The Cathedral Grammar School .::. FAQ

GrammarNET is a great place to start – a lot of information is here! The staff are also used to being asked various questions regarding the school day and routines. Additionally, the office staff is always happy to try and help anytime. If the Uniform Shop is open, the staff there has lots of experience with the school routines, and can answer most questions too. Each class also has a “Class Friend” identified, and this person is a focal point for specific class questions, and can be contacted by phone or email.

How do I find my “Class Friend”?

Hopefully, they will contact all the parents in the class at the beginning of term to identify themselves, and to set up activities for the parents and children during the year. The list of Class Friends is in the Resources on the Friends Association page here on GrammarNET.

How do I find out who is in my child’s class?

Near to the beginning of the year, a full class list is distributed to all parents. If you arrived mid-term or mid-year, you will need to request this list from either the class teacher or from the School Office.

Can I come to the Prep School assemblies?

Not as a general rule largely due to space, but if you know that your child is performing or receiving an award, feel free to turn up...and if you just want to see what happens at the assembly, ask the Head of Department who will only too willing to let you sit in.

Junior School assembly is open to parents and family, but the Prep School assembly is held in the library at present, and due to space there is minimal room for visitors.

How do I meet other parents?

Come a bit early at pick up, park, and then mill around in the playground. Get a babysitter and attend your class events arranged by your Class Friend. Come to the various Friends events open to the school family. Offer to help at school events and activities. Work in the Uniform Shop for a couple of hours a week or fortnight. Attend sports and swimming days, and Saturday sports.

What is BOSS?

Board of Senior Students. This is a group of year 8 children who, with teacher guidance, arrange events during the year to fundraise for a good cause. For example, there is a week of lunchtime fun activities in Term 4 for the Prep School children. BOSS also nominates several MUFTI days, with gold coin donations for various causes.

How does my child address his/her teacher?

In the Prep School, male teachers are called “Sir” and female teachers are called “Ma’am” (rhymes with "spam"). The Headmaster is called “Headmaster”.

PARKING, DROP OFF, PICK UP

Drop off, pickup and parking on Chester Street

It does get very busy on Chester Street during drop-off and pickup times. Some parents try to come a bit earlier or later to avoid the crush – there is a 5 minute parking restriction on the street at busy times, but most parents are prepared to take the risk (parking tickets are $12).

One alternative is to try and park on one of the surrounding streets that surround the school, and leisurely walk to and from school – Park Terrace, Armagh Street, Cranmer Square and Kilmore Street all have some free-of-charge parking spaces.

It can be useful to have your child spend some time in the Family Room (Junior School) or Prep Room (Prep Schools) doing some homework, and them pick them up at a less busy time later in the afternoon.

Parking at Christ’s College

We are not allowed to park in Christ’s College during Sports day, swimming events, choir events at Christ’s College chapel, etc. Use the metered street parking, or the Botanic Gardens parking.

SPORT

How do summer and winter sports work in prep school?

The children must play sport on a Saturday for the school during the winter, unless they are committed to play high-level sport for a recognised team elsewhere. Sports include hockey, rugby and netball.

During the summer, the children are encouraged to play Saturday tennis (for the Hagley Park Club), or cricket for the school.

Junior School Sport
Year 1 sport is offered as an after school 'club' option with no Saturday games. Year 2 & 3 have Winter and Summar sports with practise after school and Saturday games. For more information see GrammarNet, Sports - Junior School Sports.

Sports Day

Sports Day is held at Christ's College in Term 4. All the schooltakes part and parents are encouraged to attend and bring a picnic lunch. The format is well documented prior to the day with race times. The Junior School have their own races before lunch and field events after. The Pre-Schoolers arrive just before lunch for their races and then they are able to leave with parents.

Can I attend the school cross country races?

Yes, parents are encouraged to attend. The races usually take place in Hagley Park. Make sure you know which age group your child is running in and what colour of house top they are wearing! Dress warmly, and think carefully about your parking options and footwear before you leave home, as it can be muddy. Gumboots are always a good idea!

Swimming sports in Term 1

Children will need their full sports uniform, including full track suit, for swimming sports. A swimsuit and towel is not sufficient! Parents are invited to attend the swimming sports day at Christ’s College pool, and a proportion do, but be prepared for a long, noisy and hot event!

Is there a school swimsuit?

There is an optional school swimsuit, available from the Uniform Shop, however, most children wear their own swimsuits - just so long as they are not particularly baggy.

Both Pre-School (Term 1 & 2) and Junior School (Term 4) have swimming lessons. You will be given full instructions about what is required by your child's teacher.

Optional Sports Activities

When the children are in Prep School particularly, there are occasionally options for various other sports that the child can participate in to represent the school, often taking place outside of school hours (e.g. triathlons). The child will be notified of these opportunities verbally, via a notice board in school, via a notice in the Daily Notices which you can see at the News Centre on GrammarNET, etc. It is up to the child to (i) avail themselves of the opportunity, and (ii) tell you or pass on the letter about the activity. If they don’t, they may miss the opportunity.

UNIFORM

Help! I need a critical piece of school uniform, what can I do?

The manager of the Uniform Shop will try to help outside of normal opening hours, and is available for contact via email at uniformshop@cathedralgrammar.school.nz . She can leave items in the office, and these can be paid for there and picked up at your convenience.

Do I need to buy a complete school tracksuit for my Prep School child?

Yes. The children wear their tracksuits to and from tennis, swimming, and other sporting activities. The children in the chapel choir can wear their sports uniform and tracksuit to 8.00am chapel practices on the days that they have fitness first thing in the morning. Note – don’t mix formal uniform and tracksuits/sports uniform (e.g. a blazer and tracksuit trousers) – it is either all one thing or the other.

Do I need to buy a Cathedral Grammar Prep School backpack?

No, it is optional. However, around 90% or the children have the maroon school backpack, available from the Uniform Shop.

What can girls wear in their hair?

Plain maroon, black or white headbands, ties or slides. The Uniform Shop also sells fabric headbands made of the same checked material as the winter kilts and summer dresses and skirts.

Is jewellery allowed to be worn?

The school discourages the wearing of jewellry at school for both safety and security reasons. For an accurate itemisation of what may be worn, read the Uniform Policy on GrammarNET. All the school policies are available here.

What about the socks?

Yes, there are various socks for various terms and sports activities, and these vary by the age and gender of your child! It gets a little more complicated as the children reach Prep School. For a list of uniform, including pictures, look under Information > Uniform on GrammarNET. If in doubt, ask at the Uniform Shop.

Boys Prep summer – long Montreal grey cotton

Boys Prep winter – long dark grey wool with striped top

Boys Prep summer fitness – white ankle socks

Hockey, Rugby and Winter fitness Prep – long maroon with "Grammar" on the sides

Boys Cathedral Choir – plain black knee-length

Girls prep summer – white ankle socks

Girls prep winter – long black socks or tights

Chapel Services

These are listed in the School Calendar and all school pupils are expected to attend. Full uniform is to be worn.