In this week's Roundup:
Head's Welcome | Your Ideas | Interesting Question | Staff Spotlight | Boarding | Week Ahead | Key Term Dates
Photo of the Week | Nursery & Junior | Senior & Sixth Form | Archie's Karate | Noticeboard | Submit a Story
A message from
Rich Jones, Head.
“No, don’t worry about it. Seriously. Please. We all love flapjacks but you love them 30 times more than me so we can share. Same with carrot sticks. Is my foot weird?”
So I was sat having lunch in the IG the other day with the Junior School. If I can, I always will try and sneak in when it’s their lunch. I love the buzz, the interactions I get to have, the laughter, the slightly bizarre eating techniques and particularly the overheard conversations. As I was finishing my plate, whilst being told that Man United rule, that diplodocus were smaller than you think and being asked if it was strange being as old as me, I overheard a wonderful interaction between three giggling, gleeful girls. Two of them had already consumed both their main course and their (soon to be contested) dessert which was in the form of a homemade fruit flapjack. The slower muncher was dissecting, with the concentration and dexterity of a surgeon, her own flapjack into three equal portions. She then handed out each bit of square and I overheard the above statement. They then all fell silent in reverence to this sticky flapjack, cleared their plates and skipped off giggling.
It was such a simple moment and such a simple gesture but I found the whole thing rather profound and warming. I imagine, rather wonderfully, that they have never given it a second thought.
There is a definite and tangible characteristic in our community where altruism is at the heart of much that we do. All the way back to when the school was founded, St Chris’ constitution talks about the importance of ‘education as service’.
It is in the charities we support, the ideas we promote and in the DNA of who we are and want to be for our students. Proactive, mindful and empathetic.
There is, in my mind, a connection between empathy and altruism. People are most likely to behave altruistically towards someone if they empathise with their predicament. Various research studies support this notion. Several studies found that our children begin to develop altruistic habits when developing their sense of empathy and when this is supported and harnessed, it never gives way.
We can see it starkly, even just this term, with the Peace One Day events, our engagement with Solutions Not Sides, our students’ work at the Best Before Café and with our engagement and partnerships with local state primary and infant schools.
St Chris has been fully embedding our commitment to partnerships in the local community and this term we have already had visits from two schools, including time in Arunwood to meet the animals, interact and learn about them, with some of our students leading the sessions with these younger folk.
I had the privilege of picking two groups up over the last few weeks and it was a joy to do. As they clambered into the minibus the noise was almost deafening. Their teacher leaned across and explained that only five of the sixteen had ever been in a minibus and they were overwhelmed with excitement. As they disembarked it was lovely seeing our student’s immediate interaction and care as a cluster of little four year olds began to gape in awe and wonder.
Someone recently asked me if we should be still supporting partnership work with the local community when there are so many uncertainties in the economy, with the independent sector and with the cost of living. He said so many schools are halting their relationships work, and he was right, they are. I responded with two points really:
Firstly, our partnership work is very much that, a partnership. It is not a crass Marie Antoinette call for cake (although as a historian I am compelled to mention that she didn’t actually say that, 1700’s fake news!) but a mutual arrangement where both sides benefit. Our students last week in Arunwood developed their communication skills, teamwork skills and ability to be nuanced and reactive depending on the child. Those at the Best Before Café usually learn more about themselves than what they give and do. So why would we prevent those life skills from embedding and evolving?
Secondly, stopping supporting partnerships in times of difficulty seems devoid of empathy and against what our long history stands for. Like the American writer Jon Meacham said “clarity and candour are essential in times of need – and so is generosity of spirit” and that spirit burns brightly within our community whether it is related to flapjacks or world peace, and more power to it.
Answer this week's Interesting Question
Staff Spotlight.
Joe Sapsford,
Boarding Lead
Joe Sapsford, the Boarding Lead at St Chris, didn’t begin his career in education. As what may be a surprise for some, Joe's career journey started in headhunting after studying geography at the University of Liverpool, a subject he studied simply because he enjoyed it.
Reflecting on his early career, Joe recalls the excitement of working in a growing company, but after a few years, he found himself stuck in a monotonous cycle. "It always came down to whether your desk's turnover was bigger than last year. I was so bored," he said. Here's where his career took a dramatic shift.
Looking to find a more fulfilling path, Joe began volunteering as a mentor for young male prisoners, which sparked an interest in working with young people. Encouraged by a friend, he transitioned into teaching, where he could channel his passion for helping others while also supporting his family.
After completing his PGCE, Joe found his calling in the classroom, though the early days of the pandemic tested his adaptability. "I went from thinking 'this is amazing' to delivering sessions online," he laughed. Still, he was grateful for the skills his previous career had given him, particularly the ability to view school operations with a business-like pragmatism.
Joe joined St Chris in September 2020, quickly stepping into leadership roles, and is now the Boarding Lead.
His new role allows him to focus on both the logistical and pastoral sides of boarding. "My job is to make sure everything is logged and recorded efficiently for inspections, but also to ensure our boarders are well looked after," Joe explained. He now splits his time between ensuring compliance and spending time with the students, creating a warm, supportive community.
One of Joe’s key goals is to grow the boarding community at St Chris. He sees boarding as a unique opportunity for students to fully immerse themselves in school life, and he’s passionate about the benefits it offers. "The best way to get the most out of your school days is to board. You live with your friends, have full access to the facilities, and achieve great academic results," he said. Joe highlighted that the support boarders receive—having a trained educator like himself on hand every evening—plays a crucial role in their academic success. "Every Upper Sixth (Year 13) student who wanted to go to university last year is at their first choice, and I think it’s because they have access to this structure every single day."
Joe also emphasises the small but significant advantages of boarding. From having more time for hobbies like badminton and swimming, to being able to attend every revision class without worrying about the logistics, he believes these "marginal gains" can make all the difference. "For every boarder, the main reason they board is different, but all of them benefit from these small daily advantages."
In Joe’s view, boarding at St Chris isn’t just about living on campus; it’s about creating a structured, supportive environment where students can thrive academically and socially.
So, what will be your reason to board?
If you’re a day student or a parent considering how to enrich your time at St Chris, boarding might just be the key to unlocking your full potential. We invite parents to watch the talk delivered by Joe and the boarding students this morning below.
Boarding Morning Talk
