In this week's Roundup:
Head's Welcome | The Week Ahead | Key Term Dates | Noticeboard | Photo of the Week
Nursery & Junior | Senior & Sixth Form | Submit a Story
A message from
Rich Jones, Head.
By chance this week, I noticed two of our students in school, one in the Senior School and one in Junior School, doing something quite brilliant.
I was in the Junior School watching the wonderful Wassailing ceremony (see below!); the singing, dancing and clanging were all gearing up but prior to it all starting I noticed a little lad staring into the grass not far from the all-important apple tree. He seemed completely captivated, unaware of his surroundings and what was being said or what his pals were saying. Eventually, I peered in and noticed he was consumed with a worm that was wriggling around in the bracken and mud near where he was. A colleague eventually guided him back into focus for the event in hand, however, I noticed him looking back every few seconds to capture one last look at his discovery.
The following day, in the Mulberry Building, I spoke to an older student who was at one of the computers, partially hidden by an array of books. She was deep in thought about Bangladesh and climate change. When I spoke to her, she said 'I need to know about this, really need to know about it. Sorry Rich, I need to keep looking'. I took the hint and left.
Within 24 hours I had seen two of our community submerged in focus and fascination and it reminded me of Aristotle’s idea about Thauma. Thauma is a word derived from Greek, meaning a wonder or marvel. It is a deep and immersive curiosity that begins any quest or adventure. It is why one young person stares endlessly at the skill of a beautifully crafted table, wondering how that was just a tree at one point. It’s why another child needs to take apart little devices and machines to see how they are constructed and why they work. It is why others tap away relentlessly on keywords writing code, why others endlessly stare at a painting marvelling on how it was constructed while another is unwavering in trying to understand what made that sponge taste so good and look so beautiful all at the same time.
Thauma is the thing that motivates the budding scientist, sports person, historian, star gazer, robot creator and creative. It is that voice inside us that says - how do I find out what that is and what I can do with it?
I remember the first time thauma properly grabbed me. I can remember the moment vividly. I can probably already hear some of you groan but, it was, I think, the second time I watched Jaws. The first time was an attack on the senses and perhaps not thauma, but actual trauma for a nine-year-old (worryingly) unsupervised little chap in the living room behind the sofa. However, the second time I was in awe; I was captivated, not by the story, not by the characters but why, really why and how a bunch of actors had, with a few props and a 'dur-dum' tune had such an emotional and visceral effect on me.
Thauma.
Twenty years later I was sat in film editing suites still trying to establish why.
Aristotle believed that kids with thauma were the first philosophers of the world. They are the question askers, and the people determined to get to the bottom of things.
Many schools give answers, lots of answers, in structured, concise, accurate ways, tailored, exclusively to run the formulas for exam success and progression grading and attainment. Without apologies, there is an aspect to that in our work here at St Chris too. However, there is something more too, always more - that freedom, that cultivation, that opportunity, that curiosity, that time and that space to indulge in thauma, alongside the pure academic. We encourage that deep curiosity and laser focus - we know, really know, that as the world has changed so swiftly and now offers opportunity and prospects in employment and lifestyle beyond what we ever thought, that the very idea of thauma is key to what success in life is.
Or more simply, maybe we should marvel at worms a little more often than we do ...
Notices
Junior School
Moana Tickets
Students in the Junior School have been working hard on rehearsing for their upcoming production of Moana on Thursday 6 and Friday 7 March 2025, and tickets are now on sale following the links below to My School Portal.
All members of the cast take part in both performances except for the characters of Moana and Maui.
- On Thursday 6 March Moana will be played by Delilah Wilshere-Neal and the role of Maui will be played by Ronnie Kemp.
- On Friday 7 March Moana will be played by Francesca Stoddell and the role of Maui will be played by James Li Ting Chung.
The show starts at 7.00 pm tickets cost £5 each. Tickets are capped at 16 per family. Please only buy the tickets you know you are going to use.
BUY TICKETS FOR THURSDAY 6 MARCH HERE
BUY TICKETS FOR FRIDAY 7 MARCH HERE
Let's Leap Holiday Camp
We are delighted to be hosting the Let's Leap Sports Academy at St Chris over this coming February half term break. There are plenty of different opportunities for students to get involved in.
