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Dear Parents and Caregivers
Kia ora koutou.
The highlight this week for me has been seeing and experiencing the stunning performances of our senior students in our production of Twelfth Night. I must admit to being unsure how a modern musical adaption of Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night would come across – yet on opening night a full audience responded with a standing ovation. I have then enjoyed repeated outstanding performances on Tuesday night with members from our very special Strowan Club and look forward to the final night this Saturday evening.
I have been hugely impressed with the talented performance of the students in this production – acting, singing, dancing, and the musical accompaniment. In addition, the stunning costumes and hair (looking like something out of Hunger Games) by Sylvia Campbell and past-parent Mel Howell and their team, the wonderful choreography by Hana Pearce (2019), high quality sound and lighting, and how well the performance and music had been so professional directed by Ginnie Thorner and Duncan Ferguson. A thoroughly professional performance in all aspects. Thank you to everyone involved.
This week has seen our Year 8 camps for classes 8T, 8A, and 8C complete their three-day outdoor education experience at our Kura Tawhiti Castle Hill Outdoor Education Centre. A special big “shout out” to our 8S class whose camp last week endured challenging cold and wet weather. I was delighted to hear from our Year 8 Team Leader, Morgan Sheppard, how impressed he was with the resilience shown by these students last week – including managing the rain and a howling southerly during their overnight sleep out and playing in the snow on the second day. The students told me how much they enjoyed being together, being busy, and doing so many new activities with our Castle Hill Outdoor Education Centre Operations Manager, Jo Parsons, and her great team. It was the “best camp ever” a couple even said.
Our winter sports season got off to a great start last weekend with our annual sports exchange with John McGlashan College and Columba College, two schools we have enjoyed sporting comradery with for many years. Well done to our teams who travelled away this year and saw some convincing wins across almost all sporting codes.
Once again, this week’s edition of the Rector’s Comment outlines so many of the amazing opportunities and experiences our students have at St Andrew’s. I look forward to seeing you all cheering from the sidelines, applauding those on stage, and seeing our students working hard in their classrooms, or hanging out around the campus during the breaks. Whatever your child’s passions are, I encourage them to embrace their interests and continue to learn and grow.
Ngā mihi mahana
Mark Wilson
Rector
Feedback from students and parents on the annual StAC Careers Expo held on Wednesday evening has been extremely positive. 26 exhibitors attended including seven of the eight New Zealand universities, Ara, and SIT (Te Pūkenga), as well as a few industry training organisations and private training providers. The event provides an excellent opportunity for parents and their children to ask questions directly to the providers about the types of courses, accommodation, and scholarship options, as well as potential job opportunities. This year we included NZDF, ETCO, Air NZ, and staff from IAANZ as well as American Summers. The StAC Careers website is a fantastic resource providing information about pathway opportunities, tips on how to choose school subjects, advice on studying abroad, as well as upcoming events to visit tertiary providers and attend information presentations. Students and parents can also book a careers appointment with our Careers Advisor, Richard Webster.
Flickr >
On Tuesday morning, the Rector drew the basketball iPhone raffle. Congratulations to our three iPhone raffle winners. Thank you to everyone who supported the fundraiser.
This week we celebrated New Zealand Sign Language Week by raising awareness and encouraging everyone to learn and use New Zealand Sign Language. This year's theme is ‘An Aotearoa Where Anyone Can Sign Anywhere'. It is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the New Zealand Deaf community and Deaf culture, adding to the rich and diverse identity of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Drop-in sessions were hosted in the Green Library and Innovation Centre during lunch breaks where students and staff were encouraged to come along and be hearing allies, creating equal opportunities for our passionate Deaf community. One of our Grounds team, Ryan McEwan, along with a small group of students created a short video which has also been shared around the College, which you can watch by clicking the link below.
This week, our Year 13 VETR class took part in vital conservation work at Flock Hill Station, focusing on the control of invasive wilding pines—a critical task for protecting this unique high-country environment. Since 2020, St Andrew’s College has been actively involved in wilding pine removal through the VETR Programme, aligning with our environmental sustainability assessments, and working with Castle Hill local and conservation expert, Ray Goldring.
Our students made an outstanding contribution, removing over 1,500 wilding pines, including many that had reached coning age. Their efforts have prevented the potential spread of up to 1.5 million new wilding pines in the area—an incredible impact on the local ecosystem. The Castle Hill community values this work, and students were encouraged by supportive horn toots from passing vehicles as they worked in the field. A gallant and meaningful effort by our students.
