St Cuthbert's College, Auckland
Encyclopedia
St Cuthbert's College is an independent
, Presbyterian-based, day
and boarding school
for girls, located in Epsom
, Auckland
, New Zealand
.
The college
is named after Scottish monk St Cuthbert, and currently caters for approximately 1470 students from New Entrants (four-year olds) and Year One to Year Thirteen (five to eighteen-year olds), including 135 boarders from Year 9 to Year 13.
St Cuthbert's is regarded as one of the best school
s in New Zealand, with Metro magazine placing it first in its controversial ranking of Auckland's top 25 schools in 2006. It has regularly topped the academic ranking table based on Year Eleven (NCEA
Level 1/School Certificate) and Year Thirteen (NCEA Level 3/Bursary) examinations and performs strongly in sporting and cultural encounters.
The school is affiliated with the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA), the New Zealand Boarding Schools' Association (NZBSA) Independent Schools of New Zealand (ISNZ), and is an overseas member of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia
(AHISA).
The school offers both the International Baccalaureate
diplomas and the national NCEA
qualification.
for girls, and appointed Miss Isobel Macdonald as the school's first Principal. Miss Macdonald chose the motto, "By Love Serve", and renamed the school St Cuthbert's College as the Trust Board has suggested that a shorter and more distinctive name was required. Since 1918 the College has celebrated St Cuthbert's Day annually in March.
In 1925 the College moved to its present site in Epsom, and subsequently a development of the school's facilities began.
In 1932 three school houses
were established, Dunblane, Elgin and Melrose, each named after places of significance in the life of St Cuthbert.
In 1936 the winter uniform
was changed to Black Watch
tartan, after the then principal, Lavinia Clouston, had seen the uniform at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney
. Black Watch tartan also has been the summer uniform since 1966.
is "By Love Serve". The motto was chosen to encourage students to share, respect the needs of others, accept different viewpoints and to live peacefully.
The school verse comes from 1 Corinthians 13
chapters 1 -13 and is consistent with "By Love Serve", and students are constantly reminded to be "By Love Serve".
students. Boarding students from Y7 to 13 live in one of St. Cuthbert's three boarding houses: Dunblane, Elgin or Melrose. The Boarding Community at St Cuthbert's College is very diverse. Boarders come from Asia
, the Pacific Islands
and a range of other overseas locations, as well as from both urban and rural New Zealand
. An increasing number of boarders are local students living between Karaka and the North Shore.
is based on mainstream academic subjects. At Year 9 and Year 10, core subjects such as English, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science are compulsory and are complemented by optional language and business subjects. At Year 11 a student may drop Social Studies and may choose from three optional subjects. By Year 12, only English is compulsory, and at Year 13 a student may take five subjects of her choosing.
Optional languages include French
, Latin
, Spanish
and Maori
. In the social sciences, Social Studies is compulsory at Years 9 and 10, and is split into the optional subjects of History
and Geography
at Year 11. Classical studies, Art History, Web Design and Media Studies are also available from Year 12. Similarly, Business Studies is optional at years nine and ten and is split into Economics
and Accounting at Year 11. Science subjects available are Chemistry
, Physics
, and Biology
, Plant and Horticultural Science, and Psychology (at Year 12 only). At Year 11, students may choose between Mathematics or Alternative Mathematics. At Year 13, Mathematics is split into Calculus and Statistics and Modelling.
In 1999 a Thinking Skills programme was introduced based on Art Costa's Habits of Mind
. Senior Management credit this programe for the College's continuing ranking as one of New Zealand's top schools.
is compulsory for all students from Years one to Eleven.
In Year 10 the students take part in a four week experience at Kahunui, a large outdoor living space in the Bay of Plenty
bush, where the girls participate in physical activities and school work.
Over 90 per cent of senior students participate in extra-curricular sporting activities.
are named after British
monasteries and other notable religious places:
, the Old Girls' Association. Some notable St Cuthbert's Old Girls include:
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...
