Ask anyone who has spent time with us to describe our school and you will consistently hear words like “family”, “community” and “caring”. The warm heart of St Andrew’s is something I was impressed by on my first day and now, many years later, I’m delighted that such a supportive and inclusive atmosphere persists as our key strength. Each student and family is given a genuine Bahamian welcome, treated with respect and made to feel at home. Academically, our International Baccalaureate curriculum gives our students the very best start in life, enabling them to learn how to learn and preparing them to identify and develop their unique talents and interests. Each day, we live our motto of ‘Ethics and Excellence’.
The school has a strong reputation for securing places at top universities worldwide and counts Olympic gold medalists, artists, musicians and academics amongst its alumni. The school recently celebrated its 70th anniversary and is able to stand firm on a strong foundation, celebrate its history and traditions whilst being innovative and ambitious when it comes to teaching methodology and the opportunities afforded to students.
Being balanced is one of the IB Learner Profile attributes and is certainly evident in the day to day life of the school. We are both a serious place of learning and a happy school. The hallways and cafeteria are filled with laughter between lessons and at break times. We seek to teach our students to be balanced, seeing both sides of a debate, and to be open to other points of view and cultures. We are ‘International AND proudly Bahamian’. Our community is internationally minded and has a perspective that welcomes and affirms many different languages, backgrounds and identities, however the balance we offer includes ensuring that all our students learn about the rich culture, values and history of the Bahamas. There is a balance of opportunities available to our students: community service, creative arts and sporting teams. On the sports field we seek to have a programme that is competitive but allows students of all sporting abilities to participate.
We have successfully been accredited by the Council for International Schools and the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, both external quality assurance agencies. They have assessed every aspect of the schools’ operation: academics, leadership, governance, health and safety, and so on. These processes have affirmed that our academic and leadership standards are in line with international best practice.
Our examination results compare favourably with international schools around the world but there’s something else which sets a St Andrew’s student apart from the competition: genuine confidence. My career has taken me into schools all over the world and so I am well-placed to recognise how impressive our students are when it comes to taking risks, thinking creatively and speaking up for what they believe is right. These are the true indicators of success in today’s rapidly-changing world. We place a high value on student leadership and the different opportunities provided to students to develop this help them step out of their comfort zones and grow as individuals, team mates and leaders.
None of these activities and accomplishments would be possible without the commitment of our superb teaching faculty and support staff who go far beyond the call of duty: they are a dedicated and professional team. This is complemented by a dedicated Board and an active and supportive parent community and we are very grateful for the time given voluntarily to serve our school.
If you are looking for an outstanding education for your child or children please come and visit our school. I’ll be happy and proud to show you around!
Gordon McKenzie
Principal & CEO