is always a pleasure to honour these young people as they finish their classes and leave school routines behind to begin the next chapter of their lives.
Leavers’ Chapel
Our StAC tradition is to invite parents to join with us and the leavers at a special chapel service, which was held on Tuesday evening. Rev. Paul Morrow addressed the congregation with a thoughtful and insightful message about “liminal spaces,” introducing a metaphor of the “bridge” between school and beyond. Music items and a slide show of special moments created a reflective time for smiles and happy memories.
Leavers’ Chapel Flickr >
“Thirteen Years On”
The chapel service was followed by our annual recognition of “13 Years On” students at a reception in Strowan House. Sixteen students who have known each other since starting school as five-year-olds, gathered with their parents to celebrate this time together.
Thirteen Years On Flickr >
Leavers’ Assembly
The following morning began with a breakfast, provided by our amazing catering team, for all the leavers before their Leavers’ Assembly, which was attended by parents and all of Year 12. This assembly celebrates time spent together as a year group, with some special awards and recognition of those who have recently achieved scholarships to university. Teaching staff leaving at the end of this year were also acknowledged, the Year 13 Music class performed a great musical item Don’t You Worry About a Thing, Year 13 students Chantelle Xiong and Xanthe Pearce sang For Good, and year group reflections were shared by Deputy Head Prefects, Carter Rhodes and Holly Maraki. The assembly concluded with a morning tea for parents, and the much-anticipated water fight for the leavers.
Leavers’ Assembly Flickr >
Year 11 Convocation
This afternoon, Year 11 students had a small ceremony to recognise the completion of their time in the Middle School. When they return next year, it will be as seniors graduating into the Senior College.
Teacher Success – Rebecca Ball, Writing
I was delighted to share the breaking news with those present at assembly on Wednesday, that Head of English, Rebecca Ball, has been announced as the winner of the Sunday Star-Times Short Story competition. This is an outstanding recognition for one of our own teachers who works alongside our Writer in Residence, Kerrin Davidson, to promote writing at the College. Whakamihi, Rebecca! Rebecca’s story will be published in the Sunday Star-Times this weekend.
Middle School Production
The other highlight this week has been the performance of Once Upon a Mattress. Last evening, I thoroughly enjoyed the show which was high energy and showcased a talented cast displaying wonderful teamwork. I laughed out loud, smiled at the big song and dance numbers, and felt really proud of all those involved. It is good to see that musical theatre is alive and well at St Andrew’s with these Year 9 and 10 students coming through the ranks. Congratulations also to the production team (headed by Director Ginnie Thorner and Musical Director Duncan Ferguson), to the wonderful student orchestra, mostly comprised of students in Years 7–10, and the contribution for the backstage and technical crew is to be commended.
NCEA examinations start next week
I extend best wishes to all those sitting NCEA externals and Scholarships over the next few weeks. Our teachers have prepared students well, and it is now up to them to get the results they desire to set them up for the next stage of their learning.
Ngā mihi nui
Christine Leighton
Rector
Effective revision, quality sleep, and balanced nutrition are essential for supporting brain health and academic success. In this blog post, Head of Well-being, Kerry Larby shares practical strategies to help students study efficiently and prioritise their well-being as they prepare for external and end-of-year examinations.
Read the full Well-being Blog >The leavers of 2024 had their final chapel service on Tuesday evening, featuring four beautiful musical items from Staccoro, performing True Colours, Senior Barbershop performing Where is Love, Soloist Jenna Howell (Year 13) singing The King, and Jack Flanagan and Chantelle Xiong (both Year 13) singing the final item, Easy on Me.
Rev. Paul Morrow acknowledged Rector Christine Leighton’s incredible commitment to chapels, her support of chaplaincy and her leadership that guided the conversations and discussions around the design and build of the Centennial Chapel during her tenure. Retiring Music Teacher, Bryan Botting, was also honoured for his wonderful service to chapel, organising the music, and playing at most chapel services since he started at the College in 1996. Rev. Morrow’s message to the leavers was titled ‘The Bridge to Cross Life’s Liminal Spaces.’ The leavers were encouraged to embrace the experiences, challenges, and growth that come with crossing new bridges in life. While leavers might have some hesitation about the liminal space they are about to enter, they need to remember it is a time of transformation, where they will discover their strengths, passions, and potential.
FLICKR >
Over Labour Weekend, the jazz bands took part in the Christchurch Big Band Jazz Festival, performing at Riverside Market on the Friday afternoon and at The Church Pub on Saturday afternoon. This festival is always a great way to finish a year of public performances for the jazz bands, as they are always playing very well at this stage of the year and can enjoy their music without the ‘intensity’ of competition preparation. The bands were well supported, with lots of Old Collegians coming to support them on Friday after they all performed in the Rector’s Farewell Assembly.
