Page 3 - ANDROVIAN YEARBOOK

wider school community of tutors, class teachers, sports coaches, listeners, medical staff, minibus drivers, administrative staff, domestic staff, in fact all members of staff to swing into action to do what they can to make our pupils feel happier.To my delight, this happens hundreds of times daily on our beautiful site and there are so many anecdotal stories where the ‘team’ has made a huge difference.
These last few years have thrown all sorts of things at our pupils, our parents and our staff but we have ridden the storm, made huge progress and learnt many new skills along the way. Although it has been a tricky time, every experience is a learning experience.The IT and communication skills of our pupils have developed beyond what we could have possibly imagined and the introduction of iPads forYears 7 and 8 has seen those develop still further. Sympathy and empathy have been developed beyond all reckoning, as pupils trouped to Fort Fun (oh the irony) for regular, sometimes too regular, Covid testing but all done with good grace.
This year, we have been on the receiving end of many inspired and inspiring performances on the sporting, creative and performing stages. Some may have been moved by our supercalifragilistic Mary Poppins performance while others might have been roused by the collective joy of our medal recipients at National competitions. Others still will have been overjoyed by the goal scored on the whistle to secure a win in one of our friendly games.
My personal highlight was the performance of Joseph at the Devonshire Park Theatre which optimised everything that is so great about St Andrew’s Prep. It wasn’t the setting. Grand as it was! And it wasn’t the background - there wasn’t one! No, it was the individual children and their courage and passion, together with the joy they brought as a team to the audience.
Sometimes it’s hard to stop and reflect and let the joy wash over you as another mind-blowing moment unfolds in front of your eyes. But there is always next year and, of course, these pages which are full of achievement and joy which I hope will remind you of all the wonderful events in our calendar.
Tom Gregory, Headmaster
WELCOME | 3