St. Andrews School, Turi

St. Andrews School is a preparatory and secondary independent school situated near Nakuru, Kenya near the town of Molo. It is located in Turi and often referred to by that name.

St Andrew’s School is a co-educational, Christian boarding school offering the British Curriculum to pupils aged five to thirteen in the Preparatory school and thirteen to nineteen in the Senior School and College. The school sits on a grand 300-acre (1.2 km²) estate in the Kenyan Highlands. The school's curriculum is predominantly based on the British model, with students sitting IGCSE's and A' Levels, and as such, many of the teachers are British trained.

The student population is made up of pupils from a large number of countries; however, the overwhelming majority of students are Kenyan, Ugandan, Tanzanian and Rwandan. It also has a large expatriate contingent, many of whom are the children of Protestant missionaries. On completion of their studies at Turi, pupils go on to study at prestigious universities around the world, though predominantly in the UK.

The headmaster of the Senior School is Andrew Boulle and the headmaster of the Preparatory School is Paddy Moss.

History

The preparatory school was started in 1931 by Mr and Mrs Lavers, affectionately known as "Ma and Pa Lavers", to provide education for the children of local farmers. The first school had 15 children but has steadily grown to serve over 100 children from Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyka by the 1940s. In 1944 the school was burnt to the ground after a fire in a kitchen. The Colonial British government gave permission for Italian prisoners of war to help construct a new school as the estimated cost of rebuilding was very high. The new school building was erected in stone instead of wood.

The crest of the school features a phoenix rising from the flames, and an annual bonfire night commemorates this episode in the school's history. In 1988 the secondary school was opened for 13 to 18 year old children.

Preparatory School

Pupils are taught in a class setting from the age of five. Thereafter, subject teaching is introduced gradually until all curriculum areas are taught by specialist teachers in Years 6 and 7. By the end of Year 8, pupils are prepared for the IAPS Common Entrance Exam in which pupils are tested in seven subjects (English, Maths, Science, French, Geography, History and Religious Studies).

Senior School

A wide curriculum is delivered in Year 9, ensuring informed choices for IGCSE study in Years 10 and 11. Following IGCSEs, students generally study four subjects at AS Level before finally selecting their three A2 courses. Students in the Sixth Form College also follow leadership and service programmes as part of their wider education and preparation for adult life.

College

The school has a Sixth Form. It provides ‘A’ Level education to prepare students for university.

Extra-curricular activities

Facilities on the 300-acre (1.2 km²) estate include a swimming pool, tennis courts, a squash court and pitches (turf wickets) which stay green all year round with green outfields. A new purpose-built sports centre has been built.

Pastoral Care

Most pupils board full-time, with a small minority opting to be weekly boarders. Pastoral teams look after the well-being of each child.

Notable alumni

Moses Arita, Kenya international footballer
Douglas Carswell, UK Independence Party Member of Parliament