Boarding Life
Te Ao Kainoho Kura
Boarding at StAC
Boarders have a well-structured routine at St Andrew’s College, which creates a safe and friendly atmosphere. The school day begins at 7.00am, with a tutor wake-up call and breakfast; by 8.00am students are ready to start the day.
After attending morning classes, lunch is served in the Strowan House dining room. After school, students are often busy with co-curricular activities. Dinner is served at 5.15pm, followed by a minimum of 1 hour 30 minutes allocated for Prep (homework) between 6.00pm–8.00pm, which is supervised by the tutors. Bedtime ranges from 9.30pm to 10.30pm depending on year level.
Weekends are also well structured at St Andrew’s, with boarders participating in various sports on and off campus, taking leave that has been approved by their tutors, and enjoying a range of organised activities.
Pastoral Care and
Well-being
When students join the St Andrew’s College boarding family, they gain the support and friendship of a large network of people, who take an active interest in their welfare and do everything possible to ensure their academic, co-curricular and social interactions are as successful and rewarding as possible.
The boarding team prides itself on our pastoral care structures. We take our duty of care requirements seriously and work hard to ensure all boarders feel safe, connected and at home. We are fortunate to have layers of staff with first class knowledge and experience in residential care, education and pastoral care. All staff are trained to understand their limitations and work on a "pass it up" structure. Boarders are very well supervised at all times and the fact boarding staff live onsite with the boarders creates a safe and secure environment.
Special Events
A lively in-house social life is a key aspect boarding life at St Andrew’s. We hold a variety of dinners, concerts and celebrations to give boarders across all year levels the opportunity to dress up, perform and generally have fun together.
The school year commences with a boarders’ Top Town weekend, featuring various fun sporting competitions. It is an ideal way to welcome new boarding students and create House spirit. Boarders love to dress up in colourful and sometimes outrageous costumes for the traditional Valentine’s Day and Mid-winter Christmas dinners, where a fiercely fought House competition usually takes place.
Special outings and weekend day trips are organised by our boarding staff. We endeavour to cater for the varying interests, skills and preferences of individual boarders as we plan our busy programme. Students enjoy a range of weekend boarders’ activities including attendance at a variety of national-level sporting events and local cultural activities, such as art exhibitions and theatre shows, going to Crusaders’ games, Laser strike, or tenpin bowling.
The annual Boarders’ Assembly is another eagerly anticipated event where boarders can showcase their backgrounds and heritage. During the assembly it is not uncommon to see various forms of farm transport and even four-legged visitors take the stage.
Dining
Our catering team, led by Catering Manager, Russell Gray, aim to help boarders develop good eating habits, by providing a healthy and balanced selection of food for growing and active young men and women.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the boarders’ dining room in Strowan House, which is both the social and physical hub of the College. Morning tea, afternoon tea and suppers are also provided. We are committed to accommodating special dietary requirements and allergies.
In addition to boarders’ meals, our bright, spacious dining room is the venue for a number of special boarders’ events throughout the year, including the Valentine’s Day, Mid-winter Christmas, and Boarders’ dinners.
