PROSPECTUS DOMESTIC
WHERE LEARNING KNOWS NO BOUNDS
As a community, we care deeply that school is a place where young people feel safe and confident to be themselves, and where the best efforts of students and staff are seen and celebrated.
At St. Peter’s, we are equally passionate about the power of teaching to influence the wellbeing, growth, and self-efficacy of young people, regardless of background. St. Peter’s is a school where people matter, relationships are prioritised, and respect is paramount. We set high expectations for students to help prepare and position them to flourish in the next stage of their lives. We believe connection is vital, so learning becomes transformational.
We are proud to offer a broad range of activities to enable our young people to discover passions while forging friendships, sharpening minds, building character, and nurturing a sense of belonging.
We focus on leadership, understanding its immense capacity to transform. Our young leaders are supported to be responsible stewards for their peers and we are confident in preparing our young people to make a difference.
We value the close partnership with parents and caregivers in supporting your child to thrive as we know it is the strength of these partnerships that provide the most secure guarantee of achieving the school’s founding vision of a holistic education that develops mind, body, and spirit.
From the beauty and scale of our campus to the culture and values we stand for, the best way to truly appreciate what St. Peter’s is all about is to experience it for yourself.
We are St. Peter’s.
Jason Speedy Head of School
At St. Peter’s, we have been charting a new course in learning, leadership and life since 1936.
We will always be a school with an abiding love of tradition, and a fearless embrace of progress, guided by our Seven-Year Student Journey and the following principles:
We are Visionary
We are Anglican
We are Boarding
We are Year 7 to 13
— We are Co-educational
We are World-class
VISIONARY SINCE 1936 OUR VALUES
Respect
Respect is the foundation of our community, underpinning all interactions and fostering a supportive and inclusive environment.
Engagement
Engagement is at the heart of our educational philosophy, inspiring students to become active, enthusiastic participants in their learning journey.
Aspiration
Aspiration is the cornerstone of success and personal growth.
Leadership
Leadership starts with leading oneself, fostering self-awareness, responsibility, and a commitment to personal excellence.
SEVEN YEAR STUDENT JOURNEY
The St. Peter’s Seven-Year Student Journey provides a continuous and progressive educational pathway from Year 7 to 13.
— Year 7
Transitioning to Senior School
— Year 8
Advancing with More Freedom
— Year 9
Integrating Cohorts
— Year 10
Deepening Academic and Personal Growth
— Year 11
Building on Success
— Year 12
Preparing for Excellence
— Year 13
Delivering an Elevated Experience
STRONG FOUNDATIONS FOR LEARNING, LEADERSHIP AND LIFE.
Our People
We are known for our exceptional young people. The achievements of our extensive alumni network are a testament to our commitment to prepare students to make a positive difference in the world. Our dedicated and highly qualified staff and leaders support our students to maximise their potential.
Our Programmes
We are committed to offering a holistic and visionary curriculum throughout every year of the Seven-Year Journey. This framework is designed to nurture our students’ minds, bodies, and spirits to set them on course to thrive both in school and in life. Alongside NCEA, St. Peter’s is an IB World School and is the only school in New Zealand’s central North Island to offer the rigorous and globally recognised International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme.
Our Place
Our exceptional campus is located in a beautiful environment, alongside the Waikato River and near the charming town of Cambridge. Boasting an expansive array of sports fields and facilities, including an equestrian centre, a golf centre, a boathouse on the shores of Lake Karapiro, and a world-class velodrome on our doorstep.
Our unique position offers students a diverse and dynamic learning environment, from the outdoor classroom of the ancient kahikatea trees to the milking platform of a working dairy farm in the heart of the Waikato region.
SUPPORT TO THRIVE
Boarding at St. Peter’s
Our boarding school ensures a strong beating heart 24/7 within a comfortable and supportive home. From the moment your child steps through our doors, they are welcomed into an environment that cherishes diversity, fosters personal growth, and nurtures a strong sense of community.
Our Houses
Upon starting at St. Peter’s, your child will be allocated to one of our four houses: Chandler, Hanna, Swears, and Thornton; each with a dedicated Head of House. Each House has its own unique and rich history dating back to the start of St. Peter’s in 1936 and plays an integral role in uniting students, fostering school pride, and building a sense of belonging.
Student Care
At St. Peter’s, our culture fosters wellbeing, and invites our students and to be confident to be their authentic and unique selves. We pride ourselves on our pastoral care to ensure every student feels safe, seen, and supported to be themselves and to follow their own path.
