Sports News
Second 75th Anniversary Reunion - Great Success
October 09
On Saturday 17th October 2009 the second of the 75th Anniversary Reunion lunches took place. There were approximately 70 attendees spanning 6 decades of St. Andrew’s history from 1935 to 1995. Four previous head teachers were represented, either in person or by their relatives. All attendees were very happy to meet with old acquaintances and to renew their familiarity with the institution which is
The late hour of the last departures attested to a very successful occasion. Well done to the organisers for all their hard work. OSAs please continue to spread the word and to make contact with others. Old photographs would still be welcomed as would help identifying the individuals in the photographs.
More ImagesHead Girl's Birthday Treat - Turkish Delight.
October 09
On Monday 5th October 2009 a group of six Sixth Formers, including Head Boy and Head Girl, and two members of staff ventured into new territory by making the school's first official visit to Turkey. This was to be the beginning of a week of joint project work with our Comenius partner school in Gaziantep, southern Turkey. Coincidentally, it happened to be a very special day for our new Head Girl in more ways than one. It was also her birthday!
The Turkish team organised a super evening meal for us all and we were able to present the traditional birthday cake, with candles and singing.
Read more about the trip in the 'Trips' section and visit the project blog at www.comeniustrees.blogspot.com
SCHOLARSHIPS 2009
June 09The scholarship season at senior schools has closed with St Andrew's pupils winning fifteen awards this year.With only 22 pupils in our sixth form this is an outstanding tally, and we warmly congratulate 'The Class of 2009'. Academic scholarships have been won at Abingdon School, Bradfield College and St Edward's Oxford; music scholarships have been won at Bradfield College, Marlborough College and Millfield; art, sport, drama and all-rounders' scholarships have been won at Bradfield College, Millfield, The Oratory School and Queen Anne's School.
Comenius Project Meeting in Finland
April 09See under "Trips" for the latest news.More Images
OSA Reunion Dinner
March 09
International Project Meeting - Great Success
January 09
In November we hosted the much awaited first Comenius project meeting with attendees from 5 different countries. We had 32 visitors in all, 13 teachers and 19 children. We are especially grateful to the team of parents and staff who provided accommodation over the 8-day period.
The TV Room and LRC were given over to accommodate our guests during the day with meals and refreshments provided by our excellent catering team. Thank you Mark! Thanks also to Kate Jennings for organising a super party on the Thursday evening. What an icebreaker that was!
Activities included the business meeting, of course, with foreign children visiting lessons, teachers' tours of the school, outdoor fieldwork involving trees, visits to Rushall Farm woods and the Black Barn, The Living Rainforest Centre, Harcourt Arboretum, Oxford and Windsor Castle. The Czech and Turkish parties managed to squeeze in a trip to London whilst the others were still travelling to or from the UK.
Many friendships were forged between the visitors and their hosts, and the visiting children, although a little reticent at first, gradually began to open up and start practising their English as time went on. The 'Universal Language' was, naturally, football. A small impromptu international match was organised at the weekend but England came second; no match for Finland it seems!
Many gifts of a cultural nature were exchanged between the schools, as well as project work.
Apart from furthering the project on Trees and the Environment we gained a great deal from just having visitors around. We were able to compare and contrast a little of each other's culture, teaching practices and linguistic attainment. However, better than all of that was the sense of belonging to a wider family within and around Europe. Well done to the British Council for promoting such an inspired project. We really are not unique on this island. We should 'get out more'.
The next meeting will be in Finland between 17th and 22nd March 2008. A team of three staff and six children is already geared up to go.
More ImagesSt. Andrew's Quiz Team Victorious Again!
October 08
For the second year running, a team has returned to St. Andrew's School having proven that, when it comes to general knowledge, they are second to none.
Magdalen College School organises an annual inter-school quiz, to which prep schools in the region are invited. This year, there were no fewer than 16 teams, and the questions were on such diverse topics as geography, history & politics, science & nature, popular & high culture. Most of the rounds were answered by the teams on paper. However, there was a buzzer round mid-way through the contest during which our 'A' and 'B' captains had to demonstrate quick reactions as well as factual knowledge. 'A' captain Stephen Moran added valuable bonus points to the team's score.
With only one round remaining, there was a dead heat between the St. Andrew's 'A' team and Christ Church Cathedral School of Oxford. Our rivals scored well, gaining nine out of ten possible points; however, the defending champions (St. Andrew's won in 2007) achieved the only perfect ten of the evening and thereby ensured that the trophy would be coming home to Pangbourne for another year.
