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Dear Parents and Caregivers
Kia ora koutou.
This week’s update covers activities over the last two weeks. It is obvious there have been many excursions and events in both the Preparatory and Secondary Schools which have kept students and staff busy, along with all the teaching programmes and examination tutorials.
For me, a highlight of last week was a visit to my study from our youngest children from the Pre-school and the new entrant class. A delightful portrait made by one of the Pre-school children was presented to me and I took the opportunity to sing a couple of Christmas songs with the new entrant class. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and wondered if they would remember the experience in years to come!
Another enjoyable moment was an opportunity to spend some time with Year 9 Dean, James Jenkinson, and the Year 9 students as they come to the end of their first year in the Secondary School. Four students had prepared interview questions, and I was grateful to share my thoughts on things of interest to them (see report below). I was also pleased to have the chance to commend our Year 9 cohort for the way they have engaged with opportunities at St Andrew’s College in their first year of secondary school. I do feel rather sad that unlike in previous years, I won’t have the chance to follow their progress through the later years of their schooling.
Last Friday was marked by the excitement of the result from the success of the Years 7–8 flag football team who competed at the national tournament in Wellington. Their fully funded trip to Orlando USA, to compete in the world championships against nine other international teams at the end of January is now confirmed. Congratulations to all involved!
Congratulations to the Pipe Bands who played at the Hororata Highland Games on Saturday 9 November and how superbly our students represented our College. I also want to commend the Year 9 students for the way they embraced their new experience of spending a night together on Ōnuku Marae (see report below). Year 10 students have experienced unpredictable and unseasonal weather at Castle Hill over the last few weeks on their Te Waka Duke of Edinburgh camps. No doubt the ‘Solo’ night experience will have been rather cold and challenging for some! A huge thank you to the teachers who have given up the comfort of their own homes for a night or two, to give our students these experiences.
Last weekend the 1st XI cricket team had a thrilling finish to beat Christchurch Boys’ High School (the first time since 2019!). This now places St Andrew’s in the final to be played on Saturday 30 November (St Andrew’s Day!). Coach Mike Johnston (Scrump), Director of Sport and Co-curricular Activities Mark Lane, the team and parents were understandably delighted, and we wish them well for their final next weekend.
Today one of our community groups has concluded its year with their annual Christmas Service in the Centennial Chapel followed by a Christmas lunch. The St Andrew’s College Ladies' Circle began in 1958 and has been meeting ever since, promoting fellowship, and support for our school and each other. It is always a highlight to meet with this wonderful group of women who have been mothers, wives of Old Collegians or previous staff members. It is obvious many lasting friendships are made through StAC connections!
Ladies Circle Christmas Luncheon Flickr >
Both the Board and the PTA have held their last meeting for 2024 last week. I sincerely thank these generous people who give freely of their time and talents to support our school. Many people work very hard to create numerous opportunities for students and our positive school culture; this includes parents who volunteer, support activities, and enhance all the activities on offer. You are seen and appreciated.
Best wishes to those involved in some big events on this weekend:
Ngā mihi mahana
Christine Leighton
Rector
He hono tangata e kore e motu; ka pā he taura waka e motu
Unlike a canoe rope, a human bond cannot be severed
Last week, Year 9 students experienced a Noho Marae (marae stayover) at Ōnuku Marae in Akaroa. He nunui ngā mea painga, there were a lot of wins, and a lot of benefits for our rangatahi. These included part in mau rākau/Māori weaponry workshops and experiencing other aspects of tikanga Māori and Te Ao Māori. It was also a great experience for those rangatahi who had never been on a marae before. Thank you to the kaimahi (staff) who stayed over, supervised, and helped out. Aku nei mihi atu ki a koutou katoa. Also, a big mihi to mana whenua who hosted the students throughout the week.