The details:
- Running from 17 - 21 February 2025
- For students aged 4-12
- Standard day rate of £50.00
- Book via letsleapsportsacademy.co.uk
Senior School
After School Hours - Procedure
Please can we clarify that after the end of the school day (3.55pm) the following procedures are in place for students who plan to be on-site for extra-curricular activities, day or flexi boarding, or who need to stay on-site in the event of an unplanned event or emergency, for example, disruption to rail services, car breakdown or a family emergency. We have procedures in place to supervise students in such an emergency until 9.00 pm, as follows:
Procedure for students on site between 3.55 - 5.30pm
At the end of the school day (3.55pm), day students who are not going home should either go directly to their after-school club/activity and register there, or to the Mulberry Building, where they should register and remain until they leave the site. The Mulberry Building is staffed until 5.30pm Monday to Thursday and to 5.00pm on Fridays.
Busses leave St Chris every day at 4.05pm and the late bus leaves at 5.30pm (Tuesday to Thursday).
If any student is still on site after 4.00pm, and is not a boarder, they should either be registered in a club, be in the Mulberry Building, or be in the care of staff still on site.
Emergency procedure for students on site after 5.30pm
- If possible, prior to 5.30pm, students who do not expect to be able to leave, or be picked up, should inform staff in the Mulberry Building, who will inform the boarding house. Their name will be added to the boarding and dinner registers.
- Any student on site who has not been able to inform staff in the Mulberry Building prior to its closure should go to the IG (dining hall) at 5.30pm and await the boarders and staff there.
- After dinner, students will be taken to the boarding house. At this time, the boarding team will confirm what time they expect to be collected and will make contact with parents if necessary.
- Day students will accompany the boarders to supervised prep in IT1 from 6.15 - 7.45pm.
- After prep, students will be invited back to the boarding house until they are collected.
- Parents are expected to collect day students by 9.00pm.
- Students may leave at any time but must sign out with the duty boarding staff.
Day Boarding and Flexi Boarding
St Chris offers both day boarding and flexi boarding for parents who would like to plan for their child to stay either later one night (day boarding until 9.00pm) or overnight (flexi boarding).
Day boarding runs from 3.55pm to 9.00pm. At 3.55pm students should go to the boarding house to register. They will then join the boarders for their after school activities including prep (homework), dinner and activities in the boarding house as above.
Flexi boarding also starts from 3.55pm and students should go straight to the boarding house after school, where they will join the boarders in their evening activities as above. Their overnight bag can be dropped with the boarding team in the morning of their stay.
For further details, or to book either day or flexi boarding, please get in touch with Houseparent Cecilia Drayton via cecilia.drayton@stchris.co.uk.
North Herts District Secondary Schools Swimming Team
For all keen Swimmers in I Group - Upper Sixth (Years 7-13): to compete in this year's North Herts Swim Teams, you will need to submit your times for their consideration. Further details can be found here and also include a link to submit the MS Form. The deadline to complete and return the form is Wednesday, 12 February at 10.00 am. If anyone needs help with the form (or needs to know their fastest times to include on the form), then they can see Jenny White or Sarah Armstrong.
III Group (Year 9)
DTP (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio) and MenACWY (Meningococcal ACWY) Vaccinations for III Group (Year 9) will take place at St Christopher School on Wednesday, 12 March 2025. Parents are required to respond by completing the online form either accepting or declining this vaccination. The deadline to complete the online form is 1200 noon on Wednesday, 12 March 2025.
Please click on the link below for further information and to give consent.
DTP MenACWY Vaccination Letter
Whole School
AI Survey
One of our Lower Sixth students, who wants to go into medicine, is doing her EPQ on ‘How is artificial intelligence transforming medicine, and what ethical challenges does it present?’ As part of her research, she is gathering opinions on AI and its impact. If you have a few minutes, she would really appreciate your input! The form is completely anonymous, and responses will help her explore public perspectives on this topic.
Form link: https://forms.office.com/e/Crc3155z6f
Taster Day Congestion
Thank you for everyone's patience this morning when dropping off on Barrington Road. We had an extra 40 families visiting for our Senior School Taster Day and had opened an additional car park to cope with the traffic, and had members of staff helping with parking to ease congestion, but are aware that it was still busy. Thank you for following the guidance of those on duty to keep everyone safe.
Recycled Fashion Show: 1 March 2025
The annual St Chris Interschool Recycled Fashion Show takes place on Saturday 1 March 2025. The Show starts at 6.30 pm and tickets cost £6 each. This year's theme is Express Yourself and all profits from the event will go to Conservation Optimism. Tickets are now available for sale via TryBooking, link below:
Following the show we have organised for an exhibition of photographs of the costumes and some of the costumes themselves in The Letchworth Settlement. There will be a private view on Thursday 13 March 2025 with the exhibition open to the general public from Friday 14 March to Wednesday 2 April (in the last week of term).
