Her Wellbeing

Your daughter’s overall Wellbeing is at the centre of everything we do.

Young people face many complexities and pressures as they journey from childhood to becoming a young adult and we ensure every girl feels supported throughout her time at St Cuthbert’s.

Happiness first

We’ve had more than 100 years’ experience of growing resilient, well-rounded young women, and we know for a fact that happy girls are engaged girls. In turn, engaged girls have more confidence, are open to new challenges and have the determination to succeed.

Our care philosophy means we notice what’s going on in your daughter’s life. Is she happy, does she have friends, how does she best learn?

Wellbeing Faculty

At St Cuthbert’s we have a dedicated Wellbeing Centre which provides guidance on the mental, physical, and emotional health of every student. Our Deans and Tutor Teachers, counsellors, a registered child and adolescent psychotherapist, and mental health practitioners work in conjunction with our teachers and families to ensure the overall wellbeing of every girl.

By making it normal and healthy to ask for help, girls also learn that it’s ok to reach out to others. They know what it means to care and be cared for.

Our St Cuthbert’s Wellbeing programme starts from your daughter’s first day at school and continues right through to the moment she graduates.

Settling in

No matter what year your daughter joins us, we recognise that starting or changing school can be an emotional time for both girls and parents. Throughout the settling in process, and her whole St Cuthbert’s journey, your daughter will have the wraparound support of teachers and older girls. She will develop a sense of belonging, make friends, share her learning experiences and above all – have fun.

Unique Senior School structure

Years of working closely with girls has taught us that our younger Senior School girls need close comprehensive pastoral care. Our unique Year 7 Homeroom model gives girls the support they need to thrive socially, emotionally, and academically.

From her first day in Year 7, your daughter will be paired with a buddy in her Homeroom class and supported by her Homeroom Teacher to settle in. This encourages self-management skills and allows girls to quickly develop strong friendships within their peer level as well as a special rapport with teachers. From Year 8, we have a structure – Vertical Tutor Groups – which provides girls with a dedicated Tutor Teacher throughout their time in Senior School. Girls meet twice a week in a relaxed atmosphere, through this, students mix with girls from all year levels in the Senior School fostering multi-year friendships, relationships of trust and leadership.

By the time a girl reaches Year 11 she is ready to be a role model to others, and we foster through our Senior Academy from Years 11-13.  Our comprehensive Senior School structure is unique to St Cuthbert’s, and we believe provides invaluable peer role modelling, and a home away from home.

Strong Friendships

St Cuthbert’s girls make friends for life. The strength of our school community makes it easy for the girls to grow their personal networks and develop deep and long-lasting friendships. Our caring and observant staff encourage our girls to live by our values and foster kindness and inclusion.

What we live by

Giving back is so important and that’s why ‘By Love Serve’ is so much more than just our school motto. It is also an ethos which lives across all aspects of school life and bonds the St Cuthbert’s community – both staff and girls – together.

We use it to check our own thoughts and actions and those of others. St Cuthbert’s was founded on Christian values 100 years ago and our motto remains at the heart of our community.

Giving Back: Values Programme and community projects

Our Values Programme gives our students a chance to contribute to their community. Apart from making a positive difference in the lives of others, these initiatives help embed strong ethics and values for life.

All of our girls will learn the value of kindness, belonging and sharing. Our Junior School children care for their own school grounds through our Flowers for Giving garden and assist the wider community by contributing to chosen charities. The girls earn donations for Values Projects through chores at home and events they organise and run at school – and are therefore justifiably proud of the difference they help to make.

Our Senior School girls are involved in altruistic activities. They give their own time and also help fundraise for a wide variety of not-for-profit organisations. Charity work and community involvement is wide and varied and ensures our girls develop a sense of belonging/Manaakitanga, and learn how to show respect, generosity, and care for others.

Services conducted by our Chaplain in the Old Girls’ Chapel also form part of our Values programme and provide an excellent opportunity for our girls to reflect on their charitable endeavours, give thanks and gain a deeper understanding of what it means to live ‘By Love Serve’.

We know that schools with clearly defined service programmes produce stronger academic results and that helping others has a calming effect on the brain and reduces individual stress.