Wider Community

Playing a role in something bigger

All the children are part of the wider school community and come together for whole school events including St Andrew’s Day, sports days and chapel services. From Reception, each pupil belongs to a House which fosters a sense of loyalty as well as good-natured rivalry. The school is also divided up into departments comprising Nursery, Pre-Prep, Juniors, Middles and Seniors through which children receive age appropriate assemblies and events.

The children are provided with a mass of opportunities to perform within teams or on the musical and dramatic stages and here they learn that the sum is often greater than the total of its parts.

For pupils in Years 6,7 and 8, a feature of school life is the St Andrew’s Prep Community Award (SAPCA). This scheme combines personal development with a stronger sense of responsibility for their school environment and for society as a whole. A specific focus centres on the service that older pupils can give to the younger members of the school.

With pupils across the age range sitting on the School Council, Food Committee, Eco Committee and E-Safety Committee, St Andrew’s believes firmly in hearing the pupil voice. We also want the pupils to recognise that life exists beyond the school gates and they can use the advantage of the education they are receiving to benefit others in the wider community. We have a Deputy Head Outreach in place who establishes a programme with other primary schools, we have a Social Impact pupil group and the school raises a great deal of money for various charities every year, often through pupil-led initiatives.

Throughout all that we do, the sharing and promotion of the school values enhances a strong sense of togetherness, support and respect for one another.

Caring about the environment

Mrs Laura Miles-Lewis leads the team, supported by several Prep School staff, all keen to increase the school’s Eco awareness. Our committee is made up of 14 pupils who implement ideas across the school and take part in local and national awareness events. 

We are currently working towards achieving our Eco Schools Green Flag for 2023-2024, an internationally recognised award for excellence in environmental action and learning.

Supporting Charities

Instilling a sense of community and duty

We endeavour to instil in our pupils the need to support those less fortunate than ourselves and to develop a sense of community spirit, learning to face outwards rather than inwards and to appreciate the positive value and impact on our own lives that helping others brings.

St Andrew’s has a long history of supporting local, national and international charities. Some chosen by the children themselves, others by staff or the Friends of St Andrew’s Prep, and those supported by the local Eastbourne Rotary Club during our popular, energetic and sometimes exhausting annual sponsored walk across the downs.

Money is raised through a number of activities, such as a range of sponsored events, the ever popular cake sales, busking, concert collections, coffee mornings and mufti days.

We support local charities in different ways, including contributing to the Eastbourne Foodbank, offering our facilities either free of charge or at a discounted rate, and using our children choirs to go out and perform in places such as St Wilfrid’s Hospice.