A Tree for Europe - Comenius Tree Planting Ceremony
October 08
On Thursday 25th November at 1115 members of the school gathered around the planting hole of a new tree. The tree is a Golden Beech (kindly sourced by Mrs C Taylor and with funding from the British Council) and it is a symbol of our joint Comenius project with schools in Turkey, Finland and Czech and Slovak Republics. The Fifth Formers helped to fill in around the roots of the tree and to firm it in place. Luckily the weather was fine and the ceremony was enjoyed by all. Look out for the golden yellow spring foliage, turning to green in the summer and back to golden yellow or brown in the autumn.
International Comenius Project
September 08Autumn Term 2008 marks the start of an ambitious two-year project under the British Council's Comenius Partnerships scheme. This involves joint project work with schools in Finland, Turkey, and the Czech and Slovak Republics. The subject of the project is "Trees and the Environment" and the work will include the study of many aspects of forests and the uses of wood. The first official engagement will be the planting of a special tree to symbolise the project.
Four joint project meetings are planned, the first taking place here at St. Andrew's between 19th and 24th November when we shall be entertaining teams of visitors from each of the other schools. Subsequent joint meetings are planned for Finland (March 2009), Turkey (September 2009) and Czech Republic (May 2010).
Pupils in our current Fifth Form (Year 7) will be largely responsible for the running of the project.
Middle School Production of Treasure Island
March 08
At the end of the Spring Term 2008, all members of the Third and Fourth Forms presented Treasure Island, a musical play. The play was written and directed by our own Mrs Meg Verrall. Three full audiences applauded superb performances which were the result of many weeks' hard and enjoyable work. A DVD of the show is available at the school.
2008 - A RECORD YEAR FOR SCHOLARSHIPS!
March 08During the Spring Term 2008, sixth formers were awarded a total of seventeen scholarships and awards at senior schools. These awards are tenable from September. Our pupils won awards at Abingdon School, Bradfield College, Canford School, Downe House, Headington School, Marlborough College, Millfield, The Oratory School and Pangbourne College. A few more awards will be attempted in the Summer Term, but we can already say that 2008 is a record year for sixth form scholarships. Well done!!
International School Award
February 08
St. Andrew's has been awarded the International School Award from the Department for Children, Schools and Families. To gain this award at intermediate level we had to demonstrate a high level of international project activities over the previous 12 months. This we achieved easily with our varied activities, including trips abroad, charity work, video links with partner schools in Europe, foreign food days in the dining room and relevant curricular work.
We are now looking forward to the next phase where we will soon be applying for the highest level award possible. For this we are planning much bigger projects with more foreign schools and more trips overseas.
Ofsted Boarding Inspection Report
January 08During the Autumn Term, the school underwent an Inspection of Boarding by Ofsted. In every key area of inspection, St Andrew's was adjudged 'Good' and the overall rating of boarding at the school was 'Good'. In the Summary, the inspectorate wrote that the school provides 'a good overall standard of care to pupils who choose to board, and those who do find it a fun and enjoyable experience.'
The Report has now been published on the Ofsted website. To find it go to www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports and search under Boarding Schools RG8 8QA.
The school found the inspection to be a useful process and is responding to the small number of minor recommendations.
Flexi-boarding at St Andrew's is indeed fun, convenient and a great experience. Parents are encouraged to consider using the service. If you would like a tour of the girls and/or boys' boarding house, please contact the school office.
Visit to Slovak School
January 08
New Learning Resource Centre
May 07
New Swimming Pool
April 07
English Literature Character Day
April 07
History Day
March 07On 26th March, we held another History Day at St Andrew's, for the senior part of the school. The day was led by Kevin Hicks (The Bowman from Warwick Castle) with great style. The morning was devoted to the Tudor period, including an archery display; in the afternoon we learnt about life as a soldier at the Battle of Waterloo. Many members of the school dressed in appropriate costume and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day - including the History Day Lunch!
Classroom Video Link with France
March 07Children in the Third Forms were pioneers in an exciting new development at St Andrew's in March. Head of ICT, Ian Farquhar, had set up an internet video conference between our Modern Languages Department and the Ecole Parodi in Blois, central France. Children on both sides of the Channel (who had already sent introductions to one another by e-mail) took it in turns to sit in the 'hot seat' and ask each other questions, some in French and some in English, with teachers Glyn Thomas and Haig Howard lending support in the St Andrew's classroom where necessary. Using a webcam and a microphone, the entire year group was able to hear their French counterparts and see them 'live' on the large classroom Smart Board screen. This was likely to be the first of many such links, as plans are being drawn up for further video conferences with Blois, as well as a similar arrangement together with a school in Slovakia, using German as the common language.
Official Opening of our new Music Centre
November 06
