The annual leavers' gift is a strong St Paul's tradition. Each year the chosen gift is commissioned and gifted by the Year 13 leavers as a representation of their time at the school.

The 2022 cohort has faced success and failure, learned skills, and gained tools to carry them into life after St Paul's. 

“When we begin our St Paul's journey, we have endless potential for skill development and personal growth, much like the humble acorn. Now, at the end of our school years, we have reached the stage of a sapling. We have our acorn's foundation; however, we are not yet like the great oaks scattered around St Paul's. We are still to experience life, both the ups and downs, new growth and broken branches,” explained Head Boy Samuel Peoples.

The Leavers wanted their gift to represent these moments of development and thus discussed the idea of an oak sapling with Head of Visual Arts Department, Jonathan Cameron.

Julie Ross a surrealist sculptor in Christchurch interpreted these ideas and created a sketch design of an oak sapling. Julie then made the wax sculpture, creating the mold for the bronze to be cast.

The final artwork consists of the 0.52m bronze sculpture positioned on top of a 1.20m wooden totara plinth.