During this week’s Year 9 Dean’s Hui in the Centennial Chapel, Rector Christine Leighton participated in an engaging session, ‘Chats with Mrs Leighton,’ where she was interviewed by Amanda Watkins, Anthony Song, George Levings, and Violet McInnes. The students posed insightful questions about the value of attending St Andrew's College, the significant changes in education over the years, the impact of having a boarding house, and advice for school and life. Mrs Leighton highlighted the importance of seizing opportunities at St Andrew’s, the evolution of educational technology from chalkboards to laptops, the sense of community, and the enriching diversity brought by boarders. She concluded with three pieces of advice: learn from your mistakes, don’t fear failure, and remember to enjoy the present.
FLICKR >
The College’s Health and Safety Manager, Arthur Preuss, met with some Year 11 students engaged in health and safety matters. Art shared his career path, having worked for various industries before joining St Andrew’s College. He discussed the various hazards and risks associated with those different industries, and how many of those risks exist in a school, and how we at St Andrew’s College manage processes safely. The students were very engaged, despite the end of day (and end year session). The students made good control recommendations around risk management.
Last Friday, Years 4–8 students travelled to Ngā Puna Wai for the Preparatory School’s annual Athletic Sports Day. This facility provides the opportunity for the children to experience a quality athletics track. There were many wonderful results and personal bests. Competing strongly throughout the day, Thompson emerged as the Preparatory School House Athletics Champions for 2024.
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The Year 5 students enjoyed an exciting three days at Living Springs Camp, which started with a visit to the farm park, where they had fun feeding the animals and studying the fascinating water creatures in the stream. The days were packed with energetic activities, including archery, bouldering, initiatives and swimming. The children particularly loved riding the monorail and exploring the vast open spaces, making unforgettable memories together.
Flickr >The Year 6 Beach Education experience at New Brighton last week was an exciting blend of learning and fun, designed to equip students with vital skills for staying safe in and around the water as we head into the summer months. The students started the day with a tour of the surf club’s new facilities, where they got an up-close look at IRBs, surf rescue boards, and the first aid room. Next, was a session on surf and sun safety, followed by an enthusiastic round of ‘Beach Ed’s Got Talent.’ After a quick lunch, the students headed to the beach, where adults braved the cold 16-degree water to form a safe zone where the students had a chance to body surf and play on the body boards. It was heartwarming to see even the most hesitant swimmers having a blast.
Mia Montgomery (Year 12) has been named in the New Zealand Junior Women’s Volleyball Development Squad for 2025.
The 10A Boys’ touch team played in the inaugural Secondary Schools Canterbury Touch Festival on Monday. First up, they had a convincing win against a young Cashmere High School team, winning 11–1. The toughest game of the day was against a well-drilled and large St Bede’s College team, resulting in a 2–2 draw. The deciding game was against Mairehau High School, with another decisive win 9–0. After a fast-paced, competitive final match against Papanui High School, St Andrew’s won 9–3 to and the title for the Junior Boys’ section.
Louis Smith (Year 9) won the Kartsport Canterbury 83-lap endurance race. He and friend Zach (from Christ’s College) shared the 83 laps; Louis led for the first 38 laps and his friend finished it off in style. Their names join some famous ones on the trophy, including Jim Richards (famous New Zealand V8 Super car driver) and Jacob Douglas, who has just won a seat in the Indy Car series in the United States.
Sam Wilton (Year 10) and his brother Oliver Wilton (Year 9) both ran in the Queenstown Marathon 10km event over the weekend. Sam came ninth place in the 15–19 age group with a time of 47:32, while Oliver finished in a time of 48:30, placing 10th in his 10–14 age group.
The Pipe Band travelled to the Hororata Domain to compete at the Highland Games on Saturday. Many students competed in the solo piping and drumming competitions in the morning, prior to the pipe band events. The newly formed C Band competed for the first time, achieving a seventh placing out of 11 bands in Grade 4, which is an adult grade. The whole team are extremely proud of their performances. Pipe Sergeant Iona Lawson (Year 13) led the massed bands at the official opening ceremony with Amazing Grace.
