St Paul’s offers many opportunities for students to be involved in the arts as part of co-curricular requirements.
Arts and cultural opportunities at St Paul’s allow students to explore performance, creativity, leadership, and collaboration beyond the classroom.
Students can participate in music, drama, kapa haka, debating, visual arts, and cultural groups throughout the year.
More than 20 itinerant music tutors provide weekly one-on-one lessons across a range of instruments and musical styles.
Students wishing to sign up for itinerant lessons should complete the Google Form here.
Music lessons are compulsory for Year 9 students. Students wishing to change instruments should email: h.fox@stpauls.school.nz
Band Camp is held annually for students involved in Big Band and Concert Band.
The overnight camp helps students prepare for performances, festivals, and competitions and is open to:
Pianists, guitarists, and bass players are also encouraged to participate.
All-Comers Choir: Open to all students who enjoy singing or want to develop confidence in a group setting. The choir performs at Chapel services, assemblies, and events, and participates in the Big Sing competition.
Chamber Choir: Auditioned choir for students interested in advanced choral performance. Students participate in competitions, performances, tours, and choir camps.
Big Band: Jazz ensemble for brass, saxophone, and rhythm section players. Students perform at competitions, concerts, and community events.
Concert Band: Large ensemble for woodwind, brass, and percussion players. The group performs at festivals, assemblies, and school events.
Rock Bands: Student-led bands supported through mentoring and workshops. Students develop live performance skills, perform throughout the year, and may compete in Smokefreerockquest.
String Ensemble: Open to violin, viola, cello, and double bass players of all experience levels. Students develop ensemble skills and perform at concerts, assemblies, and community events.
Chamber Music Groups: Small ensembles exploring classical and contemporary chamber music. Groups may participate in regional competitions and performances.
Brass Groups: Small ensembles for trumpet and low brass players, focusing on ensemble and sectional performance skills.
Flute Choir: Ensemble for flute players of all levels, performing at school and community events while developing tone and ensemble musicianship.
Organ Scholar Programme: Selective programme for students with advanced piano experience and an interest in organ performance. For more information, email: d.stanbridge-allen@stpauls.school.nz.
Kapa Haka: Open to all students, Kapa Haka is an important part of cultural life at St Paul’s. Students learn waiata, haka, and performance skills while representing the school at events and celebrations.
School Production: The annual school production brings together performers, musicians, dancers, and technical crew in a large-scale collaborative performance.
Students can participate:
Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival: Students perform extracts from Shakespearean plays as part of the regional festival, with opportunities in acting, directing, and production roles.
Theatre Sports: Improvisation group developing creativity, quick thinking, and performance confidence. Students rehearse regularly and compete in regional competitions.
Wearable Arts: Students can participate in the Waikato Toi Wearable Arts Competition through garment design and creative construction projects. Students who would like to be involved should email Mrs Hudson.
Visual Arts Competitions: Students may enter a range of regional and national visual arts competitions throughout the year. Opportunities are promoted through Visual Arts classes. Please email Mr Cameron to see what opportunities are available.
Debating: Students compete in local and regional competitions while developing public speaking, critical thinking, and argumentation skills.
Mooting: Legal-style competition where students argue cases in a simulated courtroom environment.
Model United Nations (Model UN): Students represent countries in simulated United Nations debates exploring global issues and diplomacy.
Chess: Students participate in lunchtime and inter-school chess competitions throughout the year, including tournaments, ladder competitions, and exchanges.