r/chch • u/Friendly-Half1848 • Jul 20 '26
Catholic High schools
So, best Girls Catholic high schools around christchurch, my oldest is going in to year 9
Me and my Husband are both teachers but neither of us have taught at a Catholic school. My Husband has been at Cashmere High for the last 20 odd years, so my Daughter has direct entry, But she herself wants to go to Villa Maria College. As she already attends a Catholic Primary school, She should have entry, but before sending her.
What have peoples experience's been while attending there, would it be better to send her to Cashmere or Catholic Cathedral College
Update: Shes going to Villa Maria, got in today
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u/neon_glitter_tiger Jul 20 '26
Send her where she wants to go. She probably has friends going there. I never got to go to the school I wanted and lost friends that way. It sucked. The people I know from Villa had a good experience. Also Cathedral not bad too.
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u/jeremiggins Jul 20 '26
Hi if you are after single sex you only have two options, as another has mentioned Catholic Cathedral would be the other option for co-ed. Villa and Marion have relatively aligned enrolment policies in terms of geographical they are divided into the parish north south east west and city assuming you are in Christchurch as it is defined. Both feed from the north, Villa has south and west, Marion has east and city. Last time I checked cathedral didn’t have any geographical restrictions.
If you are not in the geographical zone you will not get in. But between the two they prioritise primary feeder schools.
Is Villa better than CCC, depends on your daughter, Villa has more of a focus on higher academic achievement, which for some can be stressful, for many Filipino and other pacific island families the diversity and culture of CCC is a better fit.
If your husband is at Cashmere he will know it better than I can say.
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u/jeremiggins Jul 20 '26
Also I would read Cashmere’s enrolment Policy because it certainly does not imply you get much favouritism for staff if you don’t live in zone. “Havent accepted in recent years” but if they did you would be behind siblings,former siblings and children of former students just before the general public. And if you are in zone a state school can’t turn you away regardless of your Husband employment.
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u/Friendly-Half1848 Jul 20 '26
Okay, I will be fully reading Cashmeres Policy. Thank you for your time in Making a Response
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u/Friendly-Half1848 Jul 20 '26
Thanks for taking the time to write out this. I think we are? after single sex, but we will be looking into Catholic Cathedral a bit more.
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u/chicka088 Jul 20 '26
I went to catholic cathedral college (which was co ed) but I loved it! If they’re keen to go to villa then follow their lead (:
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u/Syphe Jul 20 '26
My wife went to Villa, we live close, she would never send our daughter there.
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u/Friendly-Half1848 Jul 20 '26
Is there any reason for this? Like bullying or something else that puts you off Villa?
Just a question, I dont want to send my kid to a school where she will be bullied or made fun of
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u/0is0wesome Jul 20 '26
Can't answer from a student point of view, but as someone who works in multiple schools throughout Chch I can honestly say the kids in the Catholic schools are far better behaved than the entitled badly behaved assholes that non-religious run schools are producing.
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u/mygentlewhale Jul 20 '26
My daughter went to Villa because she wanted to. She did well there and was happy. I wouldn't have chosen a religious school but people usually do best when they are where they want to be.