We are honoured to be the first state-funded Greek Orthodox secondary school in Britain. Other Church schools are very much respected by parents; and we have been delighted to join them, making our contribution to the high academic standards and values-based education with which Church schools are associated nationally.
In common with most Church schools, a daily act of collective worship is fundamental to the organisation of St Andrew the Apostle. Assemblies are held for the whole school twice a week and in tutor or year groups on the remaining days. We actively encourage an understanding and respect for all faiths and our assemblies draw on the musical and choral traditions of many Christian churches; supporting our students as they develop into respectful and well educated young people. Our school prayer is recited or observed in each of our collective worship sessions:
The St Andrew the Apostle School Prayer:
We bless you our most high God and Lord of mercy.
We pray that
you would bless each one of us this day.
Give us inquiring minds and discerning
hearts.
Give us courage to persevere in all we undertake.
Give us the gift of joy
and wonder in all things.
Give us laughter and love to share with others.
Give us
protection and safety in all that we do.
And give us sure and certain knowledge of your
unfailing love.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
Both now
and forever and to the ages of ages.
Amen.
And students live by our school Bible verse, which is taken from Ephesians 4:32
“Be kind to one another, forgiving one another, as God forgave you."
The core Christian values we embody at St Andrew the Apostle School are: respect, responsibility, caring, fairness, forgiveness, trustworthiness.
Our school motto is 'Ever to Excel' which is the English translation of the Ancient Greek phrase 'αἰὲν ἀριστεύειν' (aièn aristeúein) derived from the sixth book of Homer's Iliad. For our ethos this means the following: our students always give of their best and endeavour to be the best version of themselves, whatever the situation. We develop this through practice - retrieval practice in the classroom, repeated drills and practice sports, music and the arts and continual encouragement of the highest standards of behaviour, from the way that pupils wear their uniform to the way they talk to teachers and to one another.
"We are repeatedly what we do. Excellence is not a single action but a habit." Aristotle.
At St Andrew the Apostle School, we:
- Deliver a broad curriculum that promotes academic excellence and exceptional progress across the ability range.
- Foster a spirit of kindness, tolerance and responsibility which will allow each student to grow in character as an individual and as a community member.
- Allow students to excel in sports, music and the arts.
- Encourage students to progress to higher education.
- Promote a high number of students to study maths, science and the classical subjects at University.