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Dear Parents and Caregivers
Kia ora koutou.
Throughout this year as the new Rector, I have been deeply impressed with the high-quality pastoral care and well-being provision at St Andrew’s College. There are truly some remarkable people working in this space, supporting the growth and development of our young people. I know many families choose St Andrew’s because of the safe, supportive, and holistic environment we provide.
We all recognise the wider societal challenges around mental health and well-being, and the importance of supporting young people to thrive. At St Andrew’s College, this commitment is embedded in our 2026 Strategic Direction, reflecting feedback from parents and staff during our community engagement surveys earlier this year, where enhancing student well-being was identified as a top priority.
As part of this strategic focus, we are undertaking an independent professional review of our pastoral care programmes and overall well-being framework. This proactive step will ensure our practices reflect current best evidence-based thinking by having independent experts assess our programmes and provide recommendations for ongoing improvement. This process is part of our proactive approach to student well-being, our dedication to continuous improvement, and our commitment to evolving in ways that best support our students and families. We expect to receive the final report in March 2026.
This week, it was great to see our Preparatory School’s focus on “Get Spotted” as part of Melanoma Awareness Week, educating students about sun-smart practices and their theme day yesterday. This is vital, as New Zealand has the highest incidence of melanoma in the world, with more than 4000 people diagnosed every year. Sadly, more than 360 people die annually from melanoma in New Zealand, which is higher than the road toll.
Preparatory School Spotty Theme Day Flickr >
Over the past two weeks, we have hosted staff from McIldowie Partners, who are leading the development of our College’s property master plan. This initial stage, Define and Discover, meaning listening, involves focus groups with staff, students, parents, and Old Collegians. The next step will be a detailed campus analysis, followed by draft concepts. Our goal is to share a final planning document outlining property priorities and proposals for the next 30 years with our community after Term 2.
It has also been a busy week for sport, with the Years 9–10 Summer Tournament Week seeing teams compete across the South Island in Sevens rugby, tennis, volleyball, water polo, and 3v3 basketball. Thank you to everyone involved in supporting these opportunities, and good luck to those competing today and over the weekend.
Finally, I am always impressed by the diverse range of activities our young people engage in and excel at. This week, our Middle Division Global Issues Future Problem Solving team won the National Finals and has been invited to represent New Zealand at the Future Problem Solving International Conference in the USA in June 2026. Congratulations to our Year 10 team of Angela Yang (Team Leader), Tessa Kerr, Muyi (Bella) Yang, and ZiQi (Maggie) Xu for their outstanding achievement.
Ngā mihi
Mark Wilson
Rector
Our Secondary School Library team has been busy preparing Summer Reading Bags for students in Years 9–12, a tradition designed to encourage reading over the summer holidays, and highlight the importance of reading for academic success and personal well-being.
Each bag contains library books individually selected for participating students, based on their reading preferences. These range from titles to support basic reading skills through to advanced texts for students preparing for Scholarship English. So far, 140 bags have been assembled, ready to inspire summer.
The Future Problem Solving National Final was held in Christchurch on Saturday 8 November. Following success in the September qualifying round on the topic of Agricultural Industries, two Preparatory School teams earned their place at the event. Under the guidance of coach Sonia Lewis, students worked diligently throughout the year and especially during the first four weeks of Term 4, preparing for the national topic of Nanotechnology. Our Junior B Division Global Issues Booklet Year 7 team of Jessica Whitehead, Annabelle Irwin, Samuel Rijpma and Vitek Mencl, placed second place nationally for their presentation of action plan, where the team were able to include extra FPS students for this section of the contest, Alfred Lash and Mia Zhang. Also competing were our Junior Division Global Issues Booklet Year 8 team of James Zuo, Matthew Zhang, Casey Gamble and Benjamin Hyde, and Alfred Lash (Year 7) in the Individual Competition.
In the Secondary School, the Middle Division Global Issues Year 10 team of Angela Yang (Team Leader), Tessa Kerr, Muyi (Bella) Yang, and ZiQi (Maggie) Xu won the National Finals and have been invited to represent New Zealand at the Future Problem Solving International Conference in Indiana, USA, in June 2026. As a St Andrew’s team has qualified for Internationals, we have been allocated two MAGIC invitations (berths) for Kangwoo Moon and Hudson Blyde (both Year 9), who qualified nationally in Creative Writing and Storytelling respectively. Thank you to Xavier Dickason (OC 2020) for his outstanding work as coach of our Secondary School team.
This week, our younger Secondary School tennis players competed in the Years 9–10 Canterbury Schools Tennis Championships at Wilding Park. It was fantastic to see a strong contingent representing St Andrew's across both Singles and Doubles in each year group, resulting in some exciting StAC vs StAC match-ups! Our students were superb ambassadors for the College, and the standard of play was outstanding, with several matches going to long super tie-breaks. Middle School tennis at St Andrew’s is thriving, and we are excited about the future with a growing squad.
Title Winners:
· Year 9 Girls’ Singles (A Grade): Zoe Kelso
· Year 9 Girls’ Doubles (A Grade): Zoe Kelso and Sabine Waghorn
· Year 9 Boys’ Singles (A Grade): Tom Dawson
· Year 10 Boys’ Singles (A Grade): George Kotepong
· Year 10 Boys’ Doubles (A Grade): George Kotepong and Tom Dawson (Year 9)
Flickr>
On Monday, our Year 10 Boys’ A touch team competed in the second annual Canterbury Secondary Schools Touch Festival at North Hagley Park, facing hot and humid conditions. The team was superbly led by Marshall Coles and Vincent Gardiner, who stepped up as coaches for the day. In their opening match against Lincoln High School, the boys were unlucky to lose by a single try in the final minutes. They bounced back with a hard-fought win over St Bede’s College, followed by a convincing victory against Papanui High School, securing a place among the top three teams in their grade. Despite their best efforts, the team couldn’t overcome a well-drilled Shirley Boys’ High School side, who went on to win the tournament. Overall, it was a fantastic day, and the team demonstrated outstanding teamwork, resilience, and determination.
