St Andrew the Apostle Greek Orthodox School

St. Andrew the Apostle School
Address
Map
Building 5, North London Business Park

, ,
N11 1GN

Information
TypeFree school
MottoEver to Excel
Religious affiliation(s)Greek Orthodox
Established2013
TrustRussell Education Trust
Department for Education URN139410 Tables
OfstedReports
Head teacherDr Philip Hills
GenderCoeducational
Age11 to 18
Enrollment603
Capacity1050
Colour(s)   Navy and green
Websitehttp://www.standrewtheapostle.org.uk/

St Andrew the Apostle School is an inclusive secondary school in Brunswick Park, Barnet, founded in 2013. [1][2][3]

It is the first and only state-funded Greek Orthodox secondary school in Britain.[4] The school is named after St Andrew the Apostle. It serves families from all backgrounds and the wider Greek and Cypriot community.

The Greek Orthodox element of the school is introduced to students through a chapel at the school and communal worship in assemblies.[5]

The school has been established jointly by Russell Education Trust, the Greek Orthodox Church and the Classical Education Trust.[6][7]

The students completed their first GCSEs in 2018 and the school was placed in the top 5% of the country[8]

History

[edit]

The school opened in September 2013 with its first cohort of Year 7 students and the founding headteacher, Robert Ahearn.

In October 2013, the school was visited by the then First lady of Cyprus, Andri Anastasiades where she delivered a speech.[9]

In 2016, the school was reported to receive £18,507 in state funding for each of its 73 pupils, compared to a national average of £4,767 per local authority pupil, making it the highest amount of funding per pupil in England.[10]

The school is regularly visited by Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain[11]

Site

[edit]

St Andrew the Apostle School has two sites, building 4 and 5. Building 5 is its first and main site, it was once a former college. Local sports amenities such as Bethune Park are used for physical education.

In 2018, an office block within the business park was converted into the second building for the school, named building 4. In February 2020, the department of education and the local council agreed to build a new purposeful school building within the business park.[12]

In September 2022, the construction of the new school building commenced and is expected to be completed by September 2025.[13]

In June 2023, the foundations of the new building were laid with the blessing of Archbishop Nikitas. Several other important guests were present including the school’s founding headteacher, Robert Ahearn and the borough’s MP, Theresa Villers.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Vision and Values". St. Andrew the Apostle School Website. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  2. ^ Times Educational SupplementBarker, Irena (22 March 2013). "A free school with eureka moments on the timetable". Times Educational Supplement. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  3. ^ Barnet Press O'Brien, Daniel (18 July 2012). "Free Schools get the go-ahead". Barnet Press.
  4. ^ Rosenbaum, Andrew (6 October 2020). "Brexit has energized the Cypriot diaspora in the UK".
  5. ^ "Head praises new school's 'fantastic' start". Times Series. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  6. ^ "Governance". St. Andrew the Apostle Greek Orthodox School Website. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  7. ^ "St Andrew the Apostle". standrewtheapostle.org.uk. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  8. ^ "School now in top 500 in the country". Times Series. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  9. ^ "MHK + Andri Anastasiades + Robert Ahern @ St Andrew the Apostle Greek Orthodox School 20.10.13 | Rizokarpasso Association". Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  10. ^ "The 60% extra funds enjoyed by England's free school pupils". The Guardian. 25 August 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
  11. ^ "St Andrew the Apostle School welcomes His Eminence Archbishop Nikitas and The Worshipful The Mayor of the London Borough of Barnet, Councillor Alison Cornelius for an Assembly and Service of Blessing | Parikiaki Cyprus and Cypriot News". 19 October 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  12. ^ "St Andrew the Apostle". standrewtheapostle.org.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  13. ^ "Project to build new school accelerated amid expanded plans for 2,400 homes". Times Series. Retrieved 4 October 2022.


51°37′30″N 0°09′01″W / 51.6250°N 0.1503°W / 51.6250; -0.1503