Key Dates
For a full list of upcoming school events, please refer to the Fixtures page on StACNet (filter by "Preparatory School").
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Kia ora koutou
As the colder weather continues, I would like to thank our parents and whānau for the ongoing support you provide in helping students arrive at school ready for the day ahead. It has been wonderful to see our students continuing to embrace learning, co-curricular opportunities and time with friends despite the winter weather.
I would also like to briefly revisit the parking reminder shared in last week's newsletter regarding the designated parking areas outside our Pre-school. We recognise that drop-off and pick-up times can be challenging, particularly given the many commitments families are balancing and the traffic congestion that can occur at busy times of the day.
The three parking bays closest to the Pre-school are reserved exclusively for Pre-school families and play an important role in supporting the safe and efficient collection of our youngest children. We appreciate the cooperation of all families in observing the designated parking restrictions and time limits.
As part of our ongoing efforts to improve safety and traffic flow, we will shortly begin placing reminder notices on vehicle windscreens where parking restrictions have not been followed. This is not an approach we wish to take. However, recent observations indicate that additional reminders are needed to help ensure these spaces remain available for the families for whom they are intended. Our goal is not enforcement, but rather supporting a safe, respectful and considerate environment for all members of our community.
It was a privilege to attend Bandquest last night and cheer on our Preparatory School musicians as they took to the stage. St Andrew's College was proudly represented by New Collegians and The Thunder Thistles, two bands that have worked hard to develop their musicianship, confidence and performance skills under the guidance of Music Contractor, Ewan Glasgow.
Congratulations to Cole Gordon-Glassford (Year 7), who was awarded Top Drummer, and to New Collegians, who achieved an outstanding third place overall. The talent on display was exceptional, and our students represented the College like true rock stars! We are also delighted to have a third Preparatory School band, the Highland Howlers, supported by Music Teacher, Sonia Lewis, providing another opportunity for students to develop their musical talents and enjoy making music together. While this group did not perform at Bandquest this year, we look forward to seeing them share their talents through future performance opportunities.
The Highland Howlers (all Year 8): Henry Graham (bass), Carter Robinson (guitar), Anqi (Angie) Qin (piano), Daya Bromhead (vocals), Hazel Davies (vocals), Adelyn Abrahamson (vocals), Harvey Kilday (drummer).
A sincere thank you to Ewan Glasgow, Religious Education teacher, Bridget Roth, and Sonia Lewis for the time, encouragement and expertise they provide to our young musicians. I was incredibly proud of the way our students represented St Andrew's. Their performances showcased not only their musical ability, but also their dedication, teamwork and commitment to countless hours of practice.
A huge congratulations also goes to our Year 7 and Year 8 Cantamath teams, who competed against schools from across Christchurch yesterday. Our Year 8 team achieved an impressive fourth place, a fantastic accomplishment that reflects the students' strong mathematical thinking, collaboration and problem-solving abilities.
I also look forward to seeing our Year 8 students at their Communion on Sunday at 4.00pm. This special service has been brought forward to allow students additional time to prepare for their ski trip on Monday.
Thank you for your continued support of our Preparatory School community.
Ngā mihi nui
Leigh Fowler
Principal of Preparatory School
Deputy Rector
For a full list of upcoming school events, please refer to the Fixtures page on StACNet (filter by "Preparatory School").
Year 3 and 4 students were delighted to welcome author, Jenny McGlone, and illustrator, Amanda Fookes, who shared insights into their new book, Jimmy Whiskers and the Great Parrot Rescue. Students gained a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the creative journey from writing and illustrating a story through to the publishing process. Amanda modelled how to draw one of the main characters, Gary the Gorilla, using a blocking technique, while Jenny captivated students with a read-aloud of a chapter from the book. The visit concluded with a thoughtful question and answer session, showcasing students’ curiosity and engagement. This authentic learning experience supported the Year 3 focus on narrative writing, helping students deepen their understanding of character development, settings, and plot structure, through meaningful connections with a real-world author and illustrator.
Flickr>
A wonderful showcase of creativity and cross-school collaboration is currently on display in The Green Library and Innovation Centre. Beginning with imaginative monster drawings created by Year 3 Art students, Year 10 students then embraced the challenge of transforming these two-dimensional characters into ceramic sculptures. Through careful observation, problem-solving, and craftsmanship, each artwork captures the spirit of the original design while showcasing the creativity of our Middle School students.
The project then extended beyond the Visual Arts classroom, with Secondary School English teacher, Donna Jones, involving Year 10 English students in the storytelling phase. The students visited the Preparatory School to interview the young creators, discovering the stories behind their monsters, including their personalities, adventures, habits, and unique characteristics. These conversations became the inspiration for an original poem or short story that gives voice to each creature.
Supported by Preparatory School Art Specialist, Kathryn Meyers, and Secondary School Head of Art, Mallory Swadel, this exhibition celebrates the power of collaboration, imagination, and the connections that can be built when students of different ages learn from and inspire one another. In Week 7, the project will come full circle as the Year 10 students present the finished ceramic monsters and accompanying stories to their Year 3 creators.
Flickr>This term for Inquiry in Year 6, students began by exploring the Commonwealth Games, taking advantage of the excitement surrounding the event as it unfolded. Through research and discussion, students learned about the countries that make up the Commonwealth, as well as New Zealand's involvement and achievements throughout the history of the Games. The unit culminated in a collaborative timeline project, with students working in pairs to investigate different Commonwealth Games. Each pair contributed a poster to a display that now stretches the length of our hallway, creating a visual history of this event across the decades. This learning has provided a natural transition into our next topic, World History and Geography. For the remainder of the term, students will work in small groups to research a chosen continent, exploring its geography, cultures, and historical significance. As we approach the holidays, students will then undertake a passion project, focusing on a topic connected to their continent. Projects may include models of famous landmarks, pop-up artwork, LEGO builds, short films, and cultural dances or games that showcase their learning. We can’t wait to see what our students create!
