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The Years 1–3 Junior Athletics has been postponed from today to Friday 28 March at 1.30pm. This is due to the ground conditions being too wet.
The Preparatory School children and staff attended the Term 1 chapel service on Sunday. The service was co-ordinated by our Chaplain, Mrs Jillian Fenton, and the message was delivered by Mr Ben Hughes. He was, as always, entertaining and thought-provoking. Chapel was well attended and enjoyed by all. Thank you to Ms Ros Emeleus and the senior choir for their beautiful singing. See all the photos at the Flickr album link below.
Buttercup is a much-loved member of the Junior Department and holds a special place in the hearts of students who have been through our Years 1–3 classes. She has been part of our team for more than 15 years and spends her time visiting classes in recognition of their StAC-Up manners at our Junior Assembly each Friday. During her time in the Junior Department she has enjoyed many decorative outfits but now she is a true StAC bear in her first school uniform. We wish to thank Mrs Bev Bradbury for knitting her cosy cardigan and Mrs Alice Wilson for making her beautiful pinafore. The children in the photo with Buttercup are Ruby Bradbury (Year 3), Harry Bradbury and Toby Wilson (both Year 4).
Parent Interviews will be spread over four days from Monday 17 – Thursday 20 March, and are in-person interviews. If you are unable to meet during interview week, please contact your child’s teacher directly to make an alternate arrangement.
Please note, all Years 4–8 children are required to attend the interviews.
Please enter and leave the Junior Department via the gate behind the Pre-school.
Entry to the Years 4–8 building is via the front door, and the exit is via one of the two maglock doors either beside Year 5 (at the end of the building) or beside Year 4 (in the middle of the building).
Please contact Reception if you experience any difficulty making a booking. If there is no suitable time available for you, please contact your child’s class teacher directly (via email) and another day and time will be arranged.
Interview booking link: www.schoolinterviews.co.nz
School code: nudf4
At this interview, your child’s beginning of year assessment results will be discussed along with the draft Goal Setting Report.
Please note, Mrs Wylie’s class is not included in this interview round, as they have a different interview timetable.
Regards
Jonathan Bierwirth
Principal of Preparatory School
Deputy for Rector
On Wednesday this week, the Preparatory School took part in the ISSA (Independent Schools) zones swimming event at Wharenui Swimming Pool. Thirty-eight students participated, all competing with great effort. The students were respectful throughout the event and they proudly represented the school and themselves. Eleven students achieved top 3 placings, and four students achieved a first place. The first and second place individual swimmers, and first place relay participants, qualify for the Primary Canterbury Swimming event in Week 10. Special thanks to staff members Sophie Martin, Alex Kelley, and Kate Holden for their support and organisation.
Last weekend Archer Wyeth (Year 4) attended the New Zealand Boys’ Dance Convention. He took workshops in Jazz, Ballet, Lyrical, Hip-hop, Contemporary, Musical Theatre, Arco and Tap, and performed in six items in the convention’s showcase concert, representing Silhouette Studios.
Last weekend, Kelicia Rui En Purcell (Year 8) competed in the 2025 Makos Junior Swimming Festival at Moana Pool against 165 junior athletes from across the South Island. Kelicia raced in 12 individual and four relay events, placing in the top 10 for every event. She earned three podium placings: second in 100m Fly/200m Breaststroke, and third in 50m Fly. She also achieved six new Personal Bests, including a New Zealand U13 Short Course Qualifying time.
Representative group applications are now open for the Christchurch Schools' Music Festival. Talented Years 5–8 singers and musicians can now apply for an audition to join a Representative Group – Junior and Senior Choir, Concert Band, and Orchestra. Please note that to represent our school in one of these groups, students are required to be an active member of one of our College orchestras, or in the Preparatory School Cantare Choir.
Applications are made online on the Festival website here and close on Tuesday 1 April. Parents/caregivers need to make the application so that they are aware of the rehearsal and performance commitments.
From Sunday 31 August – Friday 5 September 2025, the A netball team, Girls’ A hockey and Boys’ A hockey teams will compete at the annual AIMS Games in Tauranga. Over 11,000 Year 7 and 8 students from over 360 schools have competed at these games in a variety of sporting codes in the past.
There will also be a number of individual sports available. However, due to the limited group accommodation available in Tauranga, we are unable at this stage to include individuals as part of our official tour. If you would like your child to compete at the games and you are able to travel, care for, and get them to and from the events, then Deputy Principal of Preparatory School (Operations) and Head of Preparatory School Sport, Alex Kelley, can complete and forward the entry on your behalf. In travelling to and competing at the AIMS Games, your child would be included in any activities offered to the tour group and tour apparel will also be available. You should only consider this option if your child is an elite performer in their chosen sport. The individual sports offered are: badminton, BMX, canoe sport, cross country, golf, gymnastics, hip hop, indoor bowls, mountain biking, orienteering, rock climbing, squash, surfing, swimming, table tennis, tennis, and yachting.
If your child is in this category and you would like to consider this option, please email AKE@stac.school.nz for further information. You can also access the AIMS Games website which provides further information on each sport offered, visit www.nzaimsgames.co.nz.
Dental care for St Andrew’s College Preparatory School students is provided free of charge by the Christchurch District Health Board. The free Community Dental Service mobile van will be visiting the school in the next few weeks. Please see more information about the dental service by clicking here.
The Preparatory School will be holding a Sport Holiday Programme during the first week of the holidays (Monday 7 April – Friday 11 April). The programme is open to Years 1–8 students. The sessions will be run by a variety of staff. The sports included are: invasion games, frisbee golf, basketball, backyard cricket, futsal, pickleball, and more.
Please complete the online permission slip and return the Subway order form (please complete one order per day, and name each entry – all three entries would need to be completed for a student attending the whole week) to the Preparatory School office by Thursday 3 April. More information is available on the permission form page below.
COMPLETE THE ONLINE PERMISSION FORM HERE >
If you have any questions, please email AKE@stac.school.nz.
The following 2025 photographs are now available to purchase online:
Please note: Three classes in the Preparatory School will have their class photos taken next week (8T, 8C, and 6T), then the New Entrants classes will have their class photo taken in Term 4.
Details of how to order the photographs can be found on our website using the button below and you will need to log into StACNet using your St Andrew's College login.
If you have any questions relating to this service, please email photography@stac.school.nz.
For any illness, students should stay home if unwell. Any student should also feel free to wear a mask if they wish to do so while at school.
For any absence, whether ill-health (including COVID-19) or otherwise, the College’s preferred platform for reporting this is via our online form which can be found at the button below:
If you are not able to report your child's absence using the online form, please report their absence via the relevant email address below. If you cannot get through to us via the form or email, please call our attendance line on +64 3 940 2031 (term time only).