FLICKR >
At the Hororata Highland Games Highland Dancing Competition, dancers achieved the following results:
Georgia Gregg (Year 7) travelled to Greymouth for her final Highland Dance competition for the year, winning U12 Most Points, U14 Runner Up Most Points, and winner of the Irish Jig Championship trophy U12.
Ruby Bradbury (Year 2) danced at the Pleasant Point Show and achieved U8 Most Points and U10.
Nine Year 9 and 10 tennis players played in the Canterbury Secondary Schools Tennis Championships at Wilding Park. In Division 1 of the Year 9 Girls’ competition, Billie Feaver-Banks had a superb set of matches, losing in the semi-finals to a nationally ranked player. Mia McHarg beat a higher seed in the quarter finals but was beaten by the number two ranked player in the tournament in a hard-fought semi-final. This saw Mia play against Billie for third/fourth place, with Billie taking the honours in a great match. Keer (Tessa) Meng came sixth in the Year 9 singles competition. In Division 2, Molly Michael finished runner-up and Samantha de Lautour finished in the top half of the draw. The two of them played doubles, finishing fifth, with some good tiebreakers played. In the Year 10 Girls’ competition, Marija Filipovic was outstanding and won the singles title convincingly, while Molly Brophy also did very well in the singles, coming fifth, after only dropping one match in the seven she played. Marija and Molly partnered up to win the doubles title decisively.
In the Boys’ competition George Kotepong (Year 9) played superbly to make it through to the Year 9 Singles final, where he lost to the number one seed 6–4, 6–3. In Year 10 Boys’ Division 1, Jack Wheeler finished sixth place. He played doubles alongside George Kotepong (who stepped up an age group) and they lost in the semi-final to the eventual title holders.
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The 1st XI hosted Christ’s College at St Andrew’s two weekends ago. Winning the toss, St Andrew’s decided to bat, and what we witnessed over the next 10 overs was something very special. Tom Turner (Year 13) blasted the College attack to all parts of the ground and brought up his 100 in 36 balls, eventually making 126. Spencer Hair (Year 11) 24, William Carrodus 35, and Tim Richardson (both Year 13) 45 n.o. all contributed to the 295 total. Christ’s College struggled to establish partnerships and the St Andrew’s bowlers were accurate and demanding. Tom Turner bowling his off spinners was again amongst the action taking 5/37 in a very memorable day. The opposition was dismissed for 142. This result saw St Andrew’s College win back the Fulton-Nichols Challenge Cup.
In other games, Benjamin Stewart (Year 10) in the Colts team had a very good day taking four wickets and scoring 54 runs. Felix O'Byrne 69 and Hugo Peers (both Year 9) 56 set a good platform for the Year 9 team to win over Northwest. Jacob Farrelly (Year 11) 41 n.o. steadied the ship to bring the 3rd XI home in a tight finish.
In the most recent game this past weekend, the 1st XI played at Straven Road. Batting first, Christchurch Boys’ High School were in trouble at 50/5 but a very good partnership of 120 gave them some momentum and they finally amassed a total of 205. Otis Wheeler (Year 11) Joshua Nicolson (Year 12) and Timothy Richardson (Year 13) all picked up two wickets each which was combined with some good fielding.
The run chase started poorly but Tom Turner (Year 13) with 45 off 25 set things going. William Carrodus (Year 13) with 43 batted very well but it was Timothy Richardson 42 and Toby Smith (Year 13) 41 n.o. with a very mature and composed partnership that really got the team home, even though they had a couple of anxious moments in the last couple of overs. It was great that the boys could bring the Colin Anderson Memorial Shield home and win the Ara Shield.
