At St Andrew’s, we understand the sacred trust placed in us as educators of future generations. Our students are tomorrow’s citizens. We therefore rise enthusiastically to the responsibility of equipping all those in our care with an education of the highest quality. We expect the best from each of our students and encourage them to strive for success.
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In 1862, St Andrew’s Church founded the school that would become St Andrew’s. This was in response to the Church of England’s drive to establish a Church school in every parish in the land. Over the past 150 years, the school has undergone a number of changes on a variety of sites but, throughout that time, its links with the Church have remained strong. We, at St Andrew’s, value our Church of England heritage. We seek to realise the Church of England’s historic commitment to provide an education for all by being an “inclusive but distinctive” school. Our Church heritage means we continue to place Christian worship at the heart of school life, whilst remaining respectful of the other faiths and traditions practised by members of our increasingly diverse student body. Our Church heritage motivates our service to our immediate community through strong partnerships with local primary schools. It also fosters the rich tradition of musical excellence which enhances St Andrew’s reputation today. We want everyone to feel at home here whether they are from a Christian background, are from another Faith, or have no religious affiliation.
The ethos of a school is something that is felt rather than described. Those who learn and work at St Andrew’s are fully aware of the buoyant atmosphere which prevails. Visitors who come for public events or to look around are impressed by the courtesy of our students and their enthusiasm to be effective ambassadors for the school. At St Andrew’s, we know that generating a happy school, where the students feel secure and the staff are content, cannot be left to chance. We actively exploit opportunities to reinforce the positive values which make for a dynamic and forward-looking society. St Andrew’s is fortunate in having forged strong relationships both within our local community as well as nationally and internationally.
WIN The Waddon Inclusion Network (or WIN) is an active partnership of local schools including St Andrew’s, Parish Church Infant and Junior Schools, Howard Primary School, Aerodrome Primary School and Victoria House PRU. These schools pool resources in order to provide a wide range of extended services, activities and educational programmes for pupils and students, their families and friends, after formal school hours and during the holiday periods.
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The Children’s University WIN co-ordinates the Children’s University across the whole of Croydon. This initiative, launched in Croydon in 2011, runs in conjunction with the London Metropolitan University and rewards children aged from 5 upwards, when they participate in co-curricular activities or contribute to the community through voluntary work. Annual graduation ceremonies, hosted by the London Metropolitan University, honour those young people who have accumulated sufficient points to be awarded bronze, silver or gold diplomas. Staff at St Andrew’s manage the co-ordination of The Children’s University across Croydon.
St Andrew’s Church In addition to the historic links binding the school to St Andrew’s Church, a strong and vibrant current partnership exists. The Church is at the heart of parish affairs and, through the Church, the school is able to contribute to local initiatives centred around community cohesion. For Key Stages 3 and 4 there are termly services held at St Andrew’s Church. Members of the school community often contribute to services at St Andrew’s and the head teacher’s close links with this church ensures that the school is fully integrated with the Church of England at parochial and diocesan level.
Zizzi’s Restaurant, South Croydon Once a month, this local restaurant overflows to the sound of jazz, played by St Andrew’s musicians: students past and present. This business partnership is highly valued by the school as it provides a real venue in which our talented singers and instrumentalists can perform. In return, Zizzi’s is assured of a full house every jazz night. This is just one example of the high regard in which St Andrew’s music is held in the local community.
RUSH RUSH is a community in Kakamega, western Kenya which has grown up to “reach the unreached through self-help” (RUSH). It provides economic support for families who have suffered through AIDS and HIV but, most importantly, it provides excellent schooling for the children of the area. For nearly ten years, St Andrew’s has supported RUSH by raising funds for buildings, equipment and, more recently, staffing. Our involvement with this community helps our students understand what life can be like for young people their age in other parts of the world.
The Orpheus Centre The Orpheus Centre trains disabled young adults for work in the performing arts. Musicians from St Andrew’s are proud to collaborate with students from The Orpheus Centre on joint concerts each year.
Paris Music Exchange Once a year, musicians and linguists from St Andrew’s take part in a drama and music activity with a school in Paris. This is a unique opportunity to forge strong friendships across international boundaries.
