This unique structure of a single-sex junior school and co-educational senior school allows for boys and girls to develop into young men and women during their developmental years (Year 9-10) without the distraction of the opposite sex.
In the senior school, a strong focus is placed academic success and on our senior students achieving their personal best in the classroom in order for them to have the very best opportunities in life. Senior students can complete NCEA, Cambridge International and New Zealand Scholarship qualifications. The school also has a strong high performance sports programme.
Leadership opportunities
St Paul’s offers leadership training to help students develop leadership skills and discipline. As students progress through school they are expected to carry more responsibility, both personally and for the school’s community. They are expected to help younger students settle into school life and are asked to take on additional responsibilities in their day or boarding house. Students can also apply to become prefects in Year 13. St Paul’s prefects make up the school’s student leadership team who provide positive influence, encouragement and guidance to younger students and peers.
Girls at St Paul’s
Girls join the school at Year 11 and are encouraged to reach their personal and academic potential through a variety of academic, cultural, spiritual and sporting opportunities. Every girl is required to take a summer and winter sport and a cultural activity in addition to their academic study, helping them to develop into well-rounded young women.
Our small roll of girls and small class sizes, allows our female students to grow academically. Our teachers help them mature intellectually with one-on-one teaching in the classroom and in tutorials, which take place before school, during lunch and after hours.
The time that girls spend at St Paul’s is designed to give them the confidence and life skills that will support them in their transition from school to tertiary education and/or work life and beyond.
What girls say about their St Paul’s experience
St Paul’s pushes girls to achieve their personal best more than they ever imagined: "Teachers encourage you to put everything into whatever you do, to strive to achieve the highest you possibly can and not to settle for the level you are already at.”
Our school provides girls with opportunities and experiences to grow and achieve: “St Paul’s helped me grow as a person and made me more confident.”
Teachers were recognised as one of the key reasons why girls enjoy learning at St Paul’s. They say our teachers are readily available and that tutorials are a significant benefit to their academic development: “It’s great that teachers are genuinely interested in every student.”
Girls enjoy our small and personable community; in fact, most of our female students have requested that we keep our female community at its current intimate size: “A small group of girls means that everyone is known on a personal level. There is a strong sense of community.”
