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Preparatory School Newsletter

Thursday 2 April 2026

Term 1 Week 10

Kia ora koutou

As we come to the end of Term 1, I want to take a moment to acknowledge what has been a very positive and productive start to the year for our Preparatory School. Our ākonga have settled into routines with confidence, engaged meaningfully in their learning, and made the most of the many academic, cultural, sporting, and co curricular opportunities on offer.

It has been a pleasure spending time with students across the school this week and hearing directly about what has stood out for them this term. When I asked some of our Year 4 students about their highlights, Freya, Amelisa, and Ella shared how much they have enjoyed their fantasy writing, inspired by the tale King of Fishes. They spoke proudly about working to include more precise adjectives and nouns in their writing, showing a growing awareness of author’s craft.

Some of our Year 6 boys, including Oliver, Tom, Tom, Ben, Riyaan, Alfie, Jasper, and Harry, were quick to tell me how much they have loved multisport, particularly the chance to design and play games they created themselves. Beach Education also emerged as a highlight for many, offering memorable learning experiences beyond the classroom.

On Wednesday morning, it was also lovely to engage with our Junior ākonga as they enjoyed their Easter fun activities, their excitement and enthusiasm a real joy to see. I equally enjoyed sitting in on the Year 8 girls’ shared morning tea, where our senior ākonga from Years 9–13 spoke openly about their experiences at the College. Hearing these reflections was a powerful reminder of how many rich opportunities lie ahead for students transitioning into Year 9 in 2027.

It was fitting to end the term together at our End of Term Assembly, pausing to celebrate the breadth of talent, effort, and contribution across the school. Seeing students perform, support one another, and be recognised for their growth and commitment captured the spirit of the term well. Please see a full End of Term Assembly report, including Flickr album, in this afternoon’s Rector’s Comment newsletter.

To our staff, thank you for your care, energy, and professionalism throughout the term. To our parents and whānau, thank you for your partnership and support, through learning conversations, time around fields and courts, and the many everyday moments that make a real difference.

Now, as the holidays arrive, I hope you enjoy a well earned break from routines, school lunches and early drop offs. May the coming weeks offer time to rest, recharge, and reconnect before we return refreshed for Term 2.

I wish you all a safe and enjoyable holiday break and look forward to seeing everyone back next term.

Ngā mihi nui

 

Leigh Fowler
Principal of Preparatory School
Deputy Rector

Leigh Fowler 7218 CRP200x200

Term 1 Reports Now Available

Preparatory School Term 1 reports are now available via the Community Portal. These reports were discussed at last week’s Parent–Teacher Conferences and provide information about how ākonga have settled into the new school year, along with an indication of their progress supported by assessment data in Reading, Writing and Mathematics.

View Term 1 Reports via The Community Portal here: https://stac.nz/CommunityPortal

Once logged into the Community Portal, you will be able to view your child’s Term 1 school report. 

To access both current and past reports, please select the Reports and Documents tab.

Key Dates

For a full list of upcoming school events, please refer to the Fixtures page on StACNet (filter by "Preparatory School").

Inspiring Teaching – the Science of Learning and the Art of Teaching

Classroom practice, learning programmes, academic initiatives, and learning outcomes

Year 6 Science | Stem Zipline Racers and Electricity

Year 6 students had a fantastic time in Science this term, taking part in an exciting STEM zipline racers’ project where they designed, built, tested, and refined their own racers to see science in action. Adding to the excitement, students proudly raced their designs against one another in a ‘Formula 1 Flyer’ competition, a name created by the Year 6 students. Alongside this, students enthusiastically explored electricity through hands-on investigations, confidently building and troubleshooting circuits and discovering how science and engineering work together in the real world.

Year 5 Science | Fossils and Electricity

In Year 5 Science this term, students were highly engaged in hands-on learning experiences that made science fun, interactive, and meaningful. Through an exciting fossil project, students examined fossil evidence and modelled how fossils are formed, creating four different types: trace, cast, mould, and free form. Students also explored electricity by learning how it is produced, and by testing conductors and insulators, actively problem-solving as they built simple circuits to see whether electricity flowed or not.

Year 4 Values Focus

Throughout Term 1, students in 4S and 4T have been exploring and living the St Andrew’s College values of Truth, Excellence, Faith, Inclusivity, and Creativity. These values have been woven through class discussions, collaborative tasks, and everyday interactions, helping students understand what each value looks like in practice. Our Founders’ Day celebration was a key moment, giving students a meaningful connection to the College’s history and the people who shaped the traditions we uphold today. This experience strengthened their appreciation of the values and how they guide our school community.

