A School with History

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HISTORY

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St Andrew’s is one of Sydney’s oldest schools – a place steeped in heritage of the city. Independent, Anglican and fully coeducational, it has grown significantly since its beginnings in 1885. With a strong pastoral care programme and an international focus, St Andrew’s makes full use of its dynamic city surrounds to ensure all students from K-12 receive an engaging educational experience. There is no typical St Andrew’s student – in fact we attract families from all over Sydney and beyond, bringing them together at our lively city campus. This is a place where an excursion begins at the front doors.

Our Cathedral Beginnings With its majestic sandstone front façade, and its high gothic interior arches which stem to the lofty blue and vermillion embellished rooftop, St Andrew’s Cathedral has become an integral part of Sydney’s rich cityscape. Designed by renowned colonial architect, Edmund Blacket, the Cathedral emerged in the mid-1800s, inspired by English Anglican architecture.

By 1885, Bishop Barry (the 3rd Bishop of Sydney) identified a need to provide the young male choristers who performed in the daily services with “a high-class, free education based on Church principles, in addition to a musical training”. Thus, St Andrew’s Cathedral School, nicknamed by locals as ‘the Choir School’ was born; two small, humble classrooms on Pitt Street housing a mere 27 boys. Enrolment remained steady at this modest number until in 1941. It was then that the school began to expand dramatically, educating up to 700 students from Years 3 to 12.

As time progressed the Choral school developed into an inimitable learning environment. St Andrew’s prescribed to the philosophy of ‘whole person’ education by recognizing that scholastic excellence encompassed more than grades. Students were the first in the Commonwealth to take up fencing as a sport; they boxed and swam, engaged in prayer and meditation at Chapter House services, toured the country as Choristers and were, in 1958, paid an exclusive visit by the first reigning monarch to visit Australia, Queen Elizabeth II.

The Times are Changing “The School is really going somewhere. When people tell me that St Andrew’s is a modern school I take pride in telling them that we are 114 years old. We have evolved from those almost humble beginnings, over a century ago, to where we are now. This amazing journey that we have been on could not have existed without two things: the ability to change and the bravery not to forget our past and our tradition.”

Alex Shain, Ex-School Captain, Graduation Speech of 1999

“I think that everyone will find, once we’re all settled in, that coeducation isn’t a big deal at all.”

Emma Thompson, Old Andrean As a school in the very heart of Sydney’s vibrant CBD, a willingness to change and keep in step with a dynamic and progressive society has been essential to ensure our continued success.

In 1999 the Senior College of St Andrew’s, one of the oldest all-boy schools in the country, opened its doors to girls for the first time in 114 years. It was a radical move that made it the only coeducational city school at the time.

Since then St Andrew’s has introduced coeducation across its entire school, from Kindergarten to Year 12. There have been significant changes in buildings – our current two campuses include St Andrew’s House and the close-by Bishop Barry Centre, tailored to the learning needs of our Senior College. In 2007 the school introduced Gawura, a ‘school within a school’ for primary-aged Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students who reside within the inner city precinct. With a deliberate focus on literacy and numeracy, it maintains strong connections to Sydney’s Indigenous community and a tight network of support with families.

“If the future can maintain the faith, courage and loyalty of the past, and if the vision and faith of all those who have built up the traditions of our School over the past years can remain undiminished, then this School will move steadily onwards to fulfill the destiny for which, under God, it was founded.”

Reverend Cannon Newth, Previous Head of School

Now and then A walk back through time shows that St Andrew’s has embraced social changes while still retaining the Christian values of nurturing and justice at its core.

2010: St Andrew’s celebrates 125 years since its foundation and welcomes its 15th Head of School, Dr John Collier.

2009: St Andrew’s introduced the International Baccalaureate Programme.

2008: St Andrew’s became fully coeducational from Kindergarten to Year 12.

2007: In support of St Andrew’s commitment to the First Australians, Gawura, our Aboriginal and Torrres Strait Islander Campus opened.

2005: Our Junior School was expanded with the introduction of Kindergarten to Year 2 classes.

1999: With the historical and successful change to coeducation, girls joined the School for the first time, in the Senior College (Years 10-12) 1998: St Andrew’s Oval and other sporting facilities at Sydney University became home game and training grounds for our students.

1995: The 13th Head of School, Mr Phillip Heath, was appointed. In recognition of his leadership as Headmaster, the Phillip Heath Scholarship Fund was set up when he left in 2009.

1929: In 1929, the School first began to make use of St Paul’s Oval at Sydney University, which it continued to use for the next 20 years. Prior to this, sport had been played in the Sydney Domain.

1992: The Bishop Barry Centre Senior College opened in Druitt Street.

1900: By 1900 St Andrew’s was a small School of around 50 boys. Classes were taught in a variety of church halls around the City.

1987: The Kirrikee Outdoor Education Programme commenced with the purchase of 88 hectares of land in Penrose Forest, Southern Highlands.

1979: Dr Alan Beavis, a former pupil of the School, was appointed as the 12th Head of School where he served until 1995.

1976: After 13 different homes since 1885, the School opened the newly-built St Andrew’s House, Sydney Square.

1967: The academic programme was expanded to allow students to graduate from School in Year 12 and complete their HSC. 1941: In 1941 the 11th Headmaster, the Reverend (later Canon) Melville Cooper Newth, was appointed by Archbishop Mowill. Canon Newth served as Headmaster for 38 years and in 4 different locations.

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1885: St Andrew’s Cathedral School opened on 14 July 1885 in the St Andrew’s Schoolroom in Pitt Street. The School was founded by Bishop Alfred Barry.

It was established to provide the Cathedral choristers with a high-class education on Church principles, in addition to their musical training. From the first group of 27 students, 22 of the boys were Choristers.

Cathedral Choristers received free education and other boys, were charged a sum of 3 guineas.

Bishop Barry advocated an education which was liberal and included the humanities and subjects of technical and cultural value, and scientific interest. The syllabus of the School offered tuition in Divinity, Greek, Latin, French, Music and Sports.