Wellbeing Hub
Teachers and parents from St Chris are empowered to support the mental health and wellbeing of young people through an innovative online platform provided by The Wellbeing Hub. Parents and guardians can sign up to use The Wellbeing Hub using the button below. We do encourage you to look through the extensive resources available, including podcasts, online courses, events and Q&As.
Further information can be found in a letter from Lizzie Hedderson, Assistant Head (Pupil Development and Wellbeing) here.
Register for the Wellbeing Hub
Coming up on the Wellbeing Hub...
Wednesday 12 February at 6.30 pm Healthy Masculinity and Relationships with Fredi Beard, Director of Operations at Voicebox, an organisation tackling unhealthy masculinity. Webinar is free of charge for members of the Wellbeing Hub and you can register here.
The Week Ahead
Nursery & Junior School
- Saturday 8 February: Rhubarb Rescue
- Wednesday 12 February: D Group (Year 6) Transition Day; U11 Football vs Sherrardwood (at home)
- Thursday 13 February: Junior School Parents' Consultations; U9 Football vs St Joes (at home)
- Friday 14 February: H Group (Year 2) Cake Day
- w/c 17 February: Half Term Holiday
Senior School & Sixth Form
- Saturday 8 February: Rhubarb Rescue
- Tuesday 11 February: Sixth Form (Years 12 & 13) Parents' Consultations
- Wednesday 12 February: Senior Basketball vs Marriotts (away)
- Thursday 13 February: Lower Sixth (Year 12) Theatre exam - divising practical; III & IV Group (Years 9 & 10) Rugby vs Nobel (away); Sixth Form Broadway Art Gallery Exhibition
- w/c 17 February: Half Term Holiday
The Term Ahead
Please see the term dates for this academic year below.
| Wednesday 26 February | II Group (Year 8) Parents' Consultations |
| Saturday 1 March | Recycled Fashion Show |
| Thursday 6 March | Junior School Musical |
| Friday 7 March |
IV Group (Year 10) reports issued Junior School Musical |
| Monday 10 March | Young Musicians Competition |
| Tuesday 11 March | GCSE Fieldwork Morning in Letchworth (P1-3) |
| Wednesday 12 March | III Group (Year 9) DTP & MenACWY Vaccinations |
| Thursday 13 - Friday 14 March | III Group (Year 9) English and maths exams |
| Thursday 13 March |
V Group (Year 11) GCSE Drama practical exam |
| Monday 17 - Friday 21 March | D Group (Year 6) bikeability |
| Monday 17 March |
PE GCSE & A level practical subject assessments |
| Friday 21 March | Upper Sixth (Year 13) practical A level Drama exam |
| Monday 24 - Friday 28 March | D Group (Year 6) residential trip to York |
| Tuesday 25 March | I Group (Year 7) Parents' Consultations |
| Wednesday 26 March | Junior School Open Day |
| Friday 28 March | V Group and Upper Sixth reports issued |
| Monday 31 March - Tuesday 1 April | GCSE Art & Design exam |
| Friday 4 April |
Easter Holidays begin at 12.00pm II Group (Year 8), III Group (Year 9), and Lower Sixth (Year 12) reports issued |
| Friday 4 at 12.00pm - Tuesday 22 April | Easter holidays |
Senior School Literary Festival
We will be holding our first Literary Festival from Monday 3 to Friday 7 2025 which is timed to coincide with World Book Day on Thursday 6 March. Amy Anderson, Head of English, has come up with week-long events from Author Visits, a Book Fair, Poetry workshops and DEAR (Drop Everything And Read!) sessions, plus - Optional Fancy Dress on World Book Day - a fun opportunity to dress as your favourite book character for the day! Please find further details below....
Major Officials Newsletter Edition 1
Our new Major Officials have made a superb start to their time in office, showing care and commitment to our whole community. Here is their first newsletter they created to share with the students. Find out more about their first priorities and meet the new team by reading on below!
Nursery & Junior
On Monday this week, Junior School Eco Councillors joined Senior School Morning Talk, calling for all Seniors to get greener! Simon Holmes (Chief Operating Officer) and Daniel Da Silva (new Chair of Be Green Major Official) are involved, and they are going to announce a new Senior School Eco Council shortly - with Junior and Senior School Councils working together on future projects.
On Wednesday our Junior School students and staff woke up the St Chris apple trees with a Wassailing ceremony. Wassailing is an ancient English tradition that involves singing, dancing, making lots of noise and blessing orchards to ensure a good harvest. The word "wassail" comes from the Saxon phrase "Waes Hael", which means "Good Health". The annual St Chris Junior School tradition complete with readings, the wassailing song and making LOTS of noise to wake up the trees in our orchard is one of the highlights of our spring calendar. This year our Year 6 (D Group) students led the readings, and sprinkled juice from last year's crop on the tree roots.