, Presbyterian-based, day
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...
and boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
for girls, located in Epsom
Epsom, New Zealand
Epsom is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is located in the centre of the Auckland isthmus between Mount Eden and One Tree Hill, south of Newmarket, and five km south of the city centre.-Notable features:...
, Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, 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 college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
is named after Scottish monk St Cuthbert, and currently caters for approximately 1470 students from New Entrants (four-year olds) and Year One to Year Thirteen (five to eighteen-year olds), including 135 boarders from Year 9 to Year 13.
St Cuthbert's is regarded as one of the best school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s in New Zealand, with Metro magazine placing it first in its controversial ranking of Auckland's top 25 schools in 2006. It has regularly topped the academic ranking table based on Year Eleven (NCEA
National Certificate of Educational Achievement
The National Certificate of Educational Achievement is, since 2004, the official secondary school qualification in New Zealand.It has three levels, corresponding to the levels within the National Qualifications Framework, and these are generally studied in each of the three final years of...
Level 1/School Certificate) and Year Thirteen (NCEA Level 3/Bursary) examinations and performs strongly in sporting and cultural encounters.
The school is affiliated with the Alliance of Girls' Schools Australasia (AGSA), the New Zealand Boarding Schools' Association (NZBSA) Independent Schools of New Zealand (ISNZ), and is an overseas member of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(AHISA).
The school offers both the International Baccalaureate
IB Diploma Programme
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year educational programme for students aged 16–19that provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education, and is recognised by universities worldwide. It was developed in the early to mid-1960s in Geneva by...
diplomas and the national NCEA
National Certificate of Educational Achievement
The National Certificate of Educational Achievement is, since 2004, the official secondary school qualification in New Zealand.It has three levels, corresponding to the levels within the National Qualifications Framework, and these are generally studied in each of the three final years of...
qualification.
History
The College was established as the Auckland Presbyterian College for Ladies Ltd in 1915, when a group of Presbyterian fathers purchased Mt Eden Collegiate, a private schoolPrivate school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
for girls, and appointed Miss Isobel Macdonald as the school's first Principal. Miss Macdonald chose the motto, "By Love Serve", and renamed the school St Cuthbert's College as the Trust Board has suggested that a shorter and more distinctive name was required. Since 1918 the College has celebrated St Cuthbert's Day annually in March.
In 1925 the College moved to its present site in Epsom, and subsequently a development of the school's facilities began.
In 1932 three school houses
House system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
were established, Dunblane, Elgin and Melrose, each named after places of significance in the life of St Cuthbert.
In 1936 the winter uniform
School uniform
A school uniform is an outfit—a set of standardized clothes—worn primarily for an educational institution. They are common in primary and secondary schools in various countries . When used, they form the basis of a school's dress code.Traditionally school uniforms have been largely subdued and...
was changed to Black Watch
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
tartan, after the then principal, Lavinia Clouston, had seen the uniform at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney
Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney
The Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for girls in Croydon, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, Australia...
. Black Watch tartan also has been the summer uniform since 1966.
School motto
The St Cuthbert's College mottoMotto
A motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
is "By Love Serve". The motto was chosen to encourage students to share, respect the needs of others, accept different viewpoints and to live peacefully.
The school verse comes from 1 Corinthians 13
1 Corinthians 13
Chapter 13 of the First Epistle to the Corinthians, written by Paul the apostle covers the subject of love, principally the love that Christians should have for everyone. In the original Greek, the word αγαπη agape is used throughout...
chapters 1 -13 and is consistent with "By Love Serve", and students are constantly reminded to be "By Love Serve".
Boarding
St Cuthbert's College accepts both Day students and BoardingBoarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
students. Boarding students from Y7 to 13 live in one of St. Cuthbert's three boarding houses: Dunblane, Elgin or Melrose. The Boarding Community at St Cuthbert's College is very diverse. Boarders come from Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, the Pacific Islands
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
and a range of other overseas locations, as well as from both urban and rural 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...
