Testing time for students

Years 12–13 students are officially on study leave. Their examinations are under way and we wish the boys all the best for ending the year well. Teachers have been available this last week during normal timetable periods for any assistance. While they will continue to be available to help, students need to contact teachers to arrange a specific time.

Here are some key points to remember.

• If boys have any issues, such as illness or emergencies, on the day of their exams, they must contact Dr Aitken as the Principal’s Nominee immediately. He will advise the student on the correct course of action.
• Boys must take their exam slip for every exam. (Scholarship exams also require photo ID.)
• Boys must have their NZQA login to access digital examinations and results.
• Boys need to read the NZQA rules and regulations provided – and available on Schoolbox – should they be unsure about anything, or reach out to a supervisor or Dr Aitken. 

Year 11 Prep exam dates

Year 11 Prep exams will be held from Wednesday 20 November–Wednesday 27 November. From the end of day on Tuesday 19 November, Year 11 students will effectively be on ‘study leave’ for six days while completing their exams. It is important that boys study and prepare for their exams so that they can see the results of a year of hard work and focus, in order to achieve the best outcomes. When they return to school on Thursday 28 November, they will receive feedback on their results, and have the opportunity to ask questions. 

Five golden rules for sideline supporters

At Christ’s College, we believe that sports are about more than just winning. They are about fostering growth, building friendships, and developing a lifelong love for physical activity. In line with the ‘Balance is Better’ philosophy promoted by New Zealand Secondary Schools Sport, we encourage all supporters to keep these principles in mind when cheering from the sidelines.

Here are the five golden rules for being a great sideline supporter:

1. Fun with friends comes first
Sport is most enjoyable when the focus is on fun, not just competition. Encourage the boys to build lasting friendships and enjoy the game. Winning is great, but having fun with teammates should always come first.

2. It’s their time, let them shine
This is the boys’ moment to enjoy and showcase their skills. Avoid offering advice or criticism from the sideline and let them make their own decisions on the field. Trust the coaches and give the boys the space to shine.

3. Applaud effort over outcome
Effort is what counts. Whether it is a win, loss, or draw, celebrating the boys’ hard work and dedication is key. Applauding effort over results helps them stay motivated, grow, and develop a positive attitude towards sport.

4. Be a good sport, too
Just like the players, supporters should practise good sportsmanship. Respect referees, coaches, and the opposing team, regardless of the game’s outcome. A positive attitude on the sidelines sets an example for the boys to follow.

5. Love watching them play
Above all, enjoy the opportunity to watch your son and his teammates play. Show your support by being present, positive, and proud of their efforts, whether they are on the field or cheering from the bench.

By following these ‘Balance is Better’ guidelines, we can ensure that all our boys have a positive, enjoyable, and enriching experience in sport. Let us continue to champion the Christ’s College spirit by supporting our athletes with enthusiasm, respect, and encouragement.

da Vinci Decathlon at College

For its third year in New Zealand, Christ’s College will host the da Vinci Decathlon in Term 2, 2025. It is a fast-paced, collaborative and creative academic competition across varied disciplines ranging from poetry to engineering, and art to science. A good team is made up of diverse abilities, so we will need a range of talents to succeed. We will enter College teams in Years 9–11.

You can find the competition details here. Boys need to check the school notices for the sign-up sheet.

Textbook returns and holiday book borrowing

With senior students on exam leave, it is timely to remind everyone that boys must return all textbooks and English Department books before the summer holidays. Families will be charged for any books that are not returned by the start of the holidays so that replacements can be ordered for the new school year. 

Seniors have received emails listing any books that have been issued. Junior students will find their own lists in their inboxes in week 6. Parents and caregivers also receive these emails so that you can follow up with your children and ensure there are no surprise book charges. Please check your spam folder in case these emails end up there.

Students who are returning to College can borrow regular library books for the summer holidays. They must ensure that the book has a 2025 due date. Library books will also be listed in the email that summarises all items issued to students. If a student wants to keep a library book for the summer and it is due before then, he can email the library staff and we will extend the due date.