Monday was Portuguese Language day. The International Club celebrated with Koe Cheese Balls, a Brazilian snack. Students also learnt about the words that have come into English from Portuguese like banana, mosquito and we watched a video on the Lambada dance.
This year Spanish Language Day fell in the holidays, so this was celebrated on Tuesday with a piñata at International Club. Two piñatas were set up on the field and students lined up to hit them, aiming to be the one who was successful in breaking them and showering the crowd with lollies. A large group of students took part, and both piñatas were emptied quickly.
Yesterday, a group of students took part in a student well-being hui alongside peers from schools across Canterbury. We were especially proud of Ewan Mander, Teresa Steiner, and Oliver Wallace (all Year 12), who have played a key role in organising the event over the past three months.
Throughout the day, students heard from inspiring speakers who shared powerful insights about mindset and resilience, particularly in the context of living with a disability. Our Head of Well-being, Olivia Bloom, contributed to a panel discussion, offering thoughtful and mature reflections on what truly supports well-being. It was a joy to see our students engage in meaningful conversations with like-minded young people, exploring how compassion and resilience can shape the way we support one another. The hui was a heartening reminder of the strength, empathy, and agency that today’s youth bring to leading well-being in their schools.
Last weekend, we had just under 150 students travelling down to Dunedin for our annual John McGlashan College and Columba College Sports Exchange. Matches were played across both Sunday and Monday with stunning autumnal weather. At the end of the two days of competition, St Andrew’s won exchange convincingly, 9–3 and three draws.
|
Team |
Result |
Score |
|
Senior A Boys’ basketball – Game 1 |
Won |
87–61 |
|
Senior A Boys’ basketball – Game 2 |
Won |
88–53 |
|
Senior A Girls’ basketball – Game 1 |
Won |
73–40 |
|
Senior A Girls basketball – Game 2 |
Won |
86–44 |
|
1st XI Boys’ hockey |
Drew |
2–2 |
|
1st XI Girls’ hockey – Game 1 |
Won |
4–0 |
|
1st XI Girls’ hockey – Game 2 |
Won |
2–0 |
|
1st XI Boys’ football |
Won |
2–1 |
|
1st XI Girls’ football – Game 1 |
Drew |
1–1 |
|
1st XI Girls’ football – Game 2 |
Lost |
0–4 |
|
Senior A netball – Game 1 |
Won |
31–21 |
|
Senior A netball – Game 2 |
Drew |
18–18 |
|
1st XV Boys’ rugby |
Won |
48–3 |
|
1st XV Girls’ rugby |
Lost |
24–41 |
|
Trap shooting |
Lost |
229–238 |
On Tuesday evening, our Senior boys and girls tipped off their Thomson and Whelan Trophy seasons. Our girls travelled to MainPower Stadium, to face a team they have faced in two of the past three Whelan Trophy finals. Ava Jones (Year 12 – 20 points) led the way in a convincing 75–43 wire-to-wire win. Our boys travelled to face Christchurch Boys’ High School. Battling early foul trouble, the teams went back-and-forth during the first half. Logan Righton (Year 13 – 20 points, 17 rebounds) helped push forward with a stronger second half, as St Andrew’s pulled away to secure a 90–69 win.
Boys' Game Flickr >On Sunday, our Senior Adventure Racing team took part in the Hillary Challenge 6-hour race in Christchurch. To be eligible to qualify for the final, teams consist of four boys and four girls. The team navigated 61 checkpoints, covering approximately 25km on foot and 40km on bike within the 6-hour time allocation. The team had a thoroughly enjoyable day but just missed a spot at the national final.
St Andrew’s College kicks off the rugby season tomorrow with a grading game to determine their appropriate grades for competitive games. This year, St Andrew’s has in place some very experienced coaching groups to help with the development and growth of our players through all year groups. Coaches have undergone professional development to understand the College’s rugby vison, the school’s five values, and the ‘StAC way’ of playing.
It has been great having ex All Black and current Japan set piece coach Owen Franks helping support our rugby programme as a Resource Coach. His vast experience and knowledge have been immensely valuable, and the players have enjoyed his sessions.
Boys’ 1st XI: The Boys’ 1st XI kicked off their Premier Tournament campaign with a tough 1–3 loss to Boys’ High. Coming off a confidence-boosting 2–1 win in the school exchange in Dunedin over the weekend, the team looked to build on their momentum. Despite their determination and effort throughout the match, the boys could not convert their chances into a victory. Boys’ High capitalised on their opportunities and proved clinical in front of goal.
Girls’ 1st XI: The Girls’ 1st XI faced a narrow defeat against Burnside High School, 0–1, in a match they dominated in chances. An early goal from Burnside proved to be the decider, despite St Andrew’s persistent pressure and multiple opportunities to equalise. The girls showed grit and attacking intent throughout the game, but the finishing touch eluded them.
