Performance Pathways is delivered in partnership with Performance Wellbeing, a Christchurch-based organisation founded by John Quinn and Gemma McCaw, specialising in performance coaching, mental skills, and wellbeing. The programme is facilitated by Anna Simcic, a former Olympian who represented New Zealand at two Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games, winning one gold and two silver medals, and who later became a Performance Life Coach with High Performance Sport New Zealand.
Anna brings a values- and strengths-based approach to her work with young people, translating high-performance principles into practical, age-appropriate strategies that support confidence, balance, and wellbeing in everyday school life.
At The Cathedral Grammar School, Performance Pathways is a bespoke leadership and wellbeing programme for Years 7 and 8, intentionally designed to support students at a pivotal stage of development as they grow in independence, confidence, and responsibility. The programme prepares students to lead, perform, and thrive, not only academically, but socially, emotionally, and personally, as they begin to take on leadership roles and prepare for the transition to secondary school.
Performance Pathways is not an off-the-shelf programme. It has been carefully shaped to reflect the age, stage, values, and leadership culture of Cathedral Grammar, ensuring it feels authentic and relevant to our students. Rather than focusing solely on outcomes, the programme centres on process, preparation, and self-awareness. Students learn that confidence, resilience, and leadership are built through habits, reflection, and understanding what helps them perform consistently, not just on their strongest days, but when things feel uncertain or challenging.
Through guided sessions, students are supported to explore what motivates them, how mindset influences behaviour and performance, and how they respond under pressure. They learn to recognise their personal strengths and values, to reflect honestly, and to develop routines that support balance, wellbeing, and learning. A strong emphasis is placed on regular “check-ins”, helping students build emotional literacy and the ability to notice when they need to pause, adjust, or seek support. These skills are foundational not only for leadership within the school, but for life beyond it.
Performance Pathways sits alongside the Year 7–8 leadership structure and reinforces the understanding that leadership is not defined by a badge or title, but by how you show up. Students explore leadership as a daily practice grounded in integrity, humility, courage, service, and responsibility, values that align closely with the Anglican character and culture of Cathedral Grammar. The programme gives students a shared language around preparation, reflection, mindset, and responsibility, supporting them whether they are leading assemblies, speaking at events, navigating peer relationships, preparing for performance, or representing the school in the wider community.
As students prepare for what comes next, Performance Pathways helps bridge the gap between primary schooling and future expectations. Students learn to plan ahead, reflect meaningfully, manage their energy, and recognise that effort, mindset, and consistency are within their control. Above all, the programme reflects Cathedral Grammar’s commitment to developing capable, compassionate young people who are confident in who they are, equipped to lead, and prepared to contribute positively to the communities they become part of.