. An increasing number of boarders are local students living between Karaka and the North Shore.
Academic
The senior curriculumCurriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
is based on mainstream academic subjects. At Year 9 and Year 10, core subjects such as English, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science are compulsory and are complemented by optional language and business subjects. At Year 11 a student may drop Social Studies and may choose from three optional subjects. By Year 12, only English is compulsory, and at Year 13 a student may take five subjects of her choosing.
Optional languages include French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and Maori
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
. In the social sciences, Social Studies is compulsory at Years 9 and 10, and is split into the optional subjects of History
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
and Geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
at Year 11. Classical studies, Art History, Web Design and Media Studies are also available from Year 12. Similarly, Business Studies is optional at years nine and ten and is split into Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and Accounting at Year 11. Science subjects available are Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
, Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, and Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
, Plant and Horticultural Science, and Psychology (at Year 12 only). At Year 11, students may choose between Mathematics or Alternative Mathematics. At Year 13, Mathematics is split into Calculus and Statistics and Modelling.
In 1999 a Thinking Skills programme was introduced based on Art Costa's Habits of Mind
Habits of mind
All the Habits of Mind are a collection of 16 thinking dispositions identified by Professor Art Costa. Costa defined the Habits of Mind as the dispositions skillfully and mindfully displayed by characteristically intelligent people when confronted with problems the solutions to which are not...
. Senior Management credit this programe for the College's continuing ranking as one of New Zealand's top schools.
Physical Education
Physical educationPhysical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
is compulsory for all students from Years one to Eleven.
In Year 10 the students take part in a four week experience at Kahunui, a large outdoor living space in the Bay of Plenty
Bay of Plenty
The Bay of Plenty , often abbreviated to BOP, is a region in the North Island of New Zealand situated around the body of water of the same name...
bush, where the girls participate in physical activities and school work.
Over 90 per cent of senior students participate in extra-curricular sporting activities.
House system
The college housesHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
are named after British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
monasteries and other notable religious places:
- Dunblane (Yellow) - named after the Dunblane CathedralDunblane CathedralDunblane Cathedral is the larger of the two Church of Scotland parish churches serving Dunblane, near the city of Stirling, in central Scotland.-History:...
- Elgin (Green) - named after the Elgin CathedralElgin CathedralElgin Cathedral, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, sometimes referred to as The Lantern of the North is a historic ruin in Elgin, Moray, north-east Scotland. It was established in 1224 on an area of ground granted by Alexander II that was close to the River Lossie and outside of the burgh of...
- Iona (Purple) - named after the ScottishScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
island of IonaIonaIona is a small island in the Inner Hebrides off the western coast of Scotland. It was a centre of Irish monasticism for four centuries and is today renowned for its tranquility and natural beauty. It is a popular tourist destination and a place for retreats... - Kelso (Blue) - named after the Kelso AbbeyKelso AbbeyKelso Abbey is what remains of a Scottish abbey founded in the 12th century by a community of Tironensian monks first brought to Scotland in the reign of Alexander I. It occupies ground overlooking the confluence of the Tweed and Teviot waters, the site of what was once the Royal Burgh of Roxburgh...
- Lindisfarne (White) - named after the island LindisfarneLindisfarneLindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
off the north-east of EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... - Melrose (Red) - named after the Melrose AbbeyMelrose AbbeyMelrose Abbey is a Gothic-style abbey in Melrose, Scotland. It was founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks, on the request of King David I of Scotland. It was headed by the Abbot or Commendator of Melrose. Today the abbey is maintained by Historic Scotland...
Notable alumni
Alumnae of St Cuthbert's College are commonly referred to as Old Girls, and may elect to join the schools alumni associationAlumni association
An alumni association is an association of graduates or, more broadly, of former students. In the United Kingdom and the United States, alumni of universities, colleges, schools , fraternities, and sororities often form groups with alumni from the same organisation...
