Standing United Against Bullying
Odd socks were on show on Monday as the school ‘stood united’ and embraced the theme of the Anti-Bullying Alliance which has a specific focus this week. Schools cannot stop all forms of unkindness but we can establish strong values, promote inclusivity, denigrate bullying and educate young people on how to socialise intelligently and compassionately.
Children fall out with each other sometimes. What matters is how they react and it is in this that we try very hard to support all Androvians. We hope that those on the receiving end of unkindness feel empowered to speak up though we know this is sometimes hard. We urge the pupils to recognise that voicing their concerns, whether to an adult, a parent or a friend, is far better than retaliation or self-blame. And we want them to recognise that everyone has ups and downs but, no matter what the gradient and direction, they should always hold their heads high and be proud of themselves.
Importantly, we encourage the pupils to be compassionate and to look out for one another. If they see unkindness or bullying then they should offer to help, talk to that person, let them know they care and encourage them to tell an adult. These are things that many Androvians do quite naturally and I am proud of their kind instincts. But we know that it is not always thus and complacency is a weakness. Put simply, we will continue to stand united against bullying in everything that we do.
I often say how special our community is and, once again, I’d like to say a huge thank you to the Friends Committee for everything they are currently doing, not only in raising money for school projects and The Brain Tumour Charity but also in bringing people together. Last Saturday’s successful Virtual Bingo Night is a perfect example and so a special thank you to Mrs Harris and Mrs Lewis for coordinating the various elements so well.
Many of you were encouraged to send in photos of our beautiful environment to help create a 2021 Calendar and the result is an amazing collection of images to inspire us through the next twelve months. Thank you to Mrs Hart for her efforts and well done to the winning photographs taken by Aarush Reddy (Y5), Freya Walton (Y5) and Isla Jourdain (Y7). Stunning! If you’d like to purchase one then you can by clicking here: Friends of St Andrew’s order page
The updated St Andrew’s Prep cookbook, named The Andro Kitchen, is also available to buy on the link above and it really is worth it. Thanks to the hard work of Mrs Elliott and Mrs Hecks, it is packed full of delicious ideas so those lacking culinary inspiration will love this as a Christmas present. There is a limited number of copies available so don’t miss out!
I was summoned by Mrs Radley to the Durlacher this week to see the progress of the Year 6 tap dancers and what a delight. I don’t know why but the sound of rhythmic and unified tap dancing is just so satisfyingly smile-inducing. Great progress everyone!
It is Arts Week for the Pre-Prep next week and I look forward to seeing their creations inspired by famous artists. I also look forward to seeing the handiwork of pupils and parents atop each head next Friday. The hat parade is a very special part of St Andrew’s Day and there is just a week to go!
This weekend is an exeat so no activities tomorrow. I hope everyone can have a good rest before a full and fun-filled final three weeks.