The Cathedral Grammar School, Christchurch

Key facts

About The Cathedral Grammar School

The Cathedral Grammar School is an independent co-educational school in Christchurch, located at 26 Park Terrace, catering for children from pre-school age through to Year 8 (intermediate level).

The school's structure moves between co-educational and single-sex learning environments depending on age. The Pre-School and Junior School (new entrant to Year 3) are co-educational. From Years 4 to 8, boys and girls attend separate Boys' and Girls' Preparatory Schools, each divided into two learning centres covering Years 4–6 and Years 7–8. The school states that this separation is based on research into how boys and girls learn and develop at those ages.

The school describes its overall structure as distinct among New Zealand schools, offering multiple entry points across a child's primary schooling years. It is not identified in the source as faith-based or Māori-medium.

Curriculum

The Cathedral Grammar School follows the New Zealand Curriculum from the early years through to Year 8, with literacy and numeracy as core priorities across all year levels. Subjects are taught by specialist teachers across multiple disciplines.

The school's curriculum covers the following named subject areas:

• English — reading, literature, spelling, written expression, grammar, speaking and listening, and public speaking
• Mathematics — number, measurement, geometry, statistics, and algebra
• Science — biological studies, physics, chemistry, geology, environmental studies, and astronomy
• Social Sciences — New Zealand, civics, the South Pacific and Pacific Rim, and environmental sustainability
• Music — singing, choral music, improvisation, music reading, keyboard, recorder, guitar, ukulele, orchestra, stage band, and ensembles
• Art — drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, clay, fabric and fibre, collage, and cultural art
• Physical Education — athletics, gymnastics, swimming, dance, cricket, tennis, hockey, netball, and rugby
• Religious Education — Bible and Christian tradition, world religions, ethics, and personal faith
• Technology — Digital Technologies, Food, Hard Materials, and Robotics
• Languages — Te Reo Māori, French, Spanish, and Mandarin

Senior students in Years 5 to 8 have access to the XTEND programme, which offers activities outside the core curriculum including sailing, surfing, golf, tennis, circus, diving, and rock climbing. Students in the senior years can also undertake Food Technology at Ara Institute of Canterbury, alongside Digital Technology, Textiles, and Engineering.

The school's Specialist Music Programme provides participation in choirs, ensembles, orchestras, bands, and instrumental tuition. Through its relationship with ChristChurch Cathedral, students have the opportunity to become Cathedral Choristers.

Pastoral and character education is delivered through a Virtues programme and a Mitre programme, incorporating objective setting, personal responsibility, and leadership.

Co-curricular Activities

The following named sports, arts, and cultural groups and programmes are offered at The Cathedral Grammar School:

• School orchestra
• Stage band
• Rock band
• String and woodwind ensembles
• Biennial Operetta — involves every child in the school
• STEAMM concert (Science, Technology, English, Art, Music & Movement) — performed by seniors from the Girls' and Boys' Prep Schools at The Cathedral in alternate years to the Operetta
• Annual art exhibition — features at least one piece of work from every child
• Wearable Arts Show — performed by Year 7 students
• Xtend programme — a summer sports programme offering non-traditional activities including horse riding, blokarting, rock climbing, orienteering, mountain biking, croquet, golf, tennis, mountain running, surfing, and trampolining
• Primary Sports Canterbury winter tournament — Prep School students participate in rugby, football, hockey, netball, and table tennis
• House competitions — inter-house sporting competitions
• Traditional sports exchanges
• Individual instrumental music lessons — more than 300 individual lessons per week across instrumental music and speech and drama
• Speech and drama lessons
• School camps — available from Year 4 onwards, with a focus on personal development, service, and leadership
• Outdoor education days — including farm visits, sailing, skiing, and beach education

Pastoral Care and Student Support Services

The following named pastoral care roles and structures are described on the school's wellbeing and pastoral care page.

• School Counsellor — an on-site counsellor available to students across all year levels, providing confidential support for students who may benefit from additional guidance.
• Heads of School — senior staff who support classroom teachers in providing guidance and pastoral care to students and families.
• Performance Pathways programme (Years 7 and 8) — a programme focused on practical skills including goal-setting, mindset, self-talk, managing pressure, and resilience, with an orientation toward preparation for secondary school.
• Buddy and mentoring programmes — structured arrangements in which older students support and mentor younger students across year levels.
• Houses — a school structure that provides opportunities for students to build relationships across year levels and develop a sense of belonging.

Facilities

The school's facilities are located on an inner-city site at 26 Park Terrace, Christchurch. The following named facilities are described in school sources:

• Specialist Block — built in 1924 and refurbished in 2015 at a cost of $3.1 million, housing music, science and art facilities, a performance hall, and two art studios; rooftop solar panels supply power to the building and other parts of the school
• Junior School — opened in 2016, designed by Andrew Barrie Lab and Japanese architect Takaharu Tezuka, featuring a roof deck and a slide from the rooftop to a ground-level courtyard
• Artificial turf surfaces — used for year-round play and teaching
• Cricket nets
• Basketball court
• Upper-body strength playgrounds — provided in two areas for different age groups

The school also makes use of courts and sports playing fields in neighbouring Hagley Park.