Key facts
- School number531
- School typeSecondary · Years 7–15
- AuthorityState : Integrated
- GenderCo-Educational
- BoardingNo
- Language of instructionEnglish medium / other settings
- Established1 February 1868
About Catholic Cathedral College
Catholic Cathedral College is a state-integrated Catholic secondary school located in Christchurch, on Ferry Road near the corner of Barbadoes Street. Its Te Reo Māori name, Te Waka Whakapono ("the Faith Waka/Boat"), reflects the school's dual commitment to Catholic faith and Te Ao Māori, the Māori worldview.
The school sits within the takiwā of Ngāi Tūāhuriri, the primary hapū of Ngāi Tahu holding mana whenua over Christchurch City. The Ferry Road site has significance in Ngāi Tahu history as part of a network of travel routes connecting Māori settlements across the region.
The site's Catholic history dates to 1857, when the Crown allotted land there to Marist missionary priests to serve the Irish Catholic working-class community then settling in Christchurch. A chapel opened in 1860, followed by a gothic wooden Church of the Blessed Sacrament in 1864, and the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in 1905. The cathedral was closed following the 2010 Canterbury earthquake and further damaged in the February 2011 earthquake.
The school maintains a formal commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and integrates tikanga Māori practices into daily school life. These include karakia, hongi, whakapapa, and mihi whakatau for welcoming new students, staff, and visitors. The school's kowhaiwhai design is drawn from the traditional Ngaru pattern, incorporating a cross to represent the Catholic faith alongside the waka motif.
Enrolment
No enrolment scheme listedNo enrolment scheme is currently listed for Catholic Cathedral College in the available Ministry of Education data. Check the current Ministry of Education information or contact the school for the latest enrolment arrangements.
School donations
The Ministry of Education profile states that: "Donations should not be requested, unless for a school camp".
Check directly with the school for current charges, contributions or other costs. Learn more on the donations scheme or fees and charges at school, both on education.govt.nz.
Equity Index
The Ministry publishes this figure as a bare number — KuraData shows it against the directory-wide average, so you can see where Catholic Cathedral College actually sits, not just the number on its own.
The Equity Index estimates the socio-economic barriers students face, on average, and is used to inform government funding and support. It is not a measure of school quality or academic performance.
Higher values indicate a higher level of estimated socio-economic barriers; lower values indicate fewer. Learn how the Equity Index is calculated →
Student ethnicity
The Ministry publishes this as a raw table — here it's visualised directly against Catholic Cathedral College's own roll, so the shape of it is clear at a glance.
- European — 198 students (32.9%)
- Asian — 331 students (55%)
- Pacific — 97 students (16.1%)
- Māori — 68 students (11.3%)
- MELAA — 20 students (3.3%)
- Other — 8 students (1.3%)
- International — 1 students (0.2%)
Percentages may sum to more than 100% because students can identify with more than one ethnic group.
Further education in Christchurch
Explore tertiary providers based in Christchurch — not necessarily where Catholic Cathedral College's own students go on to study.
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University of Canterbury Universities
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Ara Institute of Canterbury Institutes of Technology & Polytechnics
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Hagley Community College YG Other Tertiary Education Providers
Location
- Street address62 Ferry Road
- SuburbPhillipstown
- CityChristchurch
- Local authorityChristchurch City
Official contact details
- ContactLee-Ann Nanai
- Phone03-9821690
- Emailadmin@cathcollege.school.nz
- Websitewww.cathcollege.school.nz
Nearby schools
Schools physically closest to Catholic Cathedral College, regardless of year level.
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Cashmere High School Secondary · Years 9–15 · 3.5 km
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Clearview Primary Full Primary · Years 1–8 · 22.7 km
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Methven Primary School Contributing · Years 1–6 · 81 km
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Ashburton Christian School Composite · Years 1–10 · 81.6 km
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Amuri Area School Composite · Years 1–15 · 86.8 km
Explore schools in Christchurch
Browse Christchurch schools by type, including primary, intermediate, secondary, composite and other schools.
Curriculum and Subjects
Catholic Cathedral College offers NCEA Levels 1, 2, and 3 across Years 11 to 13. Students in Years 11 to 13 also sit Derived Grade exams toward the end of Term 3, which mirror the format of the November external exams.
The following Level 3 subjects at the college meet University Entrance criteria:
- Art: Painting
- Art: Photography
- Biology
- Business Studies
- Chemistry
- Classics
- Design & Visual Communication
- Digital Technology
- Drama
- English
- Geography
- Health
- History
- Mathematics with Calculus
- Mathematics with Statistics
- Music
- Physics
- Physical Education
- Religious Education
- Food & Health Nutrition
The college also offers New Zealand Scholarship for Year 13 students. The refreshed Social Sciences learning area of the New Zealand Curriculum has been implemented at the college from 2023.
Learning support is provided through a Learning Enhancement and Support department, which covers students with learning differences, English Language Learners, and a Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) programme built on identification, enrichment, and acceleration.
Co-curricular Activities
The following named co-curricular activities are offered at Catholic Cathedral College:
- Kapa Haka
- Polyfest — an annual cultural showcase involving over 80 students
- Napaka Arts Festival — a celebration of Filipino language month featuring language, singing, dancing and public speaking
- Bishop Lyons Shield — an annual public speaking competition among Canterbury's seven Catholic Colleges, established in 1947, comprising impromptu speech, prepared speech, debating, scripture reading and religious questions
- Ngā Manu Kōrero — the Te Reo Māori secondary school speech competition, with students entering the Waitaha regional competition
- Debating
- School Production — staged every two years
Facilities
Catholic Cathedral College's on-site facilities include specialist teaching and activity spaces across several areas.
- Science/Technology Block — contains science laboratories, a food technology room and commercial kitchen, a graphics and design area, a digital technology suite, and a hard materials workshop.
- Library — open five days a week, with computers available for research and careers information. Hours are 8:45 am–3:30 pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and 8:45 am–4:30 pm on Tuesday and Thursday.
- Music Block — a dedicated building with itinerant music teachers; instrumental hire is available across a range of instruments.
- Alf Holt Gymnasium — an on-site sports centre used for a range of sports and fitness activities.
- Playing Fields and Courts — a large on-site field with soccer and rugby fields, a cricket pitch, and netball and tennis courts with lighting.
Frequently asked
These aren't generic answers — each one is built directly from Catholic Cathedral College's own official Ministry of Education data already shown on this page, so what you read here always matches the figures above.
Sources & methodology
Every fact on this page traces back to one of the rows below — official Ministry of Education data, or Catholic Cathedral College's own published information, reviewed before publication. Nothing here is inferred or estimated beyond what its source actually states.
| Data | Source | Data period | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| School characteristics | Ministry of Education | — | 7 September 2026 |
| Student roll | Ministry of Education / Education Counts | August 2026 | 7 September 2026 |
| Equity Index | Education Counts | — | 7 September 2026 |
| Address & coordinates | Ministry of Education | — | 7 September 2026 |
| Contact details | NZ Schools Directory | Current | 7 September 2026 |
| School information (AI-curated, human-reviewed) | Catholic Cathedral College's official website | Current | 17 September 2026 |