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Telephone: +64 3366 8705
E-mail: bvink@christscollege.com
Web: www.christscollege.com

Principal: Mr Garth Wynne

Head of Boarding Contact Information

Name: Mr Ben Vink
Telephone: +64 3366 8705
E-mail: bvink@christscollege.com

Number in School: 523

Number of Boarders: 158

Christ’s College is New Zealand’s oldest independent secondary school, and the only one in the South Island that caters exclusively for boys. Our students consistently perform at the highest academic level, and continue on to university study in New Zealand and around the world. Recently we have had students placed at Oxford and Cambridge in the UK and Harvard in the USA. We follow the New Zealand secondary school curriculum, which has international acceptance and recognition.  Boarding places at Christ’s College are highly sought after and our four boarding houses are home to 180 boys. All boys participate in sport, and our weekend boarding programme offers a variety of activities, at no extra cost.

The programme offers boys the chance to try things that they may not ordinarily do. They are involving themselves in things which can be a tremendous asset to them later on.  All Year 10 boarders work towards the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award, with several continuing on to complete Silver and Gold in their senior years.  Further to this, the boarding programme also includes a Year 11 Leadership Challenge and a Year 12 Leadership day. “These are now part of the fabric of boarding.  What the boys are taking from these activities are the non-tangibles which make boarding at College such a unique experience. We are trying to develop this leadership across the board. In Year 11 it is about working as a team towards a cause, and at Year 12 it is about taking some time for reflection as an individual,” explains boarding programme coordinator Darrell Thatcher.

The College is known for its unique and beautiful campus, and our heritage buildings are surrounded by the greenery of Christchurch’s Hagley Park and botanic gardens. Teaching spaces are modern and highly resourced, with a maximum of 25 students per class. In the senior years, many classes will have 15 boys or less, with individual tuition as required.