Wellbeing Support
Our onsite Health and Wellbeing Centres provide exceptional support and care to all students with dedicated nurses and qualified counsellors who deliver professional and comprehensive healthcare services for your child. Alongside counselling, two devoted chaplains are available to provide spiritual and pastoral support to our entire community.
At St. Peter’s, boarding is about your child and your whole family. We pride ourselves on the close relationships we develop with students and their families, which we believe is key to ensuring your child feels settled and supported in their home away from home.
WORLDCLASS EDUCATION
International Student Experience
We deliver a world-renowned educational pathway in the form of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, alongside the New Zealand National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA), to ensure that your child is wellprepared to apply for universities globally.
Our international students enjoy a comfortable environment within park-like school grounds, living, learning, and socialising alongside others within their peer groups. International students are supported by a strong network of pastoral care staff who understand the needs of adolescents adjusting to an unfamiliar environment.
DEVELOPING FUTURE LEADERS
One school, one community: St. Peter’s offers a progressive educational pathway from Year 7 to 13, with each year meaningfully building upon the one before it, offering our students a true sense of purpose in their learning.
NCEA
With the flexible structure of the NCEA (National Certificate of Educational Achievement) courses, students can choose from a range of subject options, depending on their year level. In Year 12, students study six subjects at NCEA Level 2, while in Year 13, they take five subjects at NCEA Level 3. Our academic planning and tracking systems help students select courses that meet NCEA requirements at each level and monitor their progress throughout the year. Career guidance is also available to ensure students understand the entry requirements for their chosen tertiary education or career path.
International Baccalaureate
St. Peter’s is proudly the only school in New Zealand’s central North Island to offer the world-renowned International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme for Years 12 and 13.
The IB Diploma is an academically rigorous two year pre-university qualification that ensures students are well-prepared for their tertiary studies. Diploma students build a comprehensive academic foundation by studying six subjects across key curriculum areas: Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals and Societies, Sciences, Mathematics, and the Arts.
ENGAGING MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT
Our legacy as a holistic school began with the aspirations of founder Arthur Broadhurst, who set new educational standards through his philosophy that development is about the interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit. We have never wavered from this approach, ensuring the environment and education we offer helps students flourish in all facets of their lives.
We recognise that every student is unique. We nurture the whole individual through a commitment to academic excellence, co-curricular balance and Christian faith. This ethos continues to inspire us as we embrace and lead change in educational excellence, always thinking critically and creatively about what each student’s experience should be.
From our foundation in 1936, St. Peter’s has been a visionary school, delivering a holistic education.
The College
The College serves as an effective base for our Year 13 students’ final year of preparation for life beyond school. This space offers amplified support and advisory services for our most senior students, providing an experience and environment that respects and guides these young adults. The College is complete with silent study areas, social spaces and a barista coffee service at Café 1936.
FROM STRONG FOUNDATIONS TO FUTURE SUCCESS
St. Peter’s Alumni
Our alumni network is a strong community of 10,000 across the globe, achieving all manner of things and importantly contributing in many meaningful ways to the communities in which they live.
Our alumni programme includes reunions across year groups, boarding houses, regions and areas of special interest such as sport and the performing arts. Our First Five Programme encourages our alumni network to connect and support recent graduates as they move forward in life after school.
Alumni frequently return to St. Peter’s for a visit, speaking engagements with current students, or reconnecting with former teachers. Their unique insights and compelling stories enrich our community, and we eagerly share these experiences through our communications, including newsletters and social media channels.
UNIQUELY ST. PETER’S EDUCATION
St. Peter’s Equestrian Centre
The St. Peter’s Equestrian Centre is a professionally run on-campus co-curricular training programme, offering students the opportunity to achieve excellence in their chosen equestrian discipline. The versatility of the programme enables students to choose options which best suit their needs, providing them with access to top quality coaching and facilities.
Facilities include sand and grass arenas, grazing, jumping and dressage equipment, cross country training, farm riding for fitness, yards, tackrooms, feedrooms and stables. Horses can be stabled on or off site.
St. Peter’s Golf Centre
Located within our picturesque school grounds, St. Peter’s Golf Centre is uniquely positioned to provide specialised golf coaching to our students. With its driving range and advanced coaching for all participants, state-of-the-art-facilities and numerous competitive and recreational opportunities, students can maximise their golfing potential without leaving our campus.
Working Dairy Farm - Owl Farm
Owl Farm is a joint venture between St. Peter’s and Lincoln University. Their aim is to demonstrate excellence in farm performance to create a sustainable future. With the help of our trusted industry partners, we share our knowledge with the wider farming industry and provide opportunities for students to learn more about dairy farming with learning hands-on skills for rural life.
