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Speech Day

Speech day dawned, bright and sunny on Saturday 9 July and St Andrew’s Prep was delighted to welcome Governors, staff, parents and pupils to the event which celebrated the academic year and bade a fond farewell to the boys and girls from Year 8. The school was also delighted to host guest speaker, Guy Andrews, a television writer, who has written for television programmes including Lost in Austen, Absolute Power, Agatha Christie’s Poirot, Inspector Lewis, Chancer and Blandings (the latter adapting the works of P G Wodehouse) and most recently, the televised version of Fungus the Bogeyman which was shown on Sky One at Christmas. 

Headmaster, Gareth Jones launched the proceedings with a humorous and rousing speech which highlighted much that has happened at school over the course of the year, all of which is driven by the school’s three main aims, Breadth, Excellence and Integrity. He also touched on two new initiatives for the coming year. In a busy world where Google is the go-to option, it is imperative the children are taught how to form opinions, how to substantiate ideas and self-reflect without over-analysing, how to listen and value other opinions, how to be aware of the wider community and so on. A weekly Mind Matters session with the children’s form tutors will hope to guide the children in this regard. And, continuing the community theme, The St Andrew’s Prep Community Award will also be introduced next year which will see children in Years 6, 7 and 8 collecting credits in five specific areas: Physical, Service, Personal Development, Cultural and Challenge. The Award will encourage the children to develop skills for work and life to fulfil their potential to have an even brighter future. 

Chair of the St Andrew’s Committee of Governors, Nicky Eckert thanked Mr Jones for his own contribution and marvelled at all that had taken place during the course of the year before the Head Boys and Head Girls took to the stage to offer their thoughts about Academia, Drama, Music, Sport, outside of the St Andrew’s prep classroom and the ups (and downs) of Year 8. 

Once the prize winners had received their awards from Mr Andrews, he gave an entertaining and passionate speech, aimed at the children, about grabbing every opportunity St Andrew’s had to offer. To try it all and enjoy every day at “this fabulous school.”

The ceremony concluded with a hearty three cheers from the Heads of school and was followed by a mouth-watering buffet picnic on the fields afterwards.