A window on meaningful connections for the Murray family

Tēnā koutou katoa.

Peace to you all in the name of God.

A few weeks ago, the College community gathered to dedicate the Wilson Murray Memorial Window in our Chapel. 

From the outset, Laura and Leicester Murray wanted to not only  honour the memory of their son, Wilson, who died in a road accident in 2022, but also give glory to God. 

The grief of the family’s loss will continue. However, in this beautiful window, the hope and light of Christ – in even the darkest moments – will shine for generations to come.

You can find an explanation of the window’s design and symbolism here. You can also watch a news story detailing the moving and inspiring story of the Murray family’s restoration of St Oswald’s Memorial Church, north of Kaikōura, and discover the site’s importance to multiple generations. 

I invite all members of the College family to make time to come and meet St Oswald, the saints of every age, and indeed Christ, who has promised his presence where two or more gather in his name.

Yours in Christ,

The Rev'd Canon Cameron Pickering

Round Square experiences and exchanges

Recently, three Year 13 students have spoken at Assembly about their life-changing experiences at the Round Square International Conference in Colombia, South America. We are finding that more boys are keen to get involved in Round Square and make the most of any opportunities. Having listened to students throughout the year describing their exchanges and service projects, many boys have attended our Round Square information session to find out more. We will continue to share information on school exchanges, service projects, conferences, and Round Square committees.

Junior Round Square Week

We are celebrating Junior Round Square Week, with the junior committee organising events and activities that not only showcase our international students and internationalisation, but the full range of the Round Square IDEALS. The busy week includes an international Chapel service, Tuck Shop takeover, poster-making competition, special Assembly, and Kahoot! Quiz. It will wrap up with a non-uniform day and an action-packed Round Square race.

Uniform Shop hours – Term 1 2025

The Uniform Shop is open one week before Term 1 starts, Monday–Friday, 10am–4pm

From Monday 20 January–Monday 3 February
Monday 10am–4pm
Tuesday 10am–4pm
Wednesday 10am–4pm
Thursday 10am–4pm
Friday 10am–4pm

From Tuesday 4 February and the rest of Term 1
Monday 10am–4pm
Tuesday 10.30am–4pm
Wednesday 10am–4pm

The first week of every term, the Uniform Shop will be open for two extra days:
Thursday 10am–4pm
Friday 10am–4pm

For any urgent enquiries, please email uniformshop@christscollege.com.

2025 stationery

Years 10–13 stationery lists can be accessed via this link, with parents able to make their own purchases. Orders are placed through OfficeMax.

Looking for a Christmas gift?

Get on board with the Ōtautahi Christchurch edition of Monopoly, with players able to roll the dice and move onto the Christ’s College-themed green square. A perfect Christmas gift, Monopoly Ōtautahi Christchurch is available from the Uniform Shop for $79.99.

CHRIST'S COLLEGE & CCOBA EVENTS

UPCOMING CAREERS DATES

Finding Your Pathway – Year 11

College will hold a four-day, career-focused Finding Your Pathway programme for Year 11 students in the last two weeks of Term 4. It will include visits to Lincoln University, Ara, and industry sites. Boys will also hear from guest speakers at College. It is a great way to end our Diploma programme, in readiness for Year 12.

School Leavers' Tool Kit

For information on financial support for tertiary education, moving out of home, taking care of yourself and others, or getting a job, please click here.

Updated Scholarships Guide for 2024–2025

MoneyHub has updated its comprehensive Scholarship Guide for university, tailored for school leavers in 2024. It offers the most complete listing of Year 13 scholarships available in New Zealand and may be useful for current Year 12 boys.

Talking to teens about careers

It is good to take the time to talk to your teenagers about potential careers. You can find out more here to help guide your sons on their post-College journey.

Generation Z and the world of work

It may be timely to talk to your children about our changing work world. You can find out more here about how best to prepare. 

