The Education, Skills and Employment Portfolio (ESE) has announced plans to rename the island's only secondary school, currently known as Prince Andrew School. This decision has received approval from the Portfolio Advisory Board, the Chief Minister, and Buckingham Palace. The school aims for its new name to reflect the values and identity of its students and the broader community.
The renaming initiative arises from recent public controversy and negative media coverage associated with the current name. The school believes that adopting a neutral name will help create a positive learning environment free from contentious associations. It also sees this as an opportunity to choose a name that aligns with its principles and aspirations for both students and St Helena.
Head Teacher Phil Toal stated: “While we respect history, we must also be mindful of how past associations impact the present and future. Choosing a new name allows us to honour the contributions of our students and community without the burden of controversial ties.”
The process of selecting a new name will be led by students. They will have the chance to submit suggestions to the Student Council, which will work with the School Leadership Team to shortlist options. These shortlisted names will then be reviewed by the Portfolio Advisory Board before being put to a student vote across the school. The final choice will require approval from the Portfolio Advisory Board.
This selection process is expected to conclude within Term 2A, running from January 16 to February 28, 2025. The new name is set to be officially launched at the start of September 2025 for the next academic year.
In conjunction with renaming efforts, there is also a review underway regarding changes to the school uniform by the Student Council. The introduction of a new uniform will occur gradually over five years starting with Year 7 students, aiming to reduce financial pressure on parents while utilizing existing uniform stocks. Additional details about these changes will be shared as they are developed.
Parents and community members are encouraged to reach out with any questions or concerns they may have regarding these developments. Head Teacher Phil Toal can be contacted via telephone at 24290 or through email at phil.toal@sainthelena.edu.sh.
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