The Creative Arts
‘Music at St Andrew’s is in a class of its own. Performing arts are joyful.'
Good Schools Guide
Music
‘Music for All’ is a fundamental principle at St Andrew’s. Around 40% of our students learn an instrument or sing, with over 170 individual music lessons every week, provided by15 visiting teachers. We have three choirs in the School (Seniors, Juniors and Pre-Prep) who perform weekly in chapel services. The annual Section Music Competition is a musical highlight and the Senior Choir sings Evensong at a major cathedral each year.
Weekly ensemble groups include guitar group, two brass groups, concert band, big band, flute ensemble, string quarter, string orchestra, junior strings, and clarinet group. All genres of music are catered for including classical, jazz and rock. Rapping has not featured yet but there is no reason to see why it might not appear in the future!
Overseas music tours take place every other year, and in May 2022 we visited Jersey, performing at Mont Orgueil Castle and St Savior’s church in St Helier.
Drama
Drama takes place in the Old Hall, but we have a a state of the art Performing Arts Centre, due to open in 2023. Children have weekly drama lessons, and they also study public speaking as part of their English Curriculum. The School runs Drama Clubs for the Pre-Prep, Juniors and Seniors as well as nationally recognised acting qualification LAMDA classes.
We offer co-curricular drama clubs through external provider Little Voices and budding thespians can take part in various productions throughout the year, including the recent show stopping “St Andrew’s Has Got Talent”. 80 children from across the school took part; the show borrowed pyrotechnics from Strictly; one of the judges was an X-Factor finalist; it was attended by an audience of over 250; and our performers displayed a raft of exceptional talents.
Art & DT
The school has a well-equipped Art Department, and currently pupils use the excellent DT facilities at Bradfield College. Our annual art exhibition - featuring at least one piece of work from every pupil in the School - is one of the most popular St Andrew's events of the calendar. Art Scholarships were awarded from Pangbourne College and Shiplake College this year.
Outside weekly art lessons, there are a variety of creative pursuits for both class art and the individual learner. We also have our new Brilliant Makers' Club and Art Workshops during the holidays, as well as the annual St Andrew’s art exhibition.
In Pre-Prep we incorporate the core elements of DT within our curriculum. Activities include practical skills in Forest School learning taught by qualified Forest School Leaders, to fine tuning motor skills with ‘dough disco’ in the classroom, craft making, model building and cooking and nutrition.
