Upcoming events reminder

Christ’s College Swimming Championships – Monday 16 February

The Christ’s College Swimming Championships will be held on Monday 16 February at the Christ’s College pool. You can see the routine for the day here.

Athletics Day – Thursday 26 February

A reminder Athletics Day will be held at Ngā Puna Wai on Thursday 26 February. The action gets under way at 9am and concludes at 3.35pm. Further details will be emailed to College families over the next week.

Electric Avenue – Friday 27 February–Saturday 28 February 

With the Electric Avenue music festival being held over two days in North Hagley Park and the high numbers expected to attend, there will be changes to the routines for boarders and dayboys.

As many families will be aware, the disruption to the boarding houses is significant. As a consequence, we have decided to close Flower’s House, and School House. While boarders will be able to stay in Richards House over the two days, we strongly encourage families to take their boys home or move them to a friend’s house. We have found that the restrictions on our students’ access to the campus and the impact on their sleep during Electric Avenue have been significant.

We are changing the routine for Friday 27 February, with all boys finishing school at 1pm.

If boys want to move to Richards House for the weekend, parents need to notify Deputy Headmaster Student Care – Ben Vink via an email to Gill Blackler at gill.blackler@christscollege.com. Further details will be sent to parents. 

Save the dates and learn more

Welcome to all our students as we prepare for another busy and sometimes challenging year. Based on our strong academic results in 2025, we are looking forward to another year of achievement across the year levels. It is wonderful to see so many boys already engaged in school life and our classrooms in action.

Just a reminder that Year 9 parents and new parents from other year groups are invited to meet their sons’ teachers at an informal gathering, followed by drinks and canapés hosted by the Christ’s College Parents’ Association, on Thursday 5 March from 5.30–8pm, in the Assembly Hall (meet teachers) and the Chapman Room. Please register here.

Our Year 10 families are also invited to learn more about the Immerse & Inspire and Diploma programmes on Monday 16 March, from 6–7pm in the Chapman Room. Please register here. While our NCEA Information Evening for parents of Years 12–13 students will be held on Monday 23 February, from 6–7pm in the Chapman Room. Please register here.

Going into bat for a singing school

Tēnā koutou katoa.

Peace to you all in the name of God.

Dearly beloved, welcome back to In Black & White for 2026. After another damp January, and a somewhat lopsided Ashes series, one is tempted to echo the old hymn, Tis good, Lord, to be here.

Parents and Old Boys will know that one of the first rites of the new year is the vocal testing of all Year 9 boys for the Chapel Choir. I’m not sure this practice is unique to Christ’s College, but it is certainly distinctive. Why we persist with this, when the guitar-led singalongs of primary school are largely a thing of the past (does anyone in 2026 have any idea of the inventory, strange as it was, of The Quartermaster’s Store?) is both obvious and not.

We are deliberate in our emphasis on choral worship within the Anglican tradition. We could, of course, follow others and move to a lead vocalist, guitar, and drum kit. However, pull that thread and much else begins to fray: the House Music Festival, House Plays, school-wide waiata at mihi, and the broader culture of participation in the arts.

We have been, and will be again in 2026, a singing school. If someone has a better way of ensuring that, let them speak – otherwise, let us get on with what we do.

One new Year 9 came into auditions unsure he could sing, with no choir experience. In fact, he had pitch and tone we could use. When invited to join, he declined – no one is press-ganged.

As he left, I thought, ‘what a loss’. Then I asked, “Do you play cricket?”

“Yes,” he replied.

“Well,” I said, “there’s still a very good chance we’ll get along.”

I extend a warm invitation to parents, caregivers, and supporters – familiar and new to our community – to our first Sunday Chapel Service (Choral Evensong) on Sunday 15 February at 7pm.

God keep you safe,
Cameron

You are invited to join the Parents’ Association

We invite new parents and those who have been part of our community for a few years to join the Christ’s College Parents’ Association (CCPA). It is a wonderful way to meet other parents and build community connections while also supporting the school by hosting events, including the Parents’ Association House Music Festival and The Pink Lunch.

