St Andrew’s Catholic School “To live, to learn and to love in the light of Christ”
“ This outstanding school enables its pupils to make rapid progress in their learning and to achieve extremely well.” OFSTED
Welcome to St Andrew’s Catholic School St Andrew’s is a Roman Catholic Comprehensive School for students aged 11-18. It is a vibrant and dynamic school with high expectations and great ambitions for every one of its students. We believe that discipline, structure and common purpose are solid foundations in life and education, and that working closely with parents is essential if we are to be the best school possible for every child in our care. Our aim is to be the best school in the country, where students feel safe and happy and that during their time at St Andrew’s they will receive a better educational experience than if they attended any other school. We aim to help everyone in our school community to grow in faith and to make the most of their innate ability. The culture and ethos of the school is one where we all have high expectations of each other, we recognise that everyone learns differently and that making mistakes and taking risks are both part of learning.
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Mission Statement
“To Live, to Learn and to Love in the Light of Christ”
Our Mission is to be a Catholic School in which our students will develop into young adults who achieve their full potential: spiritually, morally and academically.
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In an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect our young people will develop active and creative minds, understanding and compassion for others, opportunities to grow in faith and the courage to be true to their beliefs. Students and staff work together to create a community where Gospel values permeate all our practices, policies, decisions, words and actions. We are guided by Christ’s teaching and each day we strive to follow his examples of love, reconciliation, integrity, justice, humility and service.
“ The school develops pupils’ reading, writing and verbal communication skills extremely effectively.” OFSTED
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“ The proportion of pupils making more than the expected progress is high.” 4
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Our Curriculum Students at St Andrew’s will not only be taught by excellent teachers but will experience a varied curricular programme equipping them with the skills and attributes to be successful in their future roles. Their time spent at St Andrew’s will leave a positive but indelible imprint on their lives.
At St Andrew’s we are enormously proud of our students and how their time at the school helps to shape them into versatile, kind, hardworking, generous and incredible young people.
At St Andrew’s we offer a curriculum with both breadth and depth, to inspire, motivate and challenge students through the acquisition of knowledge, skills and experiences to allow them to respond, contribute and shape our changing world. Integral to this will be our RSE and PSHE programme. The St Andrew’s curriculum will prepare and enable our students to make informed choices and develop their confidence so that they can be successful in their desired destinations. As a school we focus on the pedagogy of Learning and Teaching relentlessly. At St Andrew’s we are committed to ensuring that all students achieve their academic potential and that every student receives a first-class education, which prepares them not only for exams but for life beyond our walls.
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Extracurricular Activities Extracurricular activities are a fundamental part of life at St Andrew’s and all students are actively encouraged to take part in the many opportunities on offer. Taking part in these activities carries a huge number of benefits for students including raising self-esteem, developing teamwork, establishing time management, learning about long term commitments, building friendships, learning new skills and building a diverse and interesting CV.
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We offer a host of extracurricular activities for students including a variety of sports clubs, science clubs, music clubs, drama clubs, art and photography clubs, computer science club and geography clubs where phenomena in different spheres of the world are explored. We encourage every student at Key Stage 3 and 4 to partake in at least one club per week. Trips are a feature of our curriculum from Year 7 with opportunities to visit places in the UK and abroad.
“ High quality teaching enables pupils to make excellent progress.” OFSTED
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Pastoral Care The health and wellbeing of our students is an integral part of the Pastoral Care system in our school. The monitoring of our students’ health and emotional wellbeing pervades all aspects of school life so that support can be offered when challenges arise. A strong pastoral team work with students, teachers and parents to ensure student’s academic, spiritual and emotional wellbeing to help them in their road to a successful future. Each of our students is unique and the emotional and academic support that we provide for them will be personalised to meet their needs. Joining a new school in Year 7 is daunting and so our transition support programme for new Year 7 students enables them to visit the school, meet other students and staff so they feel confident when they join in September.
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“ Pupils feel very safe at school.” OFSTED
St Andrew’s House System At St Andrew’s we operate a House System. Students and staff are encouraged to take part and represent their House in sporting and extracurricular events throughout the year. Our House System is fundamental in developing a sense of community and Christian ethos whilst promoting competition; with each department having the opportunity to lead a competition of their choice with the support of the Head of House.
