English

We have a great English department at Saint Bernard’s College. Our teachers love teaching here and are always thinking of ways to make the subject of English interesting and relevant for our students. At the heart of our subject is a passion for reading, writing and speech making.

We look for opportunities to extend our students’ interest and participation in English through extra-curricular outings, activities and competitions. We take class groups to see relevant films and documentaries, and plays and productions. Our students have competed in regional and national competitions over the past few years and done well. These are competitions such as, the Kids’ Lit Quiz, the New Zealand Spelling Bee, the Stockley Cup Regional Speech competition and the Just Talk National Speech competition. There is also the opportunity for boys to take part in debating.

We provide after school sessions for students who need support and we also run extension programmes. In the past two years we have had senior students gain Scholarship English.

Ultimately, we aim to foster a love of literature and language in our students.

Information on the Course Structure can be found here.

This is just to say

I am getting ready for a game.

Putting on that jersey which is

protecting me from my identity.

Trying to protect that small parcel

round and precious.

While my enemies are trying to get me

While I’m protecting it like a mother

protecting its baby’s nest.

Then my parents screaming

and in my head, I’m telling them

to say less

because that is the game

Of RUGBY

A poem by one of our talented Year 9 students.