In other games, Jock Sidey (Year 11) 6/39 and Blake Dixon (Year 13) 82 for the 2nd XI were the highlights in a good win over St Bede’s College. Angus Schmack (Year 9) 68 n.o. and George Reynolds (Year 9) 49 were the main contributors for the Year 9 team win over Shirley Boys’ High School.
On Sunday 10 November, paint me – the 2025 New Zealand Poetry Society anthology – was launched at Tūranga. With an incredible 18 St Andrew’s College students featured in this year’s anthology, this was an important occasion for creative writing. Alfred Lash (Year 6), along with Secondary School students Hanxi (Cicy) Chen (Year 10), Annalie Marshall (Year 11) and Ellie Zhou (Year 11) read their poems at this special event.
At the beginning of 2024, Year 9 Dean James Jenkinson introduced the Charity Challenge to the year group. Each tutor group was given $10.00 and tasked with turning it into as much money as possible, with the final amount to be donated to a good cause. The key was finding cheap resources that could be turned into products with a good profit margin. One student suggested horseshoes which they could source for free. After brainstorming and researching ideas, various items such as hooks, names, wine rack, and decorative shapes like flowers and animals were created. These were sold for $5.00 per horseshoe. Other ideas included lemonade concentrate sold locally and at the Lyttleton Market for $10.00 a bottle, and large chocolate cookies made by a student, sold at $1.00 each (minimum batch of 20). Over the year, Extended Tutor Time was used to plan, create, and sell these products. By the end of the year, students had raised $1050. After a group discussion, it was decided to donate the money to Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand. This challenge wasn’t just about raising money. It taught valuable skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity. It also showed how a small starting point can grow into something significant with hard work and collaboration.
With only three scrimmages to go in the V5 competition before the February nationals in Auckland, St Andrew’s fielded three teams in last Saturday’s Scrimmage in The Green Library and Innovation Centre. Team 10 (Fish) made it through into the finals. The final scrimmage was a coalition of Ao Tawhiti and St Andrew’s, driven by Oliver Cooper (Year 12) versus a coalition of two Burnside High School teams. The Ao Tawhiti/St Andrew’s coalition took out a low scoring finals match 16–6.
In the VEX IQ Competition (Preparatory School) St Andrew’s fielded two teams into the VEX Rapid Relay Competition. Team 88397F with their robot Terry just missed out getting into the finals, finishing fifth. The team, made up of Alex O’Neill, Jacob Brinch, Ethan Waines and Harry Kempthorne (all Year 8) are getting better with every scrimmage. Team SCP173 decided to have a rebuild of their robot (of course they have time!) four weeks before the Nationals in Palmerston North in early December.
Two teams of four (a girls’ and a mixed team) competed at Wilding Park on Monday 11 November in the Canterbury Years 7–8 Tennis Championships. Both teams successfully won their pools undefeated and met in the final. The Girls’ team of Elly McHarg (Year 7), Sabine Waghorn, Kaia Hartstonge, and Scarlett Dunbar (all Year 8) beat the Mixed team of Frank McHarg, Elina Wang (both Year 7), Hudson Blyde, and Rico Cantwell (both Year 8), by one game to take out first place, with the Mixed team coming in second.
On Wednesday, students from the Preparatory School took part in the annual Summer Sports Exchange against The Cathedral Grammar School. This year the fixtures were hosted by Cathedral Grammar, though games were played nearby at Elmwood Park. The St Andrew’s tennis team dropped only one match of the 12 played as they rose to the occasion and performed to a high standard. The cricket team recovered from early wickets to post 133 from their 20 overs before producing a mesmerising bowling display, dismissing Cathedral Grammar within 10 overs. It was a standout performance with the ball by Guy Griffin (Year 7) as he took five wickets from his three overs.
FLICKR >Chenxiao Leo Yang (Year 7) showcased his talent performing in The Rising Stars concert, held on Wednesday at the Great Hall in the Arts Centre. Leo's performance was marked by remarkable poise and captivated the audience throughout. His outstanding performance no doubt left a lasting impression on everyone present. Also, Ethan Waines (Year 8) and his younger brother, Caleb, presented an outstanding recital of piano works. Both played on their own, and also performed two duet pieces with each other.