Across both classes, students have shown growing confidence in demonstrating the values, supporting one another, striving for their best, thinking creatively, and acting with honesty and respect. It has been a purposeful and positive start to the year, with a strong sense of unity and pride emerging in both classrooms.

Year 2 e-Learning Easter Hunt

This week in e-Learning, Year 2 students explored what QR codes are and how they are used. As part of their learning, they were given the challenge of locating the Easter Bunny’s missing basket of eggs. Students participated in a QR code hunt around the school, scanning codes and reading clues at each stop. Their efforts led to the successful discovery of the Easter Bunny and his missing eggs at the conclusion of the hunt. This engaging activity provided an exciting and authentic way to bring e-Learning to life in the Preparatory School.

Outstanding Opportunities

Sport, arts, cultural, service, leadership, outdoor, faith, and co‑curricular experiences

Swimming

The Primary Schools Canterbury Swimming Championships was held this week, with Year 5–6 students competing on Wednesday, followed by Year 7–8 students on Thursday. The event was held at the Parakiore Recreation and Sports Centre, providing students with the opportunity to compete at this recently opened regional aquatic facility and experience a large-scale swimming meet. St Andrew’s swimmers achieved strong results across both days of competition. Liam Botha (Year 5) recorded an excellent set of results, winning gold in the Boys’ 50m butterfly (Years 5–6) and securing silver medals in the Boys’ 50m freestyle and Boys’ 50m breaststroke (Year 5). Marcel de Wit (Year 5) also reached the podium, earning bronze in the Boys’ 50m backstroke. On Thursday, the Years 7–8 Mixed Medley relay team, made up of Bozan Wang, ChloeAnn Botha, Jack Blyde, and Leona Smart (all Year 8), placed first in the 200m medley relay. In individual events, Bozan Wang added a silver medal in the Boys’ 50m breaststroke. 

All St Andrew’s competitors finished within the top 10 of their respective events. With over 30 swimmers entered per race, this represents a high standard of performance across the team. Well done to all students for their commitment and for representing St Andrew’s College at the championships.

Year 8 Golf

All Year 8 students recently took part in a series of golf lessons, and it was a fantastic experience for everyone involved. Over the sessions, students learned key golf skills such as how to hold the club, practise their swing and improve their aim. The lessons were full of enthusiasm as students encouraged one another and celebrated their progress. It was wonderful to see their confidence grow while discovering how much fun golf can be. The highlight of the programme was finishing with a real game at Hagley Golf Course, where students had the chance to put their new skills into action. They showed great teamwork, patience and sportsmanship throughout the day. A big thank you to our wonderful parent helpers who supported the class. Your time and encouragement helped make this experience possible and was greatly appreciated. Overall, the golf lessons were a huge success. The Year 8 cohort had lots of fun while learning a new sport for most, and enjoying time outdoors together. The programme also supported the PERMA-V Well-being framework, helping students build well-being through physical activity, teamwork and the sense of achievement that comes from learning new skills.

Flickr>
260402 Y8Golf IMG 0348
260402 Gymnastics

Gymnastics

Jessica Nelson (Year 4) competed in the Awesome Autumn Classic 2026, a South Island regional gymnastics competition, and achieved excellent results. She earned a Silver medal in the All-Around competition, placed first on Vault, and second on Beam. Across the four apparatus, Jessie delivered strong and
consistent performances, earning three gold ribbons in the highest score band.

Opera

Last Friday, the Preparatory School was treated to a performance of the opera, RED! by the New Zealand Opera in Schools’ programme. The opera, composed Lucy Mulligan, was interactive and involved all our students participating in singing activities throughout the performance. The students were enthusiastic, engaged and had a lot of fun.

Community and Partnership – People, partnerships, and place

Community engagement, partnerships, cultural connections, events, and College improvements

Pre-school and Junior Department Great Easter Discovery Morning

On Wednesday this week, the Junior Department came together to enjoy a celebration of Easter. During Periods 1 and 2, children moved around the Junior Department Learning Hallway, enthusiastically taking part in a range of activities selected and prepared by the teachers. These included stories, craft activities, games, songs, and poems, all of which created a lively and engaging atmosphere. The students were delighted to welcome their Pre-school friends, who joined in the fun and added to the sense of community. The morning was made even more special by the wonderful Easter flair students brought to their uniforms, with bunny ears, colourful ribbons and socks, and creative Easter bonnets on display. It was a lovely morning filled with creativity, laughter, and shared experiences, a special celebration enjoyed by all.