StudyLink – student loans and allowances

Year 13 boys should have already applied – through StudyLink – for a student loan or allowance. As this can take time, it is best to apply now so that they have access to funds in February.

Exam preparation

Check out the NCEA resources to help boys attain the best grades and prepare for upcoming exams.

Student Jobs Guide

For those looking for a summer job, MoneyHub has produced a Student Jobs Guide, with tips on how to make an application and where to look for work.

Job-related guides for students

Find out below how to prepare a CV and cover letter, along with trying a few interview practice questions.

• Student CV template
• Student job cover letter
• Student job interview practice questions

Defensive driving courses

Fusion Driver Education are running defensive driving courses for Year 12 and 13 students from November to December. Click here for me details.

University of Otago

Liaison officers from the University of Otago plan to visit Christchurch the week after exams have finished to assist prospective students with any course planning needs.

They will base themselves at the Christchurch Medical School and be available from Monday 2 December – Wednesday 4 December. Appointments can be made by clicking here.

Year 13 Leavers – 2024

Below are the statistics in November 2024 for boys leaving at the end of the year. In all 92% intend to study at tertiary institutions in 2024 and 8% intend to work or do a GAP year.

The following percentages apply to those who are attending tertiary institutions in 2024 and their intended place of study.

• 42%  University of Canterbury
• 21%  University of Otago
• 10%   Lincoln University
• 10%   Victoria University
• 9%. Overseas Universities   
• 4%  University of Auckland
• 4% Ara Institute of Technology

Of the 2024 leavers attending tertiary institutions in 2025, the following percentages indicate the intended areas of study.

• 27%  Commerce  / Commerce & Law
• 17%  Science / Science & Law
• 13%  Health Sciences
• 12%  Arts / Arts & Law
• 10%  Engineering
• 8%  Sport / Sport Management / Recreation
• 2%  Architecture
• 2%  Music
• 2%  Surveying
• 2%  Property Management / Building Science
• 2%  Aviation / Aeronautical Engineering
• 1%  Agriculture
• 1%  Digital Screen
• 1%  Automotive

UPCOMING CAREERS DATES

Finding Your Pathway – Year 11

College will hold a four-day, career-focused Finding Your Pathway programme for Year 11 students in the last two weeks of Term 4. It will include visits to Lincoln University, Ara, and industry sites. Boys will also hear from guest speakers at College. It is a great way to end our Diploma programme, in readiness for Year 12.

School Leavers' Tool Kit

For information on financial support for tertiary education, moving out of home, taking care of yourself and others, or getting a job, please click here.

Updated Scholarships Guide for 2024–2025

MoneyHub has updated its comprehensive Scholarship Guide for university, tailored for school leavers in 2024. It offers the most complete listing of Year 13 scholarships available in New Zealand and may be useful for current Year 12 boys.

Talking to teens about careers

It is good to take the time to talk to your teenagers about potential careers. You can find out more here to help guide your sons on their post-College journey.

Generation Z and the world of work

It may be timely to talk to your children about our changing work world. You can find out more here about how best to prepare. 

StudyLink – student loans and allowances

Year 13 boys should have already applied – through StudyLink – for a student loan or allowance. As this can take time, it is best to apply now so that they have access to funds in February.

Exam preparation

Check out the NCEA resources to help boys attain the best grades and prepare for upcoming exams.

Student Jobs Guide

For those looking for a summer job, MoneyHub has produced a Student Jobs Guide, with tips on how to make an application and where to look for work.

Job-related guides for students

Find out below how to prepare a CV and cover letter, along with trying a few interview practice questions.

• Student CV template
• Student job cover letter
• Student job interview practice questions

Defensive driving courses

Fusion Driver Education are running defensive driving courses for Year 12 and 13 students from November to December. Click here for me details.

University of Otago

Liaison officers from the University of Otago plan to visit Christchurch the week after exams have finished to assist prospective students with any course planning needs.

They will base themselves at the Christchurch Medical School and be available from Monday 2 December – Wednesday 4 December. Appointments can be made by clicking here.