The House System Our Houses have the same sense of soaring aspiration which characterises the magnificent church buildings they are named after in Durham, Lincoln, Salisbury, Wells and York. The Houses are central to the way St Andrew’s works. Our students identify with their House and it is through the House system that so many find the encouragement and sense of personal ambition which mark out their path to success. The friendly competition and rivalry which exist between the Houses promotes corporate responsibility as the race to win the House cup each year gathers pace. Every House has its own officers, chosen from the team of prefects in Year 11. These are coveted positions as students develop key life skills through the leadership they exercise, the responsibilities they hold and the team-work they engage in. Younger students, placed in tutor groups which are arranged vertically to include all Years, have the chance to learn from the older ones, seeing the way that challenges are met and ambitions realised. This vertical structure means that, from day one, all our students have friends in every Year. Students who encounter obstacles to their effective learning have buddies and mentors assigned them. This structured support is all the more effective because it comes from their peers. Our students thrive on our culture of reward and celebration. Whilst individual students can accumulate merits in recognition of their good work or positive contribution to school life, they can also add to the total of House points generated in the course of the school year by each of the five Houses. Termly achievement assemblies keep the race alive but it is the summer sports’ day which is really the highlight of the Year in terms of House achievement. Our Junior and Senior Presentation Evenings, held each year, are splendid occasions when we applaud those students who have made progress or achieved significantly in a wide range of subjects or spheres. These events also provide wonderful platforms to ‘showcase’ the skills of our most talented students. Teachers and support staff at St Andrew’s work alongside the students in so many ways, providing guidance and support, encouragement and drive informally and formally.
GOD GRACE GUIDANCE GROW GIVE
GOD GRACE GUIDANCE GROW GIVE
At St Andrew’s we want all our students to be ‘inspired learners’. This means that we aim to place the individual learner at the heart of what goes on in the classroom, the laboratory, the workshop or the sports field. During Key Stage 3, the focus is on a broad and balanced curriculum, accelerating through Year 9 in preparation for Key Stage 4 where students select a range of subjects for GCSE or BTEC. We expect all our students to be ambitious and to realise their full potential. Our examination results reflect our successes. The new Sixth Form offers high quality A-level and BTEC courses.
Co-curriculum St Andrew’s has an excellent reputation for its co-curriculum. A wide range of optional activities complements the academic curriculum providing students of all ages and abilities with a rich source of experience from chess club to basketball, drama to gardening, music to computer club.
Music Music is our specialism. Making music is a particularly effective metaphor for quality learning. Musicians learn perseverance. They learn how to collaborate with others. They learn how to perform, mastering their nerves in order to demonstrate their achievements. At St Andrew’s, we know that our success in music (at every level) sits at the very heart of the excellence we deliver academically, personally and socially.
Sport Our enthusiasm for sport, including competitive sport, is exceptional, rivalling that of many larger schools. Curriculum sport changes according to the season, providing boys and girls with experience of a good range of sports. We aim to develop in all our students an understanding of and enjoyment in physical exercise from both a health and social point of view. Competitive sport plays an important part in realising that aim and we are delighted with our recent sporting achievements, all the more notable for a small school. The success of our sports’ teams gives us frequent reasons to celebrate.
Pastoral Care Pastoral Care is all about individual students and providing them with the structures and effective engagement to enable them to thrive. Heads of House, supported by their teams of tutors, manage the pastoral system through a range of formal and informal intervention procedures. The positive relationships which are a characteristic of St Andrew’s set the tone for effective engagement. Our standards are high and we expect all members of our school community to treat each other with consideration and courtesy.
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We encourage all our students to contribute to their community. This is how we help build a cohesive society for 21st century Britain. Student Voice is valued highly by the school. School Council provides an immensely important function channelling the students’ opinions and suggestions for improving school life. Regular meetings with staff ensure that the Council can contribute directly to decision-making. The School Council is also responsible for the administration of funds generated each term through mufti days. In this way, Council members learn how to make responsible decisions on behalf of those they represent, and how to be duly accountable. Invariably, St Andrew’s council members are elected to Croydon’s Youth Council. The HOPE outreach projects provide another platform for students to give productively of their time and energy. Recently, students have focussed on using football to help autistic children mix with others, running a youth club for local primary children, and helping the elderly develop internet skills. St Andrew’s musicians make significant contributions to the community on local, national and international platforms. We have specialised in music for years. The high quality and sheer variety of the music generated by our students is impressive. It ranges from classical ensembles to jazz and rock bands, from explosive percussion performances to exquisite choral work. Our programme of student leadership and the visible role that students play in running the school during assemblies, as prefects during break and lunchtimes, as car-park attendants at major events, as hosts and ambassadors on special occasions all testify to a genuine, vital culture that is affirming.
Being the Headteacher of St Andrew’s School puts me in a really privileged position to watch the amazing journey your child travels from the moment they join us. It is my belief that every child possesses great potential and that it is our job to discover this and ensure it is fully realised and achieved, so that your child’s greatest dreams can become a reality. ‘The future depends on what you do today’ Mahatma Gandhi
Kerry Targett, Headteacher
St Andrew’s School & Sixth Form Warrington Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 4BH Tel: 020 8686 8306 Fax: 020 8681 6320 Email: office@st-andrews.croydon.sch.uk Web: www.standhigh.net
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