, the Old Girls' Association. Some notable St Cuthbert's Old Girls include:
- Bianca Babarich-Bacher - Women's 420420 (dinghy)The International 420 Class Dinghy is a double-handed monohull planing dinghy with centreboard, bermuda rig and centre sheeting. The name describes the overall length of the boat in centimetres . The hull is fibreglass with internal buoyancy tanks. The 420 is equipped with spinnaker and optional...
sailing world champion and HalbergHalberg awardsThe Westpac Halberg awards recognise New Zealand's top sporting achievements.The annual award was started in 1949 by NZ Sportsman magazine founder Jack Fairburn...
finalist. - Belinda Castles - 2002 Commonwealth Games athlete, gymnastics
- Christine FletcherChristine FletcherChristine Fletcher, QSO is an Auckland Council councillor and also prominent for her former New Zealand politics positions, both in Parliament and as Mayor of Auckland City. She was the second woman to serve as mayor of Auckland...
- former Member of Parliament for EpsomEpsom (New Zealand electorate)Epsom is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current MP for Epsom is Rodney Hide MP of the ACT Party. He has held this position since 2005.-Population centres:...
and Mayor of AucklandMayor of AucklandThe Mayor of Auckland is the directly elected head of the Auckland Council, the local government authority for the Auckland region in New Zealand... - Philippa GowerPhilippa GouldPhilippa Mary Gould is a former swimming representative from New Zealand.At the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games she won the bronze medal in the women's 110 yards backstroke...
- World Record holder and Olympic backstroker in the 1950s. - Adrienne Lambert - 1990 Commonwealth Games athlete, lawn bowls
- Vicki LinVicki LinVicki Lin is a New Zealand television presenter and actor who has appeared on Being Eve and What Now. She co-hosted Studio 2 between 2007 and 2009. She did not return in 2010, as she got a job opportunity with International Community Radio Taipei in Taiwan.She is of Taiwanese descent but was...
- presenter on Studio 2 - Katherine Faith (Willow) MackyWillow MackyKatherine Faith Macky, also known as Willow Macky was one of New Zealand's most famous songwriters. She frequently collobrated with Dorothea Franchi ....
- one of New Zealand's leading composers of folk-style music and songs (also attended Iona CollegeIona CollegeIona College may refer to:* Iona College , New Rochelle, New York, USA* Iona College , Australia* Iona College , Hawkes Bay, New Zealand* Iona Presentation College, Perth, Western Australia...
) - Erika Macleod - Winter Olympian
- Renate Marquis-Nicholson - 1998 Commonwealth Games athlete, gymnastics
- Stacey Michelson - New Zealand Black SticksBlack Sticks WomenThe Black Sticks Women are the women's national field hockey team of New Zealand.-Summer Olympics:*1980 – Did not compete*1984 – Sixth place*1988 – Did not compete*1992 – Eighth place*1996 – Did not compete*2000 – Sixth place...
- Briana Mitchell - 2010 Commonwealth Games athlete, gymnastics
- Kim Noakes - New Zealand Black SticksBlack Sticks WomenThe Black Sticks Women are the women's national field hockey team of New Zealand.-Summer Olympics:*1980 – Did not compete*1984 – Sixth place*1988 – Did not compete*1992 – Eighth place*1996 – Did not compete*2000 – Sixth place...
- Margaret Orbell, CNZM - anthropologist and author
- Willow Sainsbury - Rhodes ScholarshipRhodes ScholarshipThe Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
recipient - Lucy Talbot - New Zealand Black SticksBlack Sticks WomenThe Black Sticks Women are the women's national field hockey team of New Zealand.-Summer Olympics:*1980 – Did not compete*1984 – Sixth place*1988 – Did not compete*1992 – Eighth place*1996 – Did not compete*2000 – Sixth place...