We also host Mid-Winter Drinks on the last Friday of Term 2 in the Dining Hall while the incredibly popular Pink Lunch welcomes College mothers and often grandmothers.

We would love to welcome you to our association. Just come along to one of our meetings to discover more about what is coming up and how you can get involved. It is a great way to make some special friendships while your son makes the most of his time at College.

You can find our CCPA meeting dates here.

You can also learn more about our highly enjoyable events here.

If you have any questions or want to get involved, please contact Jane Elworthy at ccpa@christscollege.com.

Academic challenges open to students

College offers a wealth of opportunities for boys to extend themselves, discover new passions, and connect with like-minded peers. We have a flurry of events, competitions, and groups beginning this term. I encourage all students – including our Year 9 boys – to try something new.

EPro8 Challenge

A favourite of the mechanically inclined students in both the senior and junior school is the EPro8 Challenge. A fast-paced engineering competition, EPro8 tests students’ ability to problem solve under pressure as a team. Registrations are now open via Schoolbox notices.

Da Vinci Decathlon

The da Vinci Decathlon returns to Christ’s College for its fourth year in New Zealand in May. This creative and collaborative competition for Years 9–11 students has grown from a handful of schools to now being held over two days. Registrations will open shortly via Schoolbox notices.

Ethics Olympiad

For students in Years 11–13, registrations for the Ethics Olympiad are now open via Schoolbox notices. The Ethics Olympiad promotes critical thinking and respectful dialogue regarding the moral ambiguities around contentious contemporary issues. Cases this year include resurrecting loved ones with the use of AI and streaming services exploiting tragedy for monetary gain. 

STAR courses

STAR courses are offered by the University of Canterbury for Years 12–13 students. The STAR programme offers capable senior students the opportunity to enrol in first-year degree-level courses while still at school. Enrolments open soon. Boys can attend one of the information sessions or email ebracken@christscollege.com for further details. 

Brain Bee Challenge

If you fancy a trip to Australia to represent the South Island in a highly competitive battle of the minds, you are invited to take part in the prestigious Brain Bee Challenge. An international neuroscience competition for Year 11 students, the SI winner competes in Australia for the title of the New Zealand Brain Bee champion. From here, the national winner then lines up at the International Brain Bee Challenge overseas. Please email ebracken@christscollege.com with Brain Bee in the subject line so that we can register any interested students for the first round of the challenge and the chance to represent New Zealand.

Race Unity Speech Awards

Entries for the Race Unity Speech Awards are now open. Further information about this year’s awards can be found on the site.

Please monitor Students Notices on Schoolbox for further opportunities.

Connecting with new students

Three international students – Tunt Lekvichai, Neh Rajtborirak, and Max Zhao – have joined our College community this year. 

As many boys consider their future pathways, the importance of having international connections – at school and beyond the gates – cannot be understated. They open the door to many opportunities and a greater understanding of our world. Both Tunt and Neh are from Thailand, while Max joins us from China.

For new arrivals, College can be daunting and the challenges confronting, so we encourage our boys to step up and make Tunt, Neh, and Max feel right at home. If your son can take the time to include our new boys in their school activities or invite one of the boys home for a night or the weekend, it will make a real difference.

For international students, the Kiwi way can be a culture shock as they experience a range of emotions and navigate a vastly different way of life while also developing their English language skills. While our unique House structure and comprehensive pastoral care system play significant roles in supporting our new students, it is the boys who make it positive and fun to be part of our College community. The boys soon realise that they get so much in return when they make an effort to support a new student.

We know that each boy will play his part.

Changes to library book overdue emails

Reading is a regular part of College life and we expect our junior students, in particular, to always have a book of their choice with them. With that may come some ‘overdue book’ emails to boys and families. We have heard from parents that being included in those automated emails is helpful, but only to a point, and that sometimes it feels like they are being bombarded. Thanks to some software updates, we are now able to reduce the number of library emails that parents receive.