Pipe Band members Maggie McConnochie (Year 11) and Sam Foote (Year 12) travelled to Adelaide to compete in the annual R U Brown Piobaireachd Society of South Australia (RUBPSSA) Gold Medal solo piping competitions. It was the first trip to this event for both students, with fantastic success in strong fields of competitors. Maggie won the R U Brown Silver Medal for Piobaireachd and overall B Grade Light Music and Sam won the B Grade March, Strathspey and Reel.
· Maggie McConnochie: R U Brown Silver Medal – 1st, B Grade March, Strathspey and Reel – 3rd, B Grade Hornpipe/Jig – 1st, B Grade Overall – 1st winning the Ewan Masson Perpetual Trophy.
· Sam Foote: B Grade March, Strathspey and Reel – 1st.
Sophie Burnett (Year 13) plays in the Nemesis Canoe Polo team, and they compete in the National Ladies A grade. Last weekend, her team won A Grade to become National Champions. Nick Burnett (OC 1994) coaches the team.
Cheryl Teng (Year 12) has accepted an opportunity to participate as an orchestral instrumentalist in the 2025 New Zealand Symphony Orchestra’s Emerging Artists concert.
Last weekend, Amelie Clark (Year 12) won the U18 Women’s title at the Canterbury Women’s Surf Championships.
This week, twenty-four GATE students from three different year levels represented St Andrew’s College at the da Vinci Decathlon—a prestigious academic competition inspired by the brilliance of Leonardo da Vinci. Hosted by Christ’s College and developed by Knox Grammar School, the event challenges students to compete in teams of eight across nine diverse disciplines: engineering, mathematics, code breaking, art and poetry, science, English, ideation, creative producers, cartography, and legacy. As many know, Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) was one of history’s greatest polymaths, celebrated for his insatiable curiosity and ability to connect knowledge across multiple domains. The decathlon honours his legacy by encouraging higher-order thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving.
Our students performed exceptionally well, with the Year 9 team achieving first place, and the Years 10 and 11 teams both securing second place in their divisions. These outstanding results positioned St Andrew’s College as the top-performing school in the competition. Beyond their academic success, our students demonstrated humility, teamwork, and admirable sportsmanship throughout the event.
RuoLin (Lauren) Li (Year 11) was selected for the 2025 Girl Boss Sustainability online course which took place during the April term break. She was one of 20 selected from throughout the country. The course was a 10-day online accelerator focused on young women who are keen to step up, stand up and change the world. The course content encouraged students to gain insight into Sustainability, Decarbonisation, STEM Science, Climate Change, Policy, and Social Change. With mentoring support from role models in this space like Melati Wijsen, the Gen Z activist who got plastic bags banned on Bali, and Clover Hogan who at 19 founded Force of Nature, a youth-led non-profit driving climate change and active in 50 countries, also with her TED talk: "What to do when climate change feels unstoppable" having over 2 million views, Lauren and her peers had an amazing time and learnt a lot.
The St Andrew’s College VEX Robotics teams had a successful scrimmage last Saturday with our teams winning both the IQ and V5 divisions. With only three weeks before the Canterbury Challenge finals, five IQ teams from the Preparatory School and seven V5 teams from the Secondary School took part. In the IQ competition Rise Above, two St Andrew’s teams made the finals. Team 88397B (The Terminator – Carter Robinson, William Keir, Jack Blyde and George Nicholls (all Year 7)) took first equal place. In second equal place was Team 88397C (The Mongolian Tree Wessels – XiaoYa (Cynthia) Zhou (Year 8), Wyatt Petre and Harvey Kilday (both Year 7)). In the Secondary School competition playing Balance Point, Team 88397C (The Rack Dealers – William MacIntyre, Matthew Bluck, Alexander Harbrow and Spencer Ballinger) won convincingly, 122–20. They were teamed up with Burnside Z and defeated an alliance of Burnside E and a team from Christchurch Boys’ High School.
FLICKR >
Last weekend, Kelicia Rui En Purcell (Year 8) competed in the 62nd Wharenui Winter Olympics. Racing in all strokes, she had seven podium placings with firsts in 100m and 200m Fly, both being NZ Short Course qualification times. The 200m Fly was the fastest in NZ this year for her age group and almost 10s under qualification time. She placed second in 100m Individual Medley and third in 50m Fly, plus 50m, 100m and 200m Breaststroke.
