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Dear Parents and Caregivers
Kia ora koutou.
As the school year is drawing to a close, I have been reflecting on the individuals who make an extraordinary impact within our community. These are people whose contributions strengthen our culture and help ensure the success of St Andrew’s College. Today, I want to acknowledge two such individuals who have provided invaluable support to me as the new Rector this year.
Firstly, my sincere thanks to Stephen Higgs for his significant contributions to the College over the past 15 years, and particularly for his five years as PTA President. Stephen is a great example of how so many in our community build positive relationships and generously give of their time and abilities to help continue to foster a strong, supportive, and well-connected community. Thank you to both Stephen and his wife Janette for all their support across many areas, including the Pipe Band. We warmly welcome Tim Gibb, who has recently been appointed as the new PTA President.
I also extend my gratitude to Sam Crosbie (OC 2009) who has stepped down as the President of the Old Collegians Association (OCA) after three years. Sam kindly stayed on for an additional year to assist my transition, and his generosity and guidance at the start of the year, introducing me to many Old Collegians at events and reunions, was greatly appreciated. We are delighted that Zoe Merrick (OC 2014) has now taken on the role of OCA President.
Congratulations to our Year 10 Ethics Aqua team, who won silver at the South Island Ethics Olympiad and will now progress through to the International Ethics Olympiad Finals online in February 2026. Well done also to our Year 10 White team, who finished fourth. Special thanks to Ellen Hampson, our hugely enthusiastic and passionate Teacher in Charge of our Academic Extension and Enrichment (ACEE) programmes, for her leadership.
Character development is a key focus of our educational offering at St Andrew’s. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award programme is key part of this, and this year we have seen 22 students complete their Gold Award, while all Year 10 students have worked towards their Bronze Awards. This week marked the final rotations of the Year 10 Bronze Award overnight camp, alongside Te Waka Solo reflections. It was inspiring to hear how successfully our Year 10 students have stepped up to meet these challenges. Looking ahead to 2026, at least half of these students will continue to pursue their Silver Awards., which is a valuable achievement for university entrance and future career pathways.
As the Christmas season approaches, it was wonderful to attend this week’s Preparatory School Chapel Service led by students from Class 8T. Their creative leadership included a fun video they made telling the story of the first Christian service in Aotearoa/New Zealand in 1814 by Samuel Marsden. Well done to these Year 8 students for their initiative and creative service.
Finally, I look forward to seeing many of you this evening at our annual Prizegiving at Wolfbrook Arena. This will be a special occasion to celebrate the achievements of our dedicated students and staff, and to reflect on a memorable year together.
Ngā mihi
Mark Wilson
Rector
Last Friday, the Ladies’ Circle, a monthly friendship group for women with past connections to the College, gathered for their annual Christmas Service and luncheon. The day began with a special service in the Centennial Chapel, featuring a soloist and musical items that created a festive and uplifting atmosphere.
Following the service, 80 members enjoyed a beautifully prepared lunch in the Strowan House dining room, thanks to our talented catering team. The Ladies’ Circle continues to raise funds for the College and support charitable causes, while fostering friendship and community. New members are warmly invited to join this vibrant group.
Flickr >Over the past three weeks, all Year 10 students have completed significant milestones through the Te Waka and Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award programmes. This included their Bronze Adventurous Journey and the overnight Solo challenge, both designed to foster resilience, leadership, and personal growth.
The team at Castle Hill supported more than 45 groups on overnight hikes, where students planned their routes, menus, and equipment, and demonstrated navigation skills, campcraft, and teamwork while adapting to challenging spring weather.
The Solo experience, a key component of the Rite Journey/Te Waka programme, encouraged students to spend time alone without technology, set up their own bivvy, and reflect deeply on their personal development. Despite some uncooperative weather, students embraced the opportunity for introspection, assessing their growth, identifying areas for improvement, and setting goals for becoming responsible, compassionate young adults.
Last weekend, the full prefect team, along with Head of Senior College John Ruge, Senior College Administrator Jocelyn Simmons, and Year 12 Dean Lucy Curtis, headed to Kura Tāwhiti/Castle Hill for an overnight camp.
The purpose of the trip was to bond as a team, explore leadership styles, and begin planning for 2026. Students discussed reputation, teamwork, and individual strengths, and enjoyed a challenging Cave Stream activity, which required balancing a log with candles alight throughout the cave, a highlight for many.
Before departure, Jo Parsons, Operations Manager at Castle Hill, spoke to the group, reminiscing that this cohort was the first Year 9 camp she hosted when she began her role in 2022.