EXPLORE A WORLD OF INTERESTS
Creativity at St. Peter’s
St. Peter’s celebrates creativity and human expression through both traditional and contemporary performing arts. Our students have ample opportunities to explore and nurture their unique creative potential through both curricular and co-curricular opportunities across music, dance, drama, and visual arts.
Guided by our faculty of internationally renowned facilitators and tutors, St. Peter’s students receive expert mentorship within our inspiring facilities. Catering to a wide range of abilities, we encourage participation in expressive and visual arts, supporting our students to achieve both breadth and balance in their studies. For those most aspirational, we provide pathways to pursue excellence in their chosen creative fields.
Cultural groups at St. Peter’s
St. Peter’s embraces cultural diversity and human connection through a rich array of cultural programmes. Our students participate in Kapa Haka and Pasifika programmes, which celebrate and preserve the rich traditions and expressions of Maaori and Pacific Island cultures. These programmes provide a platform for students to connect with their heritage, develop cultural pride, and build a sense of community.
The inclusive nature of our cultural activities ensures that all students, regardless of their background, can engage, learn, and appreciate the diverse cultural landscape of our school. This approach fosters mutual respect, understanding, and unity within the St. Peter’s community.
EXPERIENCE IS THE TEACHER OF WISDOM
Great activity happens every week at St. Peter’s, with lunchtimes a time of cultural bustle and engagement. A busy schedule of clubs and societies are spread across the week to enable students to dabble, diversify or deepen their co-curricular interests and involvement.
At St. Peter’s, we believe our school culture thrives when students participate and encourage others, fostering engagement and aspiration, sometimes in the most subtle and effortless ways.
The options are endless with new clubs and societies being added every year depending on the level of interest from students. Whether it be philosophy and ethics, digital technologies, debating or something more performative like dance and music groups or the Musical Theatre Academy, students can explore and develop their different interests.
As well as clubs, societies, and cultural groups, lunchtimes at St. Peter’s are a time for student competitions and performances, adding to a festivallike atmosphere where students can thrive.
FROM PARTICIPATION TO HIGH PERFORMANCE
Sport at St. Peter’s plays a pivotal role in developing character through programs that promote the school’s values of respect, engagement, aspiration, and leadership. Students learn to value fair play, fully engage in their activities, strive for excellence, and take on leadership roles with confidence and integrity.
At St. Peter’s, we view sport as integral to the holistic development of our students as it encompasses participation, athletic development, high performance, and leadership development.
Your child will be offered an extensive array of opportunities and programmes to develop their sporting passions and abilities, from traditional team sports such as cricket, football, hockey, netball, and rugby to individual pursuits such as athletics, swimming, and tennis.
Our facilities
With the Grassroots Trust Velodrome, Lake Karapiro rowing facilities, and equestrian and golf centres on campus, we are uniquely positioned to provide specialised programmes to our students. With advanced coaching for all participants, state-of-the-art
facilities, and numerous competitive and recreational opportunities, our programs provide opportunities to maximise the sporting potential of all students.
We have a successful track record in guiding aspirational and high-performing athletes to achieve sporting success, St. Peter’s students have excelled at regional, national, and international levels.
Developing through journeys of discovery
We recognise that, for many, the most transformational growth and learning takes place outside of the classroom. Our adventurebased learning programme challenges students to extend and explore their capabilities.
Every Year 9 student experiences boarding in a unique experience over a two week period, while our Year 10 students attend camp at Tongariro led by a team of outdoor experts. We also offer the Duke of Edinburgh International Award for students from age 14 onwards, a globally recognised programme providing development opportunities for young people.
JOIN THE ST. PETER’S COMMUNITY
Our admissions process is tailored to each family, with our friendly team guiding you through each step to make your child’s transition to St. Peter’s as smooth as possible.
Fees
School fees for the current year can be viewed at stpeters.school.nz/fees.
Open Days
We encourage you to immerse yourself and experience first-hand what St. Peter’s has to offer by attending an Open Day. This is your opportunity to see the school in action, learn about the curriculum opportunities on offer, our learning model, and the spaces we create to enable our students to grow to be the best they can be.
Register to attend the next Open Day at stpeters.school.nz/open-days.
Admissions Process
We have an easy four-step process from application to enrolment for your family, guided by our friendly admissions team.
Step 1: Apply Online
— Step 2: Family Interview (online or in person)
— Step 3: Offer of Place
— Step 4: Enrolment Confirmation
If you are interested in applying more than two years in advance, please complete an Expression of Interest form via the link below.
Whilst the majority of our students enrol for the start of each academic year, we are happy to consider and accommodate new admissions during the year subject to availability and suitability.
Visit stpeters.school.nz/start-your-journey to apply for admission.