Well done to everyone who took part in Young Voices at the start of this week - it was a fantastic day!
| Monte (Nursery) |
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This week the children continued to learn about nocturnal animals, focusing on Hedgehogs! They went for a walk to the senior school field to look for hedgehogs, as they learnt that they like to hide in piles of leaves and under logs. Although they looked and looked, they couldn't find one - maybe they were sleeping .... The children were fascinated to spot a pigeon sitting in a nest near their classroom! |
| K Group (Reception) |
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K Group had a lovely time experimenting with compositions in partners. Their pieces had to include elements that were 'presto' meaning fast, and 'largo' meaning slow. They then performed their pieces to each other. In Forest School we started off with our clapping sticks, listening and following the rhythm of the sticks. We then had a look at all sorts of buds to be found in our orchard area and had lots of time to play and explore. There was lots of hunting and hiding of treasure and pirates sailing off in their tree ships. |
| J Group (Year 1) |
| J Group had a wonderful time birdwatching in Forest School, using binoculars to spot and record different species. They became experts in telling crows apart from blackbirds! As they explored, they also noticed tiny green shoots of bluebells and other wildflowers peeking through the grass. Wanting to protect these delicate plants, they carefully cordoned off the area to keep them safe. The children reflected on how being in nature made them feel, using words like “calm,” “curious,” “happy,” and even “fantastic.” A beautiful way to connect with the natural world! |
| H Group (Year 2) |
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H Group impressed everyone with their knowledge of plant habitats, sorting different species into environments like the Arctic, Rainforest, Desert, and Ocean. Their understanding of how plants adapt was truly remarkable! We continued our Marvellous Music topic by celebrating what would have been Bob Marley’s 80th birthday! We explored his legendary reggae music, listening to hits like One Love and Three Little Birds and discussed his powerful messages of unity and peace. In Forest School, after waking up the trees in the orchard with a lively wassailing session, they joined the RSPB’s Big School Birdwatch. Armed with binoculars and recording sheets, they spotted blue tits, blackbirds, and even some unexpected visitors—a red kite and a seagull! Inspired by Ganeet in G Group (Year 3), some children also made clay microphones, and there was plenty of time to relax, explore, and make music in the woods. |
| G Group (Year 3) |
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G Group have been diving into the world of Impressionist Art, studying the work of Monet and recreating their own stunning versions of Waterlilies. Their hard work paid off, and their paintings are now proudly displayed in the G Group Gallery area—so impressive that every single one was shared on Dojo! In Forest School, they practised rhythm skills with clapping sticks before branching out into various exciting projects. Some children built a tent with pegs and a willow fence, while others prepared hot chocolate. Climbers challenged themselves to find sturdy branches to support them, and warriors engaged in careful, playful combat. The wheelbarrow even became a transport system for resources—and friends! For those who find it tricky to focus in a traditional classroom, Forest School provided the perfect space to engage fully, embrace challenges, and achieve beyond their expectations. |
| F Group (Year 4) |
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F Group had a fantastic day at Milton Keynes Theatre, watching Horrible Histories: The Awful Egyptians. The show was both hilarious and educational, with the second half presented in 3D. Wearing their special glasses, the children jumped in their seats as rocks, cobras, and even mummified cats seemed to fly towards them! It truly brought Ancient Egypt to life. As always, F Group were a credit to the school, behaving brilliantly throughout. The trip was an unforgettable experience, and while no photos could be taken of the performance, the excitement (and a few “scary awful Egyptian faces” in group pictures!) captured the mood perfectly. |
| E Group (Year 5) |
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Half of E Group had an exciting Forest School session, where they mastered the art of fire-making. Chester shared his top tips, Reed explained how to start with the smallest kindling, and Keir showed great resilience when his match didn’t quite catch. Before long, the fire was roaring, and the children enjoyed toasting marshmallows on willow whips—though they quickly learned how fast the sticks could singe! The children also played creatively with sticks, marking out tribal boundaries and exploring the space safely. With the sun shining and a hint of spring in the air, it was a truly memorable afternoon outdoors. |
| D Group (Year 6) |
| While some D Group children were off singing their hearts out at Young Voices, the rest of the class took on a hands-on historical challenge—building Viking longships! Working collaboratively in groups, they constructed incredible ships, ready to set sail (or at least be admired in the classroom). The teamwork, creativity, and effort put into these projects were fantastic. |
| Junior School Sports |
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Our U9 football team won their first match of the season vs Sherrardwood. Our team was wearing new kit sponsored by the Parents' Circle! The players delivered a stunning performance and scored 9 goals. Their teamwork and skill were on display, leading to a very entertaining match to watch. Our U11 rugby team delivered a dominant performance and win vs Sherrardswood, 12 tries to 1! From the outset, they showed outstanding speed, agility and teamwork, with some quick breaks through the opposition's defence to score multiple tries. Our defence was equally impressive, allowing only a single try while shutting down with disciplined positioning and quick reactions. A fantastic all-round display from the team. Well done both teams! |
Senior & Sixth Form
Mental Health Week
This week the new Major Officials ran a series of activities for Children's Mental Health Week.