“ The pursuit of excellence is the norm.” OFSTED
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Sixth Form Our aim is simple: To be the best Sixth Form in England and to ensure that all students receive the very best support in order to fulfil their true potential. It is important to us that students leave St Andrew’s not only with the very best exam results, but also with the moral, spiritual and social skills they need to take their place in an ever changing world. Choosing where to study after Year 11 is probably the most important decision students have needed to make in their lives so far. Studying their post-16 education at St Andrew’s will define their future. At St Andrew’s we are passionate about providing students with the best education possible, guiding them to becoming successful and independent learners. Sixth Form students will be worked tirelessly to ensure they are fully prepared for the next stage of their lives, be that at university or in the workplace. Throughout the year, students receive a wealth of information about post-18 options including higher education and careers opportunities, apprenticeships, internships and lectures and events that will support their aspirations. We provide enrichment opportunities through workshops, employer encounters, general RE, and next steps support.
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“ The Sixth Form is outstanding.” OFSTED
Careers We are committed to providing a well-structured Careers and Education programme for all students in Years 7 to 13. We strive to ensure students experience a full, varied and interesting career journey, having the opportunity to explore their own interests, skills and passions; understanding the wealth of jobs and education available to them once they leave school. It is integrated into our students’ experience across the whole curriculum and is based on a partnership with students and their parents. We have built strong relationships within the community and formed partnerships with local businesses, colleges and universities along with a strong alumni and wider school community to support our Careers Education. At St Andrew’s, we want the students to appreciate the huge opportunities that exist for life after school and for them all to realise their potential and maximise their talents. Our Careers Programme provides numerous opportunities for all our students to explore the world of work, as well as having practical career experiences, which is such a valuable part of their learning. We aim to help develop students’ knowledge, understanding, confidence and skills so that they make well-informed choices and plans.
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The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
At St Andrew’s School, we have a very strong Duke of Edinburgh Award tradition. We offer the opportunity to complete Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. A school walking expedition is offered at each level. Bronze in Year 9, Silver in Year 10 and Gold during Year 12. The Duke of Edinburgh Award focuses on the acquisition of new skills, helping others and exploring new challenges. There are opportunities to choose activities that motivate you to go on your own personal journey. Students will make new friendships, experiences and memories that will last a lifetime.
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“ The school’s strong promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development prepares pupils very well for life beyond school.” OFSTED
Chaplaincy Jesus suggested 2,000 years ago that we build our lives and faith on strong foundations. He told the Parable of the Mustard Seed encouraging us to really focus on the little things. He said: “The kingdom of heaven is like this. A man takes a mustard seed and sows it in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows up, it is the biggest of all plants. It becomes a tree, so that birds come and make their nests in its branches.” This reminds us that the tiniest of things, if nurtured, can multiply and produce a whole field, offering shelter to other parts of nature. We support our students in reaching and exceeding their academic potential by ensuring that alongside the curriculum they have opportunities to develop spiritually, morally, emotionally and socially. Students will participate in retreats, liturgies, fund-raising opportunities for our chosen charities and many other events.
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Frequently Asked Questions Where can I find the school admissions policy? Visit our website at www.st-andrews.surrey.sch.uk and click on the Admissions tab for our policy and more information about your child joining St Andrew’s.
Who should I contact with a question about admissions? E-mail: information@st-andrews.surrey.sch.uk for any admissions queries you may have.
St Andrew’s Catholic School “To live, to learn and to love in the light of Christ”
Grange Road Leatherhead KT22 7JP For further information, please contact: phone 01372 277881 envelope information@st-andrews.surrey.sch.uk
This prospectus gives a flavour of life at St Andrew's, to find out more visit our website at: www.st-andrews.surrey.sch.uk
Where can I find more information about the curriculum? Visit our website at www.st-andrews.surrey.sch.uk and click on the Curriculum tab for a comprehensive look at how it is implemented at St Andrew’s.