Cathedral Grammar School
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral Grammar School is an independent
, Anglican preparatory day school
in Christchurch
, New Zealand
. The school is situated on a spacious inner-city site covering two blocks in the heart of Christchurch next to the Avon River and adjacent to Hagley Park, which it uses for its playing fields. It is in close proximity to Christ's College
, the Canterbury Museum, the Christchurch Art Gallery and the Christchurch CBD.
The school, one of the oldest in New Zealand, was founded in 1881 to educate the choristers of Christchurch Cathedral, an objective which it is still fulfilling to this day. Cathedral Grammar is a member of the Choir Schools Association whose members include the ancient cathedral choirs of the United Kingdom - Westminster Abbey, King's College Cambridge, Magdalen College, St Paul's Cathedral to name but a few. It is one of only a small number of choir schools in the Southern Hemisphere
, since Christchurch Cathedral is the only Anglican cathedral in New Zealand to have an English-style male-only Cathedral choir.
Almost immediately after its establishment, admission to the school was also opened to boys who were not choristers, and girls were accepted into the school from 1988.
The school is divided into four departments. The Pre-School is co-ed, taking boys and girls from ages three to four. The Junior School is also co-ed for pupils from Years 1-3 (ages five to seven). In the Preparatory School, a separate Girls' School and Boys' School provide largely single sex classes. Extension classes in Mathematics are the only co-ed classes at this level. The Boys' and Girls' School combine for chapel services, orchestra, assemblies, some sports events, operettas, social functions and share common playgrounds.
The Acting Headmaster is Mr Malcolm R. Long. He is supported by Heads of Department for each of the fours areas of the school. Class sizes are a maximum of 17 in Year 1, 20 in Years 2 & 3 and 24 in Years 4 - 8.
Pupils of the school generally achieve high academic standards in a curriculum which covers English, Mathematics, History & Geography, Science, Music, Art, Languages, Religious Education and Physical Education.
Pupils also achieve highly in the arts and in sport with the school being a dominant part of the cricket, hockey, rugby and tennis competitions.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
, Anglican preparatory day school
Day school
A day school—as opposed to a boarding school—is an institution where children are given educational instruction during the day and after which children/teens return to their homes...
in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The school is situated on a spacious inner-city site covering two blocks in the heart of Christchurch next to the Avon River and adjacent to Hagley Park, which it uses for its playing fields. It is in close proximity to Christ's College
Christ's College, Canterbury
Christ's College, Christchurch is an independent, Anglican, secondary, day and boarding school for boys, located in the central city of Christchurch, New Zealand....
, the Canterbury Museum, the Christchurch Art Gallery and the Christchurch CBD.
The school, one of the oldest in New Zealand, was founded in 1881 to educate the choristers of Christchurch Cathedral, an objective which it is still fulfilling to this day. Cathedral Grammar is a member of the Choir Schools Association whose members include the ancient cathedral choirs of the United Kingdom - Westminster Abbey, King's College Cambridge, Magdalen College, St Paul's Cathedral to name but a few. It is one of only a small number of choir schools in the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
, since Christchurch Cathedral is the only Anglican cathedral in New Zealand to have an English-style male-only Cathedral choir.
Almost immediately after its establishment, admission to the school was also opened to boys who were not choristers, and girls were accepted into the school from 1988.
Organisation and Education
Unique amongst Christchurch schools as well as New Zealand primary schools, Cathedral Grammar provides single sex education to both boys and girls on the same grounds with the Girls' School opening in 1995.The school is divided into four departments. The Pre-School is co-ed, taking boys and girls from ages three to four. The Junior School is also co-ed for pupils from Years 1-3 (ages five to seven). In the Preparatory School, a separate Girls' School and Boys' School provide largely single sex classes. Extension classes in Mathematics are the only co-ed classes at this level. The Boys' and Girls' School combine for chapel services, orchestra, assemblies, some sports events, operettas, social functions and share common playgrounds.
The Acting Headmaster is Mr Malcolm R. Long. He is supported by Heads of Department for each of the fours areas of the school. Class sizes are a maximum of 17 in Year 1, 20 in Years 2 & 3 and 24 in Years 4 - 8.
Pupils of the school generally achieve high academic standards in a curriculum which covers English, Mathematics, History & Geography, Science, Music, Art, Languages, Religious Education and Physical Education.
Pupils also achieve highly in the arts and in sport with the school being a dominant part of the cricket, hockey, rugby and tennis competitions.