Last Friday in Morning Talk, they shared an introduction to the charity Place2B who provide counselling support for children and young people. They shared an exciting programme of events to both support wellbeing within St Chris and raise funds to donate to Place2B.
On Monday, the Major Officials ran a Just Dance club at lunchtime and had their first Fishes' Lunch with Rich to discuss their proposals and ideas.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday they screened Inside Out 2 complete with popcorn.
Wednesday and Thursday provided much entertainment as students tried to guess the teacher baby photo, as well as a very popular bake sale.
And on Friday, the Major Officials visited the Companies to support wellbeing sessions and talk to students about life at St Chris.
Stroke Prevention Week
At the end of last week, Sixth Form student and new Major Official Jonah led a powerful Morning Talk for Stroke Prevention Week. Jonah went through the important responses and telltale signs to watch out for when a stroke happens, what a stroke actually is and important actions we need to take. Jonah also shared his own powerful story of being a stroke survivor after having a stroke when he was six years old. It was a brave and important testament and we were hugely impressed and proud of his honesty and humility.
Senior School Bake Off
Last week, the Food Department held the highly anticipated 2025 Bake Off Final. There were seven teams of finalists from the different year groups competing for the title, and the Vege Centre was buzzing with excitement with the decibel levels off the scale! The task this year was to bake a cake with an intergalactic theme. Students worked with real imagination, cooking a huge range of different cakes and decorating them with care and attention to detail. We were all so impressed with the teamwork on show and how every student had a role in the teams. Masa (Upper Sixth) has been a great help in co-ordinating the judging this year and we welcomed Rich and other members of the school community to help judge.
After sampling all the cakes the scores were added up...
- Highly commended in second place were III Group (Year 9) students, Theo and Tristan's Bundt Cake with Ginger Shortbread Planets.
- The winners of the 2025 St Chris Bake Off were II Group (Year 8) students George, Leo, Bart and Elliot with their Mars Landing Black Forest Gateau.
- There was an extra Award for Exceptional Teamwork given on the evening to I Group (Year 7) students Josh, Libby, Pollyanna, Sofia and Alice as they really showed maturity and amazing organisation throughout the competition.
Thank you to everyone who has helped with the preparation and running of the competition and a huge well done to all the competitors!
Basketball News
We had a great afternoon on Monday as we faced Kingshott in two basketball games with our II and III Group (Year 8 and 9) teams: our Yellow team beat Kingshott 36-17 and the Red team won 34-3. Brilliant performances from all involved and it's great to keep the St Chris winning streak in basketball going ...!
On Wednesday, we had the privilege of having Andrew Robb taking a coaching session for the IV Group and Senior basketball team. Andrew played a high level of basketball through school, university and abroad and led some great drills to help us prepare for our upcoming games.
Swimming Gala Delight
Huge congratulations to our four teams who represented St Chris in the SNSHSA District Swimming Gala last Thursday! Overall, we came fourth out of 14 schools; and both our Inter and Senior Boys came second out of 10 and 7 schools respectively.
We had some strong individual and team performances: Toby C secured bronze in the Inter 25m Fly; Toby B earned silver in the Junior 50m Backcrawl (missing a gold by 0.19 seconds); Luke F earned silver in the Senior 50m Backcrawl and Theo S won gold in the Senior 50m Breaststroke (and holds onto his title from last year).
The Inter Boys team (Marin, Seb, Toby, John, Carl) also swam away with silver medals in both their Medley and Freestyle Relays and the Senior boys (Theo, Luke, Arun, Matthew, Barney) left with bronze medals in their Medley Relay and silver medals in their Freestyle relay.
We were equally proud of our Junior Boys (Henry, Toby, Kai, Tristan, Alex) and Girls teams, particularly as only three of our girls were well enough to take part: doubling up in the relays and still swimming their individual events with Bella and Isla both narrowly missing medals by 1.4seconds. But neither were as close as Matthew, in our Seniors, who missed his medal by 0.02 of a second!
Some stunning swimming and great comradery within the team - well done to all.