On Tuesday, the wāhine rugby team impressed at the Crusaders 7s tournament at Ngā Puna Wai, a significant achievement in only the second year of girls’ rugby at the College. Featuring dedicated Year 9–10 players, the squad showed skill and resilience, earning a strong win over Rolleston College and competing well against Christchurch Girls’ High School and Avonside Girls’ High School.
The event was a vibrant showcase of wāhine rugby from across the Waitaha region and highlighted the rapid growth of the sport within our community. With a promising lead-up to their appearance at the National Condors 7s in Tauranga next week, the future of girls’ rugby at St Andrew’s is bright.
The 1st XI hosted North West on Saturday, with a delayed start reducing the overs to 42. North West batted first and lost wickets regularly, finishing all out for 77. Liam Hall (Year 13) was the pick of the bowlers with four wickets.
St Andrew’s had a shaky start, losing two wickets in the first four overs, but Jack O’Rourke 31 n.o. and Connor Sharp (both Year 13) 41 n.o. steadied the innings and guided the team home two wickets down.
With only one other game played due to the wet weather, the 2nd XI had a convincing win over Christ’s College 3rd XI and secured a spot in the final on Saturday 29 November.
Over the weekend, Maya White (Year 10), Mila Lovelock, Nate Randall, and Max Taylor (all Year 9) were part of combined Christchurch schools’ teams competing in the National Junior Canoe Polo Championship in Hastings. Both the boys' and girls' team played well against strong North Island competition, putting in improved performances over the weekend, with the Junior Girls’ team placing third and the Junior Open team winning the Open B grade title.
Old Collegian Joshua Guillemot-Rodgerson (OC 2013), Principal Dancer with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, recently performed in The Nutcracker at the Isaac Theatre Royal alongside Cynthia Zhang (Year 4 Ballet Academy). Joshua starred as the Prince, while Cynthia enjoyed her role as a child at the party.
Last weekend, Frank McHarg (Year 8) won both the Singles and Doubles titles at the Canterbury Primary Schools Tennis Tournament, making a strong comeback from a year out due to injury.
The Writers’ Enrichment Programme at the Preparatory School, led by our Writer in Residence, Kerrin Davidson, offers lunchtime workshops where students develop their writing skills and learn to express ideas clearly. These sessions focus on structure, language, and creativity, and many students have produced work that has been published, both nationally and internationally. The programme continues to provide valuable opportunities for young writers to grow and share their work.
The following students have had work published during Term 4:
The Cathedral Grammar School’s Summer Exchange was a fantastic day of sport and camaraderie despite a drizzly start. St Andrew’s opened with a Mixed touch fixture, delivering an emphatic 16–2 win, with Thomas Hopping (Year 8) named Player of the Match. On the tennis courts, our players showed great depth, winning nine of the 12 matches across Singles and Doubles. In cricket, the Preparatory team posted an impressive 200 runs from 30 overs, led by Hopping’s composed 47 n.o., before bowling Cathedral Grammar out well short of the target.
In the last Highland Dancing competition of the year in Greymouth, Georgia Gregg (Year 8), competing in the U14 category, won Most Points, the Sailors Hornpipe, and Sword Dance.
Year 10 students Felix O’Byrne and Toby Lang have been selected for the Years 9–10 Metro team to play in Timaru, along with Lucas Jemmett for Mid Canterbury and Angus Schmack for Canterbury Country. Unfortunately, Nixon Dooley has had to withdraw due to injury.
Good luck to all students who are representing the College over the weekend in sports and cultural activities.
Step into a world of enchantment, where fairies weave spells, a kingdom slumbers under a wicked curse, and true love awakens with a single kiss. Set to Tchaikovsky’s breathtaking score and brought to life through exquisite choreography, The Sleeping Beauty is a timeless ballet that blends grace, grandeur, and a touch of magic. Join Princess Aurora, the Lilac Fairy, and a cast of fairy tale characters in this radiant celebration of beauty, hope, and the triumph of love.
Dates and times:
Where: Gough Family Theatre – Ngā Toi Performing Arts Centre
Tickets: Adult $38.00 | Student $20.00 (student ID may be requested on entry)
If you made a PTA Christmas Goodies order, orders may be collected from the College's Second-hand Uniform Shop between 3.00pm–4.30pm on:
Please note, the final day for collection of orders will be Thursday 27 November.
Thank you once again and we hope you enjoy your Christmas Goodies.
From the St Andrew’s College PTA
A recent review of near misses from January to September has highlighted that many incidents have occurred around the Drop-off Zone and Road Patrol area. While no injuries were sustained, these situations could have resulted in harm under slightly different circumstances. We have introduced several safety measures over the past year and continue to work with the Christchurch City Council and New Zealand Police to improve safety. Police will provide occasional visits to enforce safe driving behaviours.
How you can help – Road Patrol
How you can help – Drop-off Zone and Carpark
Your cooperation is essential to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and community. Thank you for your support.
All 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
The College Shop, Thistles, will be open in December from Monday 1 December – Friday 19 December 2025, 8.00am–4.30pm. Thistles will re-open in 2026 with the following hours:
The final operating day for the Second-Hand Uniform Shop in 2025 will be Friday 19 December. In January 2026, the Second-hand Uniform Shop will be open with the following hours:
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 >
For a full list of upcoming school events, please refer to the fixtures page on StACNet.
