We had a wonderful start to our Pre-Prep and Nursery Arts week with some magical storytelling with Kevin Graal. He used musical instruments to stimulate the children’s imagination to create stories – they were enthused and enraptured throughout. We were lucky to have the Director of Music from Eastbourne College join us for our assembly on Tuesday. He showed the children lots of different woodwind instruments and great fun was had when the didgeridoo was played.

Nursery and Reception classes enjoyed interesting visits to the Towner art gallery where they saw pictures of ‘classrooms around the world’ displayed. Classroom work focused on various artists and the children experienced a range of art techniques.

St Andrew’s Prep celebrated St Andrew’s Day in its own unique fashion on Friday as the whole school, from Nursery to Year 8, went off-timetable and joined together for a day of fun, entertainment and laughter to celebrate the school’s namesake.

Light drizzle didn’t dampen the spirts at the Pre-Prep hat parade which kicked off the proceedings with stunningly crafted millinery creations on themes including Sydney Opera House, minions, fruit baskets, vases of flowers and Thunderbirds rockets and, of course, the St Andrew’s flag.

After a formal service led by Headmaster, Gareth Jones, the Year 8 children entertained the Years 2 to 7 children for the morning with games staged all around the school site including, amongst others, snail racing, swegway, pillow fighting, table tennis, and a haunted house. The Brownies also organised a cake sale. 

A convivial lunch for the children and staff, who wore their hats with pride, was also attended by former parents, staff and Old Androvians. Finally, the much anticipated St Andrew’s Day Show, organised and hosted by our gap year students and featuring songs, sketches, film and dancing by the children, kept the whole school entertained in the afternoon.

Our boarders in Colstocks are rightly proud of their varied nationalities and heritage and St Andrew’s positively encourages this by offering the children opportunities to talk about their home and culture.

Last night was one such occasion when, much to the delight of our Spanish children, the catering team provided the children with some authentic Spanish cuisine. Our Spaniards were keen and eager to offer explanations about the different foods on offer which was accompanied by some Spanish guitar music. All forty children who boarded last night were extremely complimentary about the Spanish feast.

Many thanks to our caterers, Holroyd Howe, for putting on such a magnificent spread.

The school chapel made a stunning venue for
the Autumn Serenade this year which showcased the musical talents of children
in Years 5 to 8 at St Andrew’s Prep. 

The
concert was a treat for family, friends and staff who enjoyed a variety of
musical genres and instruments from gospel music sung by the Monday Choir to some breath-taking
solo performances on the flute, oboe, trumpet, trombone, violin and cello.  There were also a number of vocal solos too
and a wonderful xylophone piece to finish off the evening.

It was a most enjoyable and entertaining concert and well-demonstrated the
breadth and depth of talent amongst the St Andrew’s Prep pupils.

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, St Andrew’s Prep joined the nation to remember those who have lost their lives through war and conflict. The children from the prep and pre-prep schools gathered under the school clock and remained silent for two minutes to pay their respects.

Earlier in the day, a Remembrance Service had been held for staff, pupils and their families in the School Chapel. The Headmaster, Gareth Jones, spoke movingly about a courageous former pupil, Eric Yarrow, who died on the front line in 1915. The Headmaster at the time, Rev E L Browne, wrote the following to his grieving parents:

“Dear Mr Yarrow, I am more grieved than I can tell you. I never had – nor could wish to have – a better boy; nor could you have a better son nor our country a better citizen.”

The hymns, I Vow to Thee, My Country and Make Me a Channel of your Peace were interspersed with poems and prayers read by staff and pupils and the choir sang a very moving rendition of Refuge by Howard Goodall. Wreaths were laid by the Head Girl Daisy Newton and Head Boy Joe Al-Hasso and The Last Post and Reveille were played by Assistant Director of Music, Michelle Eldridge and Year 8 pupil Evan Nayler.

Many memorials in the chapel mark the 91 boys and staff who lost their lives in the First World War and the 69 Old Androvians and teachers who were killed in the Second World War.

Many congratulations to the Under 11A Girls’ Hockey team who claimed victory in St Andrew’s Prep’s own mini hockey tournament last weekend. The team started very well with a decisive 4 – 0 win over Brighton. Against the St Andrew’s Prep’s Under 11B team, the girls notched up a 6 – 0 victory and this was followed by a very conclusive 8 – 0 over Moira House. Sadly, Burgess Hill for Girls and Vinehall pulled out of the tournament making the title a relatively easy win for the girls. Nonetheless, many congratulations to the winners and to our Under 11B team who placed third.

Congratulations also to the Under 10A team who were eventual runners-up in their age group to Brighton (whom they beat in the ’round robin’ section earlier in the day). En route to the final the girls defeated Brighton, Moira House, the St Andrew’s Prep Under 9A team (playing in the tournament for match experience) and Bede’s.

A great day of hockey for all those who took part with superb organisation by Mrs Tomsett, as always.

St Andrew’s Prep claimed victory by a very good margin in
the Lancing College Geography Quiz for local schools last week.  The
school’s team of Henry Rowlands (Year 8), Emily May (Year 7) and Juliette
Zeilmaker (Year 6) beat seventeen other schools to the number one spot by
answering a variety of challenging questions onlocation knowledge, flags,
famous buildings and national costumes. 

St Andrew’s also entered two teams into a Science Quiz at Hurst this week.  Each team comprised two children from Year 5 and two from Year 6, and the first team (Juliette Zeilmaker, Seb Isepp, Alex MacGregor and Armani Tanna) won by an impressive margin of 200 points. This team will now go on to compete at the Semi Final, held on 8 December in Windsor.

The St Andrew’s Prep playing fields teemed with children, staff and friends of the school community on Friday evening as hundreds came together to enjoy a cracking Bonfire Night event laid on by the Friends of St Andrew’s.

The rain did nothing to dampen spirits as the bonfire was lit before a superb 15 minute display, arranged by Event FX, lit up the night sky to accompanying music.

Stall holders were kept busy by early arrivals who tucked in to toffee apples, popcorn and hot and cold drinks and glo-novelty items were snapped up by children and adults alike. The bar was also well supported and ticket holders tucked in to burgers or hot dogs with all the trimmings.

Headmaster, Gareth Jones said, “What a superb evening! I was especially pleased to see many people from the local community join us and I would like to thank the Friends of St Andrew’s Prep most sincerely for laying on such a well organised, enjoyable and rocketing event.”