Year 13 Leavers – 2024

Below are the statistics in November 2024 for boys leaving at the end of the year. In all 92% intend to study at tertiary institutions in 2024 and 8% intend to work or do a GAP year.

The following percentages apply to those who are attending tertiary institutions in 2024 and their intended place of study.

• 42%  University of Canterbury
• 21%  University of Otago
• 10%   Lincoln University
• 10%   Victoria University
• 9%. Overseas Universities   
• 4%  University of Auckland
• 4% Ara Institute of Technology

Of the 2024 leavers attending tertiary institutions in 2025, the following percentages indicate the intended areas of study.

• 27%  Commerce  / Commerce & Law
• 17%  Science / Science & Law
• 13%  Health Sciences
• 12%  Arts / Arts & Law
• 10%  Engineering
• 8%  Sport / Sport Management / Recreation
• 2%  Architecture
• 2%  Music
• 2%  Surveying
• 2%  Property Management / Building Science
• 2%  Aviation / Aeronautical Engineering
• 1%  Agriculture
• 1%  Digital Screen
• 1%  Automotive

North Town/South Town – 1909–1924 archives

If you are a dayboy, do you live north or south of Gloucester Street? 

In 1909, this territorial distinction became the deciding factor on whether you were ‘North Town’ or ‘South Town’, when dayboys became part of the House system at Christ’s College.ⁱ

In the book College!, Don Hamilton states that, in 1909, the dayboys numbered 134, the most there had ever been. There were 109 boarders. The then Headmaster, the Rev’d CH Moreland, divided the day boys into two proper Houses, each with its own Housemaster. J Monteath became Housemaster of North Town and E Jenkins of South Town. They were also provided with a decent changing room in Hogg’s house (Condell’s). Lockers and accommodation for bicycles were provided elsewhere.

Moreland insisted that the numbers of dayboy and border school prefects were roughly equal. The dayboys could now have improved pastoral care and greater all-round equality with boarders.

With four Houses, the interhouse competition became possible. These Houses were ‘Bussites’, which was Flower’s House on the Jacobs/Richards site, and ‘Bournites’, (Moreland’s or later, School House), North Town, and South Town. Soon, the Houses were competing in cricket, rugby (aka football), running, and swimming relays.ⁱⁱ

The first student to be recorded in the School List as being in North Town was Robert Tazewell Newton (2024), from Amberley, who attended College from 1901–1910. Christopher Carrington (2081), from Christchurch, was the first South Town student to be listed, attending from 1903–1909. ⁱⁱⁱ

In 1924, North Town was renamed Julius, while South Town became Harper. This shift marked a departure from the previous geographical decider, as the Headmaster (EC Crosse) was now responsible for admitting boys into the Houses at his discretion to maintain balanced numbers.^iv

Call for missing photos

As we get ready to open the Museum for the 175th anniversary, and go through the digitisation project, it is an opportunity to assess what may be missing from our mostly comprehensive photo collections. There may be regular requests as we endeavour to complete our collections, so please watch this space. 

There are gaps in the archives in the yearly photo collections for North Town and South Town. Those gaps include South Town – 1909–1920, and North Town – 1909–1922.

We are also seeking photos of 1st XV rugby – 1941–1944. 

If anyone has any of these, or knows where we can obtain a copy, please contact Anne in the archives at anne.gabrielsson@christscollege.com.

ⁱ Wells, R & Hamilton, D 1991, The Buildings of Christ’s College. Christchurch, Caxton Press 1850–1990 pg. 34
ⁱⁱ Hamilton, D 1996, College! Christchurch. Christ’s College Board of Governors pg. 236
ⁱⁱⁱ Christ’s College Old Boys’ Association (Inc.) Editing Committee. The School List of Christ’s College from 1850–1950. Christchurch, Whitcombe & Tombs Limited pg.105, 108
^iv Christ’s College Old Boys’ Association (Inc.) Editing Committee. The School List of Christ’s College from 1850–1950. Christchurch, Whitcombe & Tombs Limited pg. 627