Year 7 students have been exploring the musical elements of beat, rhythm and dynamics through hands-on music-making and ensemble performance. As they learn to play together, they are discovering that being part of an ensemble is about much more than just playing the right notes. It means listening carefully to others, working as a team, and moving in the same direction to create something bigger than themselves.
Students in 7S have also enjoyed taking on the role of conductor, learning how musicians communicate and lead without words. Through these experiences, students have experienced positive emotions as their confidence grows, deepened their engagement through ensemble playing, and felt a real sense of accomplishment when performing together. Most importantly, they are beginning to understand the meaning that comes from collaboration, shared purpose, and making music as one ensemble.
On Wednesday evening, our Year 7 and 8 teams competed in the annual Cantamath Competition, a prestigious event that has been running for 50 years. The competition sees teams of four students race against the clock to solve 20 challenging mathematics problems in pursuit of the coveted trophy awarded to the fastest team. Our Year 7 team of Jack Bailey, Nathan Zeng, Eileen Li and Joshua Spencer achieved a very respectable 65 points out of a possible 100. Following this, the Year 8 team of Tianyu (George) Feng, Mia Zhang, Vitek Mencl, and Seth Clenshaw had an outstanding run, earning a coveted Golden Ticket by completing all questions within 30 minutes. The team went on to finish fourth out of 82 teams from across Canterbury, an exceptional achievement and a testament to their mathematical skill, teamwork, and determination.
ChlöeAnn Botha (Year 8) has been selected for the 2026 Canterbury Step 6 Women’s Artistic Gymnastics team to compete at Nationals in September.
ChlöeAnn Botha (Year 8) competed at the Canterbury Intermediate and Senior Gymnastics Championships, where she won Canterbury Step 6 All-Around Champion. On Day 1, ChlöeAnn placed first on Uneven Bars and second on Floor. In the Day 2 Apparatus Finals, she placed second on Uneven Bars and third on Vault.
As the winter season winds down, we’re now preparing for the summer sports season beginning in Term 4.
The coordinators and their email addresses are listed below for your reference. Should you have any questions, please refer to the Preparatory School Handbook in the first instance. Otherwise, please email Dave Ermerins at DER@stac.school.nz.
Summer Sport Coordinators:
Students in Years 5–8 are invited to compete in the Canterbury Primary Schools Duathlon on Monday 7 September at Euromarque Motorsport Park, Ruapuna.
Event Details:
Please let Head of Physical Education (Preparatory School), Isaac Leota know by Friday 21 August if your child would like to enter, by emailing ILE@stac.school.nz.
Winter sports team and co-curricular group photographs will be taken on Tuesday 25 August.
To help the day run smoothly, parents are asked to ensure students wear full, tidy College uniform and remind them to arrive five minutes before their allocated time.
The photo schedule includes: sports teams, performing arts groups, academic teams, Road Patrol, AIMS Games representatives, the Australian Tour group and other co-curricular activities.
Please note that some students may be involved in more than one photograph and must attend at the allocated times.
To check whether your child is included in a group photograph, please refer to the photo schedule below. Please note that the schedule is subject to change.
Registrations are now open for the Sport Holiday Programme, running from Monday 28 September to Friday 2 October for Year 1–8 students.
The programme includes a variety of sports and activities, with sessions running from 9.00am–1.30pm daily (drop-off from 8.30am). Lunch is provided, with an optional supervised programme available until 3.30pm.
Cost: $325 for the week (until 1.30pm) | $400 for the week (until 3.30pm) | Casual day options are also available.
Please complete the online permission form and return the Subway order form to the Preparatory School Office by 9.00am on Tuesday 22 September.
COMPLETE ONLINE PERMISSION FORM >
For further information, please contact AKE@stac.school.nz.
Get ready for a wild week of reading and imagination! Book Week is arriving a little earlier this year, running from Monday 31 August to Friday 4 September (Term 3 Week 7).
This year’s theme: Critters and Creatures – a joyful celebration of the real and imaginary, furry, feathered, and scaly characters children love in books.
Throughout the week, our library programme will take centre stage, with students enjoying:
The highlight of the week will be our colourful Book Parade which will take place on Thursday 3 September.
Grandparents' Day is a cherished St Andrew's College tradition, celebrating the special role grandparents play in the lives of our students. This year, we are delighted to welcome grandparents from both the Preparatory and Secondary Schools to join us for a morning of entertainment, connection and lasting memories.
Registration is essential and all grandparents attending must be registered by parents/caregivers to ensure students can be released from class to meet them. Registrations close at 12.00pm on Tuesday 20 October.
Complete the Grandparents' Day Registration Form>
The following 2026 photographs are now available to order online:
Details of how to order the photographs can be found on our website by clicking the link 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.
ORDER PHOTOGRAPHS ONLINE>All children are encouraged to arrive at school from 8.00am onwards and can access learning spaces from this time.
Before-school Care is available from 7.30am–8.00am for families who need to drop their children off early. As this service has limited capacity and is designed for essential use only, we ask that families utilise it only if necessary.
Before-school Care enables us to provide active supervision, ensuring student safety while our staff prepare for the day.
Children arriving before 8.00am will be taken to Before-school Care. The small cost for this supervision will be disbursed to your child’s College account.
After-school Care continues to operate until 5.20pm each school day.
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:
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.