FLICKR >This week, the Year 9 tutor classes concluded their dodge ball competition, the third of four ‘Top Tutor’ competitions conducted throughout the year. The competition was fierce from start to finish and began with all 18 tutor groups competing for a place in the ‘winners versus winners’ and ‘not winners versus not winners’ round, which whittled teams down into quarter and semi-final rounds. The injection of a ‘wild card’ tutor group in the form of Social Studies teacher, Stacey Williams’ tutor group 9SWI, nearly threw a spanner in the mix for one of our top teams, 9ARU, but 9ARU still came out on top. The finals involved a ‘king of the court’ competition between 9LSI, 9FTA and 9ARU, from which the eventual champion, 9ARU was crowned. Thank you to Physical Education teachers Daniel O’Reilly and Joe Leota who acted as umpires for the competition.
The ‘Top Tutor’ competition will conclude this term with the final competition, in which each tutor group will present the funds they have managed to raise through various means in support of charities of their choosing.
Presbyterian Support Donor and Community Relations Coordinator, Rae Thomas, was overwhelmed and excited collecting the gift packages donated by the Year 13 students at the Leavers’ Chapel Service towards the charity’s endeavours. These gifts were personalised to families in need and the feedback has been wonderful.
The Pre-school team are incredibly grateful for the generous donation received from the St Andrew’s College PTA of an extension for the Pre-school sandpit. This is always one of the busiest learning areas at Pre-school and now there is space for large groups of our youngest tamariki to engage in collaborative learning, as they construct and create in the new and improved sandpit. There are definitely some future engineers and construction managers in our midst!
FLICKR >
St Andrew’s College Ballet Company member Tavé Stuart (Year 12) competed in the National Young Performer Awards (NYPA) last weekend. Tavé made it to the semi-final, top 16 out of 75 of the best 15–21-year-old ballerinas in the country.
Matthew Lee (Year 13) has been cast in the ensemble for New Zealand Opera’s next opera in July 2025. The opera, a well-known classic, has been decided but is embargoed until the end of November.
Catherine Cook (Year 12) and Molly-Belle Morrow (Year 13) competed in the New Zealand Woman’s Volleyball Club Nationals in Auckland during the school holidays. Their Shirley Volleyball Club Silverbacks team competed in Division 1 and won gold against the Auckland Thunder.
Twenty-eight St Andrew’s College Pipe Band students competed in the Highland Piping Society of Canterbury Labour Weekend Silver Chanter Solo Piping Competition, which is a major event in the solo piping calendar. The event was hosted at the College in the Spiro Science and Mathematics Centre, Music Suite, and Senior College. After the Silver Chanter events, Sam Foote (Year 11) has been announced as the winner of the prestigious William Boyle Foundation U21 Prize for fantastic results achieved in Dunedin (King’s Birthday), Nelson (New Zealand Young Piper of the Year), and Christchurch (Labour Weekend). The scholarship consists of a $1000 cash prize. Maggie McConnochie (Year 10) was announced as the Overall New Zealand U21 Champion for 2024, which is incredible for a student in her year group. On Monday (Labour Day), 11 of our pipers took advantage of the holiday weekend to travel to Timaru to compete in the South Canterbury Championships.
FLICKR >On Tuesday, the senior and junior sevens teams participated in a Sevens Tournament qualifier, in a challenging series of matches. Despite the tough competition, the Senior Girls’ team won second place and qualified for the prestigious Condor Sevens Tournament to be held in Tauranga at the end of November. The Junior Girls’ team took each match as a valuable learning experience, positioning them well for their upcoming Junior Invitational, also at the Condor Sevens Tournament. The Senior Boys’ team had a tough tournament, with six games on the schedule. The team played well across the park with a limited lead-in in terms of preparation. Losses against St Bede’s College, St Thomas of Canterbury College, and Christ’s College (in the last play) were followed by a particularly good win over Timaru Boys’ High School. The team did not progress to the play offs, but all players enjoyed the day.
FLICKR >
The 1st XI cricket team played Christchurch Boys’ High School on Sunday in a Gillette Cup semi-final at Straven Road. Losing the toss, St Andrew’s was asked to bat and got away to a good start 56/0 with Tom Turner (Year 13) and Spencer Hair (Year 11) setting a solid platform, but unfortunately wickets fell at regular intervals, with the team coming to 138. Tom Turner 35 and William Carrodus (Year 13) both saw 40. Otis Wheeler (Year 11) bowled an impressive opening spell, taking two quick wickets and then had them 30/3, but Boys’ High got the total three down in the 32nd over.
In her first season driving a 1/4 midget car, Georgia Lewis (Year 11) had a solid result in the Ellesmere Speedway 2023–2024 Season Championship, finishing fifth. Georgia is hoping to go better again in her second season, starting November, having posted second fastest lap time at the first practice in her new car.
On Tuesday, 26 Preparatory School students travelled to Waihi School for the annual Summer Sports Exchange. History was made with the first girls’ cricket game between the two schools taking place. Waihi won both cricket games. The 1st XI restricted Waihi to 99 for 9, however the Waihi off spinner took eight wickets, bowling a spell of unplayable deliveries. The Preparatory A tennis team won all eight singles and all four doubles games.
At her first international competition, Iselle Bromhead (Year 3), with her Mini Level 1 cheer team, competed at the Australasian Majors in Brisbane winning first place in their division against four Australian teams.