Last Thursday evening, Year 7 students swapped their school shoes for dancing boots and at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve for an unforgettable Barn Dance. With 90 enthusiastic students in attendance, the evening was filled with laughter, lively music, and plenty of energy. From classic line dances to spirited group routines, everyone joined in the fun. Thank you to all who helped make this event possible, it was a fantastic way to bring our Year 7 cohort together and celebrate the year.
Flickr >
On Sunday, the Preparatory School held its annual Advent Service, complete with a manger scene featuring a real baby and donkey alongside Mary, Joseph, shepherds, and angels. Religious Education Teacher Bridget Roth spoke about the importance of love connecting humanity with the divine. The Junior Choir sang Come and Join the Celebration, and Preparatory School Principal Jonathan Bierwirth lit the Christ Candle. The service concluded with Cantare Choir lifting the roof with their beautiful descant voices in Once in Royal David’s City. Generous Christmas gifts donated by our community will be delivered to children in need through the Christchurch City Mission.
On Monday, the Junior Department gathered in the Centennial Chapel for their annual Christmas Celebration and Year 3 Graduation. Guests enjoyed a delightful programme of festive music, with each class showcasing their talents.
Year 3 students received graduation certificates, accompanied by sincere reflections. Two special Leavers’ Awards were presented to departing Principal Jonathan Bierwirth, and teacher Caroline Gardiner, in recognition of their outstanding contributions and unwavering support of the Junior Department.
Flickr >
Year 5 students enjoyed two exciting days at Living Springs Camp, starting with a visit to the farm park to feed animals and study the fascinating water creatures in the stream. Activities included archery, bouldering, initiatives, and swimming, all fuelled by delicious meals. A highlight for the children was riding the monorail and exploring the open spaces. Thank you to all our amazing parents whose support made the camp a great success.
Flickr >On Wednesday afternoon, the Preparatory School Orchestra, conducted by Music Teacher Ros Emeleus, performed in the Stewart Junior Centre for Pre-school and Junior School children. The short programme featured two Christmas carols and a piece written for the orchestra by Ms Emeleus' father, John Emeleus. The young audience loved seeing the instruments up close and listening to the festive music.
Last Friday, the Pre-school farewelled Principal of Preparatory School, Jonathan Bierwirth, with a golf-themed party. Jonathan wore the Pre-school’s special farewell Korowai and was presented with a Leavers’ certificate, a special farewell book created by the children, and a hand-painted plate featuring the Pre-school playground.
Flickr >
Our Middle School Ethics Olympiad teams achieved outstanding results at the recent regional competition, placing second and fourth overall. The second-placed team has qualified to represent New Zealand at the International Final in February 2026.
The Ethics Olympiad, based on the successful Ethics Bowl in the USA, is a collaborative competition where students explore real-world ethical issues and defend the stance they believe is most ethically sound. Success is measured through clarity of reasoning, respectful dialogue, and the ability to think critically and creatively about complex challenges. Participation fosters ethical awareness, empathy, intellectual humility, civil discourse, and an appreciation of diverse perspectives, all essential skills for life in an interconnected world.
Charlotte Galvan (Year 12) has been selected for the Netball New Zealand National Development Squad.
Last Thursday and Friday, a group of Year 9–10 students represented St Andrew’s at the NZSS South Island 3x3 Basketball Tournament in Rolleston. With teams in all three grades, it was a fantastic opportunity for our younger players to experience this fast-paced sport in a competitive setting.
The Junior Boys’ Blue team finished second, while the Junior Boys’ White and Junior Girls’ teams both placed fifth
Flickr >Our Junior A Boys’ and Girls’ teams competed at the South Island Secondary Schools Junior Volleyball Championships in Invercargill last week. Both teams enjoyed three days of competitive volleyball and team bonding.
The Junior Girls had an impressive run, winning three tight matches on day one to secure a place in the top eight. They pushed their quarterfinal to three sets and, despite a narrow loss, finished strongly in sixth place.
The Junior Boys showed resilience after a tough start, bouncing back with a 2–0 win on day two and finishing the tournament with plenty of positives to build on. Beyond the volleyball, both teams enjoyed exploring Invercargill, including a trip to Bluff.
The Years 9–10 Junior Boys’ water polo team delivered an impressive performance at the South Island Cup last week, competing in six hard-fought matches.
Results:
· Wins: Shirley Boys’ High School, St Bede’s College Juniors, Christchurch Boys’ High Junior B;
· Losses: Marlborough Boys’ College, King’s High School Junior A, Shirley Boys’ High School (rematch);
· Goals: 61 scored, 70 conceded.