For the first time at St Andrew's College, an entire class (and their teacher) have successfully achieved the Preparatory School Bronze Wide Reading Award. Miss Haisty's class, 6T, set a goal to achieve the award as part of Preparatory School Library Manager Tracey Hull's reading programme. The aim was for each student to read 12 novels across nine different genres. The friendly competition quickly escalated, with many students going above and beyond and even achieving Silver and Gold Wide Reading Awards. Jack Blyde earned an incredible five Gold Awards, reading over 125 novels throughout the year. Jack’s dedication to reading is truly inspiring and set a wonderful example for his classmates. Ms Hull went above and beyond to support the students and her support and enthusiasm for the reading programme were key to its success. The challenge may be over, but the love of reading will continue to grow.
Three Year 11 students, William Ballin, Toby Park, and Adam Beaman have been selected to represent Canterbury at the Flag Football Youth Nations to be held in Auckland at the end of March 2025. They are heading to Auckland as defending champions having played Flag Football in Christchurch for the past five years.
The trial for the Canterbury Pony Club Mounted Games team was held in Tinwald last weekend. Georgia Lewis (Year 11) was selected for the U25 Canterbury team to compete in January 2025.
Congratulations to the following representative touch players:
Ava Jones, Roma Tuimaunei (both Year 11), and Maniah Taefu (Year 10) represented New Zealand at the FIBA U15 Oceania Cup in Canberra, Australia. All three made it through to their respective finals, being defeated by Australia to finish in second place. Ava Jones was named in the FIBA All Star 5.
On Friday 8 November, the College welcomed back 51 Old Collegians and their partners for a memorable 10 Years On Reunion. The evening began with a campus tour of the new buildings and facilities, followed by a gathering at the Centennial Chapel, where Rector Christine Leighton and 2014 Head Girl, Zoe Merrick, welcomed everyone. The reunion continued in Strowan House with lively conversations and shared stories. Several staff members attended and enjoyed hearing about the diverse careers of our alumni. The event celebrated the past and reaffirmed the community spirit of the College.
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Scott Janett (OC 2021) and Cam Paul (OC 2022) had their first-class debut cricket game for Canterbury this week in the Plunket Shield. Cam became the 34th Canterbury player to achieve a five-wicket haul on debut. They were joined by new Captain, Rhys Mariu (OC 2019) and Wicket Keeper, Jesse Frew (OC 2019) who made his debut last week. Rhys also scored a double century.
Zak Foulkes (OC 2020) made his ODI debut for the Black Caps this week in Pallekele, Sri Lanka. Zak was presented with his cap by Canterbury Cricket teammate Henry Nicholls (OC 2009).
Graham Dowling (OC 1954) has been elected as a life member of New Zealand Cricket. Graham had an impressive career, playing 39 Tests for New Zealand and captaining 19 of those matches. Notably, he led the team to its first Test series victory against Pakistan in November 1969. In recognition of his contributions to cricket and various organisations, he was awarded an OBE in 1987.
Xavier Dickason (OC 2020) recently won the University of Canterbury’s Ensom Prize, an essay competition focused on a specified topic relating to constructive policy to promote and preserve international peace and goodwill. It is awarded to one student who is either an undergraduate or completed their undergraduate degree in the past year. Xavier wrote his essay specifically looking at the role of small nation-states in advocating for regulations and restrictions on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems.
Canterbury junior driver Carter Dalgety’s (OC 2020) horse, ‘Republican Party’, ran a huge race to finish third in Tuesday's IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup at Addington Raceway. Carter is only the second junior driver to have placed in the New Zealand Cup.
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)
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:
All 2024 photographs are now available to purchase online:
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.
