Principal of Preparatory School

St Andrew’s College is a leading independent, co-educational day and boarding school with a broad curriculum, celebrated learning environment, exciting co-curricular programme, and proud Presbyterian heritage. Whatever our students’ talents and interests, wherever their curiosity may take them, St Andrew’s College provides them with opportunities to excel and shine. They leave us as confident, well-rounded young adults, who are prepared for life in today’s changing world. We are the South Island’s only co-educational independent school offering places from Pre-school through to Year 13. We have over 1600 day and boarding students, with our boarding facilities (catering for 160 boarders) located in the heart of the school. Our students are supported by 210 teachers, along with 100 support staff and 50 contractors, creating a busy, thriving environment. In 2022, St Andrew’s celebrated 30 years of being co-educational.

Our Vision: To be at the leading edge of high-performance educational practice, in a community which values caring for others, tradition, and creativity, in order to provide young people with the roots and wings to flourish in an ever-changing world.

Our Founding Values: We secure our future by inspiring trust and confidence through living out our values and demonstrating our commitment to continuous improvement.

• Truth | Pono – integrity in everything we say and do;

• Excellence | Kairangi – reaching beyond what people expect of us;

• Faith | Whakapono – in self, others, and our future;

• Creativity | Auahatanga – daring to imagine, turning ideas into reality;

• Inclusivity | Kanorau – valuing diversity, embracing different perspectives.

Balancing tradition and innovation is a key focus of the St Andrew’s College Board of Governors. In striking this blend St Andrew’s has built a brand of education which adapts quickly to the demands of the present, while holding true to the values of our founders. This gives our students a combination of freedom and boundaries, which we believe, results in young people who flourish in life beyond school.

While attending St Andrew’s is a different experience for today’s students from decades past, what hasn’t changed is the College’s underlying commitment to prepare students for life. Our roots of shared traditions, values, culture, spirituality, knowledge and a sense of belonging, help guide our students towards a rich future of innovation, future thinking, curiosity, and following their dreams.

Providing the right environment for this to happen requires balance. Our school community comprises many individuals each contributing their perspectives and talents. Alongside our ongoing investment in programmes, infrastructure and facilities, the Board has a strong focus on continuous improvement of student outcomes, providing an inclusive, supportive environment, and caring for the well-being of everyone. Creating a sense of belonging for all in our community is a hallmark of St Andrew’s College.

We are proud of our heritage, values, strong sense of community, and long rich history at St Andrew’s, developed in over a century since the College was founded in the Scottish Presbyterian traditions of the Christian faith. Our chaplain leads regular chapel services for all year groups, with St Andrew’s encouraging and fostering an inclusive environment with students from a range of cultural and faith backgrounds.

Scottish traditions remain at the heart of St Andrew’s, with the skirl of the pipes, twirl of the Highland dancers, the Ferguson tartan, St Andrew’s cross and Scottish thistle intrinsically woven into the fabric of College life. The historical relationship between all the places associated with St Andrew’s and the mana whenua, Ngāi Tahu, is also important and is currently being captured in our first Cultural Narrative. This document will bring the two narratives of our history together, using the metaphor of weaving – the warp and the weft, the tartan and the kākahu.