The following volleyball players have recently been selected in Canterbury representative teams and over the King’s Birthday weekend will compete in the IPC (Inter Provincial Championship) in Wellington.
Good luck to all students who are representing the College over the weekend in sports and cultural activities including:
Classes for all Secondary School students will now start on Tuesday 15 July, rather than on Wednesday 16 July as previously advertised. Parent-Tutor conferences will now take place on Monday 14 July, and you will be sent information on how to book your time slot nearer the time.
For parents of boarders, please note that the boarding houses will be open from 1.00pm on Monday 14 July.
The Secondary School House Cross Country takes place on Monday and is compulsory for all Year 9-11 students. The event will be held at St Andrew’s starting at 1.10pm with our Senior College races.
You are more than welcome to come along and see your child race. Each runner will have timing chips so parents can see their progress by clicking here.
St Andrew's College proudly presents Twelfth Night, a vibrant and modern musical twist on Shakespeare's cherished comedy, created by Shaina Taub. Join us as our talented senior students bring the classic tale of mistaken identities and romance to life in a fresh and exciting way.
This musical adaptation blends Shakespeare’s sharp wit with a bold, contemporary soundtrack. Featuring an eclectic mix of folk, pop, and soul, the performance will have you tapping your feet and humming along to the tunes long after the final bow.
Step into a world brimming with mischief, love, and witty wordplay. With dazzling performances, vibrant choreography, and a unique musical score, Twelfth Night promises to be an unforgettable experience.
When: Sunday 4 May – Saturday 10 May (no show Wednesday)
Where: Gough Family Theatre, Ngā Toi – Performing Arts Centre
Tickets: Adults $35.00 | Students $17.50
Join us for an enchanting evening at the Ballet Winter Showcase. Our Secondary School Ballet Academy dancers will perform a captivating collection of their current pieces. This event includes Performance Awards, NCEA dances, and a special premiere of a collaborative new work with Neve Piece (Royal New Zealand Ballet, Dance Educator). Our Junior and Intermediate Company dancers from the Preparatory School will also showcase their new repertoire.
The first planting of the year is Sunday 18 May, 3 Chimera Crescent and 25 Atlantis Street, Red Zone near QEII. Please join us, Eco Action, and help our students and their communities plant 5000 native trees and plants they have grown. It is a great atmosphere with heaps of fellow student and parent enthusiasts. Please bring drinking water, gloves, solid footwear, and your favourite spade if you have one. There will be 400 spades on site, so everyone can help. Help our community help itself by developing this community asset that will last for generations to come. The grown forest will provide habitat and food for native birds and lizards, as well as sequester carbon to help with global climate change. It is also quite fun to plant a few plants.
This is the first of four plantings that will see 20,000 locally sourced, student grown, native plants and trees in the ground at 3 Chimera and 25 Atlantis St. The 28 organisations/schools who have grown plants currently are St Michael’s Church School, Rawhiti School, Shirley Boys’ High School, Avonside Girls’ High School, St Andrew's College, Rangi Ruru Girls’ School, Christchurch South Karamata Intermediate School, He Tīwai Mātauranga Heaton Normal Intermediate School, Christchurch Girls’ High School, Christchurch Boys’ High School, Tuia Burnside Primary School, St Margaret's College, The Cathedral Grammar School, Te Kura Mareko Casebrook Intermediate, St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, Christ's College, Medbury School, Riccarton High School, St Peters School Beckenham, Student Volunteer Army – The University of Canterbury, Charles Upham Retirement Village, Richmond Community Garden, St Martins School, Ouruhia Model School, The River Christian Church and Kevin Hickman Retirement Village have also joined us.
Eco Action Nursery Trust Social Media >
Eco Action Nursery Trust Website >
On Thursday 22 and Friday 23 May, Year 10–11 students will be completing compulsory online assessments for NCEA in Literacy and Numeracy. Year 10 students will complete Reading on the morning of Thursday 22 May and Numeracy on the morning of Friday 23 May. Year 11 students, most of whom sat some assessments in Year 10, will sit Writing on the afternoon of Thursday 22 May and a few students will also complete Reading and/or Numeracy. Students are required to use their own laptop and will login to each assessment using the NZQA website and their NZQA Learner Login. Gaining an NCEA certificate requires students to pass the three assessments that are assessed in schools twice each year, with the first opportunity being in May. Each assessment is designed to be completed in about an hour, but students may take less time, or longer. Results will be available to students through their Learner Login within 6–8 weeks.
Please note, the annual Ballet photo for all Year 1–13 dancers will take place in Week 6, on Friday 6 June, 8.00am–8.35am in Gym 1.
The following 2025 school 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 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 >
