International students are given a warm and personal welcome to Craighead. We work hard to ensure their experience with us is successful, meaningful and enjoyable.
All international students are met at Christchurch airport when they arrive into the country. A customised individual orientation programme is put in place upon their arrival at Craighead; we remain close at hand, providing ongoing support, for the duration of their stay with us.
We work closely with international students to improve both their written and verbal English skills, through dedicated ESOL classes. Our International students study the New Zealand Curriculum.
Senior students sit their National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) in Years 12-13 and can attain Levels 2 and 3 as well as meeting New Zealand University Entrance requirements. Subject choices for international students are made collaboratively between the student, the teachers, deans and the international student director. IELTS is offered to senior students who may need this qualification for entry to international tertiary institutions.
Craighead Diocesan international students can expect to be well cared for, well educated and included in a wide variety of activities such as local ski trips and outdoor education camps.
Our Years 7 to 10 international students live alongside other students within our modern boarding facilities, whilst Year 11 to 13 international students can opt for homestay accommodation with local families, if they wish. All International students must spend their first year in the Boarding House, where at each year level a Boarding House Supervisor is responsible for their care and welfare. Supervised homework time is provided as support for academic achievement.
This is a fantastic way to immerse oneself in the culture of your host country, while still being well cared for and assisted in your education.
Providing international students with an outstanding education, New Zealand experience and lasting friendships
To enquire about any available international student places at Craighead and how to apply, please contact our International Student Director by email:
Ms Kerri Doy – doyke@craighead.school.nz
Useful Links:
Messages from Craighead International Old Girls’ …..
Hello! My name is Emma,
I have studied in Craighead for three and half years, and I am studying in Vancouver Canada now. No matter where I go, I never regret about the decision I made for coming to Craighead. When I first arrived at school, my English is really poor, I could only understand some simple words. The teacher was really nice, she asked a girl to take care of me in the school. Because Craighead is in Timaru, a place that doesn’t have a lot of Chinese, my English was improved really fast, just in half of the year, I can understand most of the conversation.
Compared to a lot of public schools, girls in here are much nicer, there wasn’t any misunderstanding due to the different culture backgrounds. Even now I am not in New Zealand, I still have contact with lots of my high school friends. Because of study in Craighead, I have friends from Japan, Korean, Thai, New Zealand and a lot of other places. Most of students here studied hard and also enjoy a great life here. After I came to Vancouver, a place with lots of Chinese, I realized a good environment for studying English is really important. I really miss my time at Craighead, sitting on the grass, have lunch with my friends. If given a second chance, I will still choose to come to Craighead.
你们好， 我叫Emma， 曾经在Craighead 学习了三年半， 如今在加拿大温哥华上大学。 可以 说不管走到哪里，我都十分庆幸当初父母为我选择了这所学校。 刚入校的时候，英语十分 的不好，只能听懂简单的问好之类的， 老师十分亲切，特意找了一个比我提前来的国际留 学生照顾我。 由于 Craighead 在Timaru， 一个华人不是特别多的地方，所以我的英语真的进 步的很快，过了不到半年，几乎就可以听懂学习生活上的大部分。 相比大部分公立高中， 这里的学生更加友善，在学校几乎没有发生过一些因为文化不同所带来的误会。 如今虽然 已不在新西兰，但还是和当初很多同学保持联系，也因为在这里，认识了来自日本，韩国 ，泰国，新西兰还有很多其他地方的朋友。由于身边良好的学习环境，身边的同学都很有 自己将来的人生规划，所以在Craighead的留学生都十分努力的学习，同时又很享受这边的 生活。 自从来到温哥华这座华人很多的城市，我深刻的体会到一个好的语言环境对我们这 些学生的语言进步起到了很大的作用。学校的校舍也十分漂亮。还记得那几棵三四个人都 围不住的大树，阳光明媚的时候坐在草地上与朋友谈天说地。 可以说在Craighead的那段时 光真的很快乐，无忧无虑。学校会帮助我们解决很多生活与学业上的问题。 当初报考加拿 大大学的时候十分担心他们不承认新西兰的教育体系，但是这份担心是多余的。在 Craighead的成绩可以说已经高过大多数留学生，并没有给我申请除新西兰大学之外的国家 大学带来任何麻烦。Timaru是一个非常美丽的城市，哪里有我至今见过最蓝的天和最美的 星空。我想如果再让我选择一次，我还是愿意回来这所学校去度过我全部的高中生涯！
One of our Thai students says
One of our Japanese students says