What are the changes? The first few reminder emails will now only go to the student. The parent/caregiver will only be contacted once a book is overdue by three weeks. They will get a second and final email if the item has still not been returned after four weeks. Once an item is more than a month overdue, we start the replacement process, and the replacement cost is added to the next fee statement. 

Once again, from the top

We have had a fantastic week welcoming back boys and meeting our wonderful Year 9 cohort at the Music School. On Tuesday morning, we voice tested all the Year 9 boys. The boys approached this experience with confidence and enthusiasm. Many thanks to Peter de Blois and Shelley Spang for their hard work, listening to so many voices, as well as to the other staff supporting the logistics. Based on what we have heard, we have invited a large group to join the choir in what promises to be a year of exploring choral excellence.

On Thursday, we also had the co-curricular expo where boys had the opportunity to learn about musical, cultural, and sporting opportunities. If any boys have been unable to attend the expo, all is not lost. Students can drop into the Music Centre at lunchtime or email the Director of Music at hugo.zanker@christscollege.com to find out more about our College musical groups.

First rehearsals for the College Orchestra, rock bands, chamber groups, the Big Band, and the jazz combo are being organised, so boys need to check their emails and Schoolbox as staff will be in touch very soon. Boys also need to organise any of their music lessons at school so that these are confirmed in their programmes.

If you have any questions about the programme at the Christ’s College Music School, please contact me.

Medical record updates

As we welcome students back to school, we would like to extend a warm greeting from the Christ’s College Health Centre.

If your child has experienced any changes in his health during the holidays – such as new medications, recent illnesses or injuries, allergies, or ongoing medical concerns – please let us know so that we can ensure his medical records are up to date and we can provide appropriate care while your son is at College.

You can contact us directly at healthcentre@christscollege.com or update the online Health Centre form here.

Show your support

College families can choose from an array of supporters’ gear to wear to upcoming sports events, including the action-packed rowing season. From scarves and jerseys to caps and beanies, and bucket hats, you can show your support for Christ’s College and the team by donning our special gear. Please call in to our Uniform Shop on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10am–4pm, and on Tuesdays from 10.30am–4pm to view the range of supporters’ gear or to pick up any College uniform items. Please email the Uniform Shop Manager at uniformshop@christscollege.com if you have any questions or requests.

CHRIST'S COLLEGE & CCOBA EVENTS

Building the College gates 

When walking through the iconic arched gateways into College, it is timely to reflect on their origins. These long-standing pillars have witnessed the arrival and departure of many generations.

Have you ever wondered how old they are or who designed and built the gates?

Recently, the College Archivist had a call from a family member whose father built the striking school gates. As their father aged, they understood that the gathering of stories and memories was even more important. The man responsible for the gates, Alec Jackson, kindly shared his memories of the day he built the impressive entranceway to College. Renowned for his concrete work, Alec was commissioned – alongside Lionel Oram – to bring the design of Old Boy and architect Paul Pascoe (3443) to life. Built in 1969, the gates were delivered by an anonymous donor, who provided funding. In the photo, budding College photographer John Eastcott (7674) captured the archways soon after their completion.

It was wonderful to welcome Beryl Karena, the daughter of Alec, to College for a visit and we appreciate all the new information she and her father provided for the Archives. Alec recalled building the complex shapes that required the creation of plywood moulds in his garage at home, and ramps to cart the concrete into position. Boxing was built on-site, along with bespoke supports to hold everything in place. Copper pipes were installed for the lighting and the two men put in a very long, hot day to continuously smooth the concrete until it had dried.¹

Looking through the College records, we learnt that these arches were the more prudent solution following a previously proposed and exceedingly expensive gateway block and some earlier spending in the 1960s.² The old gates were re-erected at the entrance to the Christ’s College Cricket Ground.³

¹ Interview with Beryl Karena and Alec Jackson, 26 January 2026
² Hamilton, D College! 1996, pg.523
³ Hamilton, D College! 1996, pg.594