Cathedral Grammar School

Infobox NZ school
name = Cathedral Grammar School
motto = _la. Semper fidelis
("Always Faithful")
established = 1881
principal = Owen B Arnst
address = 2 Chester Street West, Christchurch, New Zealand.
type = Private, Co-educational, Primary
roll = 325
decile = n/a
MOE = 368
homepage = [http://www.cathedralgrammar.school.nz/ www.cathedralgrammar.school.nz]

The Cathedral Grammar School is an independent, Anglican preparatory day school in Christchurch, New Zealand.

It was founded in 1881 (making it one of the oldest schools in New Zealand, and probably the oldest primary/intermediate school) for the education of the 24 boy choristers (who hold scholarships) in the choir of Christchurch Cathedral. It still serves that purpose, although it also educates about another 200 boys and girls from Year 1 (age five) to Year 8 (age twelve). The boys are taught in separate classes to the girls (accepted in 1995) from Year 4 (age eight) onwards (the Preparatory School). The Pre-School accepts boys and girls from ages three to four. Between Pre-School and Preparatory is the Junior School.

It is one of only a small number of 'choir schools' in the Southern Hemisphere, since Christchurch Cathedral is the only Anglican cathedral in New Zealand which has an English-style male-only Cathedral choir (there are also 16 older choristers -6 'Godley scholars',4 paid 'lay clerks' and 4 volunteers). Other cathedral choir schools in the Southern Hemisphere include St. Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney and St Mary's Cathedral College, Sydney.

A number of scholarships are awarded every year to the most academically able applicant. Scholarships are awarded at years 6 (age ten)- 8 (age twelve). These scholarships include the Deamer scholarship (internal) and the Merton scholarship (external).

The Headmaster is Mr. Owen B. Arnst (M.Ed.Admin., B.Ed., Dip.Tchg.).

A history of the school-'Jubilate-the Story of a Choir School'-was written in 2006 by the Rev. Canon Roger Couper, Headmaster 1984-2001, and published by the Cathedral Grammarians' Association to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the school.

External links

* [http://www.cathedralgrammar.school.nz/ Official website]