The team reached the bronze medal match, narrowly missing third place after a tense penalty shootout, finishing fourth overall. Louis O’Neill (Year 10) was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament, in recognition of his leadership and skill throughout the event.
At the Canterbury Secondary Schools Touch Championships, our Mixed Touch team recorded wins against Lincoln High School and Mount Hutt College and drew with Rolleston College in pool play. They progressed to the final against Rolleston, which ended 8–8 at full time. After multiple player reductions and a golden point scenario, Rolleston scored to take the win. Despite the narrow loss, the team was proud of their development and looks forward to the NZSS Tournament in Rotorua in mid-December.
On Sunday, two teams competed in the Canterbury Junior Theatresports Competition heats at the Court Theatre, delivering creative and hilarious performances across multiple challenges.
Team One of Saskia Fifield-Kraal, Boh Harris (both Year 10), Kangwoo Moon and Ethan Waines (both Year 9) had games of Poem, where players improvised a rhyming poem, Typewriter, and Time Jump, which moved between past, present, and future while incorporating a fairy godmother. The team finished second to Cashmere High School.
Team Two of Isabelle Cadman, Jakob Dana, Harrison Mugford (all Year 10) and Harry Sibson (Year 9) played Word at a Time, Film Review, and Yearbook, which included the challenge of featuring a pufferfish. Another highlight was a hilarious scene with the players acting as members of an exotic foods club. This team also finished second, with Christchurch Girls’ High School winning their heat.
Thank you to Sam Bowden Cooke (OC 2020) for coaching the teams, and to William Sherborne (Year 13) for his support and Friday training sessions.
On Saturday, the 1st XI played Shirley Boys’ High School at Burwood Park. Winning the toss and electing to bowl had immediate results with early wickets falling, but Shirley hung on and made 145 on a challenging wicket. St Andrew’s lost two quick wickets, but Jack O’Rourke (Year 13) and Spencer Hair (Year 12) put on a good partnership of 82 and chased the target with five wickets down.
Other key performances:
Tomorrow, the 2nd XI will play Christ’s College at CC2 for the 1st XI One Day Cup final.
Heidi Smith (Year 11) won the Senior division of the Waitaha English Writing Competition 2025.
Several students participated in The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition (QCEC), the world’s oldest international writing competition for schools, organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society since 1883. It aims to give young people across the Commonwealth a platform to express their ideas, hopes, and perspectives through creative writing and attracts entries from over 50 Commonwealth nations (in 2025, 53,434 entries from 54 countries).
Outstanding examination results this year have led to several students being nominated for prestigious Speech New Zealand scholarships:
Jacob Wang (Year 8) received a Gold Award in the American Mathematics Olympiad (AMO) Grade 7, placing first in New Zealand and eighth globally.
Twenty Preparatory School athletes competed at the CPSSA Athletics at Ngā Puna Wai, showing determination in hot and windy conditions.
Highlights:
Preparatory School Results > Full Event Results >
On Monday and Tuesday, the Preparatory 1st XI competed in the two-day CJCA Cricket Festival at Hagley Park, playing four thrilling 12/12 matches, with two additional games unfortunately cancelled due to rain. The team played some excellent cricket, securing wins against Medbury School, Kirkwood Intermediate, and Christchurch South Intermediate. Their only loss came in a low scoring game against unbeaten Hillview School.
Elina Wang (Year 8) has completed her 30th Science Badge, earning the Platinum Star Badge. She is one of only nine students in New Zealand to reach this level this year and will have her photo displayed on the Science Award Trust Honours Board.
Last weekend, Liam Botha (Year 4) competed at the Swimming Canterbury West Coast Junior Championships in the Boys’ Aged 10 and Under events, achieving the following results:
ChlöeAnn Botha (Year 7) competed at the XP Gymnastics Nationals in Auckland, achieving a proficiency score of 52.133.
In addition to the five students previously reported, Alessandria Greer (Year 6) has also been named in the Canterbury U12 touch team.
On Monday 24 November, golfers Leo Carter (OC 2012, winner of the 2025 St Andrew's College Golf Tournament), Michael Davidson (OC 2010), Henry Shipley (OC 2014), and Myran Moore (OC 2012) braved the cold at Christchurch Golf Club and put in a fantastic effort at the Strowan Rose Bowl Tournament.
Michael claimed the Longest Drive and finished second in the Individual Stableford, just ahead of Leo in third. The team placed third overall, behind Christ’s College and St Bede’s College.
This annual event brings together alumni teams from across the South Island to compete for the coveted trophy. Established in 1967 by St Andrew’s College, the tournament was first won by Xavier College and continues to be a highlight on the Old Collegians sporting calendar.
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)
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.
