St Christopher

St Chris has approximately 320 pupils in the senior school (aged 11-18). International pupils may enter the school from aged 12 upwards, or if their English language skills are good enough, they can join in Year 10 and start their GCSE studies or go directly into Year 12 to start their 2 year A level studies. There is also the opportunity to study a 1 year programme of limited GCSE’s. There is an EAL (English as an Additional Language Dept) to give support with English language skill development.

Location
St Chris is based half way between Cambridge and London in Letchworth Garden City. The school’s nearest major airport is Luton which is approximately 13 miles away.

A Day in the Life of…

St Chris has been a boarding school since it was founded in 1915, and has a thriving, friendly boarding community which feels like a home away from home.
St Chris is my life. I live here; I do what I love here; when I go home I wish I was at school. I wake up knowing that I am going to school to do what I love.”
Jasper, Boarder, Year 13
There is also a dedicated programme of activities for boarders at the weekends which they can choose to take part in, or they can choose to relax or study, just as they would at home.

The aim of St Chris to provide a homely, welcoming and inclusive environment for all of our boarders.
There are two boarding houses: Arundale, in the main School building, for students from Year 6 to Year 11, and Arunside, on the edge of the School campus, which is our dedicated Sixth Form boarding house for students in Years 12 and 13.

St Chris is unusual among mainstream boarding schools in having houseparents, rather than house masters or house mistresses, who run the boarding houses. Houseparents provide the caring oversight associated with the active role of a good parent, supporting pupils during their time at the School.

Housparents form a close bond with each boarder and are in regular contact with their advisers and parents to ensure that academic and pastoral care are carefully co-ordinated. Houseparents are supported by resident tutors, the School Nurse, and academic tutors who do evening duties in the boarding house.

These people, together with the wider support network of advisers, peer mentors, the Head, Richard, and his wife, Jenny who live on site, ensure that there is a strong and caring team of adults who work to provide for every pupil’s needs, whatever they may be and however they may change over their time at St Chris.

www.stchris.co.uk