Flickr>
260402 EasterCelebrations IMG 5412

Notices and Events

SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHY ORDERING

Unfortunately, there has been a delay in making the individual and class photographs available for purchase due to a technical issue with the photo ordering platform. We are working to resolve this and are hopeful that the photographs will be available early in Term 2. Parents and caregivers will be emailed directly as soon as the photos are ready to view and purchase.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Preparatory School Clubs

In Terms 2 and 3, the Preparatory School Pastoral Care team will be offering a range of lunchtime clubs. All clubs will be supervised by a staff member, with support from our senior students. No registration is required for these clubs, except for Code Club.

For Code Club, parents can enrol online by clicking here. Students enrolled in Code Club in Term 1 will automatically roll over into Term 2; only new students are required to register.

We hope these clubs provide a fun and supportive space for students to connect, explore their interests, and enjoy their lunchtimes. Please feel free to reach out to the teacher in charge if you have any questions.

  • Monday 12.50pm – Vex Robotics (Mrs Kamo) Years 7–8
    • This club is for current VEX teams in Years 7–8 and provides dedicated time to design, build, and problem solve together. Mrs Kamo will be available to support students with their builds, planning, and troubleshooting as they develop their engineering skills.
    • Venue: Green Library and Innovation Centre, email AMO@stac.school.nz. 
  • Wednesday 12.50pm – Coding Club (Mrs Pettit) Years 5–8
    • Students can come and learn how to code with CodingNZ in a fun and supportive environment. They will develop logical thinking and digital skills while working through engaging coding challenges. Parents can sign up directly through CodingNZ by clicking here.
    • Venue: Food Room, email VPE@stac.school.nz. 
  • Wednesday 12.50pm – Minecraft Club (Mrs Feller) Years 4–5
    • Dive into a Minecraft world and let your creativity shine. Students will work collaboratively to design and create new and exciting builds while developing teamwork, planning, and problem solving skills.
    • Venue: Downstairs learning hallway, email MFE@stac.school.nz. 
  • Thursday 12.35pm – Chess Club (Mrs Gilray) Years 4–8
    • Students keen to challenge their strategic thinking and verse each other in friendly games of chess can join Chess Club. It's is a great way to build concentration, patience, and sportsmanship.
    • Venue: Learning Hallway downstairs, email LGI@stac.school.nz. 
  • Friday 12.50pm – Stitch Club (Mrs Cronan) Years 4–8
    • Develop creative skills in needle felting. Students can choose to follow a pattern or go freestyle with their own designs, building confidence and enjoying a calm, creative space.
    • Venue: Spanish/FPS Room, email ICR@stac.school.nz.
  • Tuesday and Wednesday 12.50pm – Writer’s Club (Kerrin Davidson) Years 3–8
    • Join our Writer’s Club to explore creativity through words in a supportive and inspiring environment. Students will be guided by Writer in Residence, Kerrin Davidson, to develop their writing skills, experiment with different forms, and build confidence in sharing their work. There will also be opportunities to enter writing competitions for those who are interested.
    • Venue: Food Room, email KMC@stac.school.nz.

AIMS GAMES | Entries due Friday 1 May

From 6–11 September 2026, selected Preparatory School teams will compete at the AIMS Games in Tauranga. The AIMS Games is New Zealand’s largest sporting event for Year 7–8 students, with over 12,000 participants from more than 360 schools competing across a wide range of sports. Representative groups attending include the football 1st team and the Year 7–8 hockey A team.

Individual Entries: There will also be a small 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 families are able to travel, supervise, and transport their child independently, entries can be submitted on their behalf by the Preparatory School. 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. This option is suitable only for elite performers. Individual sports include (but are not limited to): Badminton, BMX, Canoe Sport, Cross Country, Golf, Gymnastics, Hip Hop, Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, Swimming, Tennis, and Yachting.

If this applies to your child, please contact Deputy Principal of Preparatory School, Alex Kelley, at AKE@stac.school.nz for further information. More details are also available at www.nzaimsgames.co.nz.

Reporting Student Absence

If your child is unwell, please keep them at home. To report any absence (due to illness or other reason) please complete the Student Absence Form:

Report a Student Absence>

If you are unable to use the online form, you may report an absence by emailing the appropriate address:

If you cannot reach us via the form or email, please phone our attendance line (term time only) on +64 3 940 2031.