Claudia Renaud (Year 10) won the 2024 National Title for Step 10 Balance Beam and Step 10 Floor success at the 2024 New Zealand Gymnastics Championships, held in Palmerston North in early October. Based on the scores from nationals, Claudia has been selected into the team representing New Zealand at the 2025 WOGA Classic competition to be held in February 2025 in Texas, United States of America.
Molly-Belle Morrow (Year 13) has been selected for the Women’s Premier Division – New Zealand U23, playing in the Australian Junior Volleyball Championships.
Amber de Wit (Year 12) recently represented New Zealand at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic. Amber played against Ecuador, Nigeria, and the Dominican Republic, starting in two of the games and came off the bench to play in the third. The team had two losses and one draw in the group stage.
Noah Fanene (Year 12) and Jinyang (Yang) Zhang (Year 11) have successfully auditioned for places in the 2025–2026 New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir (NZSSC), out of approximately 200 applicants.
Good luck to all students who are representing the College over the weekend in sports and cultural activities, including:
This year the St Andrew’s College Ballet Academy proudly presents The Nutcracker. The Nutcracker is a timeless holiday classic and one of the most beloved ballets around the world, enchanting audiences with its magical storytelling and unforgettable music. Set on Christmas Eve, the story begins at a festive holiday party where young Clara receives a special gift—a nutcracker doll. That night, as the clock strikes midnight, Clara is swept into an enchanting adventure where the Nutcracker comes to life, leading her on a journey through a battle with the Rat King and into the dazzling Land of Sweets. With its blend of joy, wonder, and fantasy, The Nutcracker captures the magic of the holiday season, making it a cherished tradition for audiences young and old. We hope you enjoy the beauty, grace, and excitement of this ballet, which continues to inspire and delight with its timeless charm.
When: Friday 29 – Saturday 30 November 2024 (four performances)
Times: 2.00pm–3.30pm and 6.30pm–8.10pm (Friday), 1.30pm–3.10pm and 4.00pm–5.40pm (Saturday)
Where: Gough Family Theatre – Ngā Toi Performing Arts Centre
Tickets: Adult $35.00 | Student $20.00 (student ID may be requested on entry)
A reminder about examinations beginning next week. Year 9–10 students will sit their junior examinations in English, Social Studies, and Mathematics on Monday 4 November (morning and afternoon) and Tuesday 5 November, morning only. All Year 9–10 students will sit their English examination online on exam.net and a small number of students will sit their Years 9 and 10 Social Studies examination online as well. Wednesday 6 November is reserved as a ‘catch-up’ examination day should it be needed for students who were absent from one or more of their examinations.
NCEA and NZ Scholarship examinations begin on Tuesday 5 November and run through until the end of the month. Quite a number of exams are online, and students must check that their laptop is in good, sound, working condition and will last for the full length of the 3-hour examinations. Students sitting online examinations need to provide the details of their NZQA Learner Login username and password for logging in to their examination/s themselves. Click here to view the NCEA examination timetable. We wish our students well with these upcoming examinations.
With senior students having departed to prepare for external examinations, starting on Monday 4 November, the Sports Department will be offering an additional slot in the StACFit Fitness Centre, 11.00am–1.00pm, to support student well-being and will be fully supervised. Research shows that doing regular exercise during study has many positive effects which include:
StACFit Operating Hours During Examinations:
Step back in time with us for a delightful twist on the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, The Princess and the Pea. First gracing Broadway in 1959, Once Upon a Mattress has charmed audiences for decades. In a distant kingdom, Queen Aggravain has decreed that no one may marry until her son, Prince Dauntless, finds a suitable bride. Many princesses have tried and failed to pass the Queen’s rigorous tests. But everything changes with the arrival of Princess Winnifred the Woebegone. Will she succeed where others have failed…? Join us for an evening of laughter, music, and enchantment as we bring this beloved story to life!
When: Wednesday 30 October – Saturday 2 November, four shows, all 7.00pm–9.00pm
Where: St Andrew's College, Gough Family Theatre, Ngā Toi Performing Arts Centre
Tickets: Adults $35.00 | Students $17.50 | Staff $17.50
The online sales for the following 2024 photographs are now available:
Details of how to order the photographs can be found on our website using the button below and you will need to log into StACNet using your St Andrew's College login.
If you have any questions relating to this service, please email photography@stac.school.nz
For any illness, students should stay home if unwell. Any student should also feel free to wear a mask if they wish to do so while at school.
For any absence, whether ill-health (including COVID-19) or otherwise, the College’s preferred platform for reporting this is via our online form which can be found at the button below:
If you are not able to report your child's absence using the online form, please report their absence via the relevant email address below. If you cannot get through to us via the form or email, please call our attendance line on +64 3 940 2031 (term time only).
The Community Business Directory is on our website under Alumni & Community and represents over 100 parent businesses. Please take a look at how many businesses you can support locally.
The St Andrew's College Community Business Directory >
If you would still like to register your business, complete the following form.
Community Business Directory Registration >
For a full list of upcoming school events, please refer to the fixtures page on StACNet.
