It's my privilege to welcome you to our vibrant and close-knit St Chris community. Our Nursery is more than just a place of learning; it's a second home where we foster a love for education, self-confidence, and an abundance of fun.
At St Chris we see ourselves as a big family, where every child is valued, supported, and encouraged to thrive.
As the Head of the Junior School, my main goal is to ensure that your child's time here is filled with growth, laughter, and the knowledge that they are part of something truly special.
St Chris takes pride in being an all-round school, where your child is nurtured academically, emotionally, and socially. In addition to fostering a love for learning, we're dedicated to nurturing skills like initiative, determination, and independence. We believe that these qualities will serve your child throughout their lifetime.
This isn't just a school; it's a partnership in learning which we all travel together. We want for your child to feel confident in their learning, to have fun, to achieve more than they ever thought possible, and to embrace their authentic selves.
We can't wait to welcome you all to our community.
Katie Wright, Head of Junior School
Useful Resources
Whether you'd like to stick print-outs on your fridge at home or keep them handy on your device, you can download a wealth of useful resources featured throughout this hub below. Alternatively, enter your details below to receive the full pack.
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Frequently asked questions
| How do I drop off, pick up, and park? |
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In the mornings, please can all Nursery and Junior School parents use the Main Entrance and drop their students off from the Junior School playground. This car park can be found at the following location: https://w3w.co/remedy.lions.woven Please do not drive down to the main roundabout of the school. Please park in the playground and walk your students to the Junior School entrance gate. Morning drop off is between 8.00 – 8.30 am to help ease congestion. Please find below a map indicating where car parking is available at other points of the school day. When turning into Barrington Road using the Main Entrance to school, if there is no room for both you and the car driving in the opposite direction, please wait at the top of the road and do not mount the pavement so that you can drive down the road towards school. In addition, please:
Be considerate to our neighbours – please do not:
A member of staff is on duty at the beginning and end of the day in the Cloisters Entrance carpark, in the morning at the Junior School playground carpark, and every afternoon at the Main Entrance carpark next to the roundabout. These members of staff are there to monitor and remove any unsafe parking practices on our campus at peak traffic times and to support the safety of the site for pedestrians. Please do follow their guidance. |
| What do I do if I have concerns about my child? |
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If you have any worries, questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact your child’s class teacher in the first instance. They are experienced in supporting students through the transition to a new school both in terms of their general wellbeing, changing friendship patterns and academic progress. Most friendship patterns sort themselves out naturally without adults getting involved, and students form lasting, happy relationships. However, parents should contact the class teacher if their child becomes unhappy or withdrawn, or if they are struggling to settle in, and students should also feel free to speak to their teacher at any time. Parents should also contact the class teacher if they suspect that behaviour towards their child may be deliberately unkind. Marcia Bonanni, Lead of Junior School Pastoral (marcia.bonanni@stchris.co.uk) and Katie Wright, Head of Junior School (katie.wright@stchris.co.uk) are responsible for supporting all students within their care, and can be contacted directly by email. |
| How do I pick my child up for a medical appointment? |
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If parents would like to request their child leave school for a medical appointment, this request can be made by the parent to the class teacher by email. If a student has an appointment during the school day, they need to sign out and back in again with the Junior School Office. Parents can come to the Junior School Office to meet them. |
| What do I do if my child is going to be late to school or is off ill? |
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Unplanned absences, due to an emergency or sickness, should be reported to Joanna Pitts (joanna.pitts@stchris.co.uk) in the Junior School Office before 9.00am. Please copy your class teacher in to your email. Absence can also be notified by My School Portal which will inform the Office. We follow-up on any absences that we have not been notified about. Lateness should be avoided whenever possible; it disrupts a child’s learning routine and the school day as a whole. Late arrivals for the Junior School should report to the Junior School Office. If your child is unwell and unable to participate in a PE or a swimming session, please ensure that the class teacher is informed in writing or by e-mail beforehand. |
| How do I request time off during term time for my child? |
| If parents wish for their child to miss school for any reason other than illness or an emergency medical appointment then they should write to the Head of the Junior School, Katie Wright, in advance, requesting permission for the absence: katie.wright@stchris.co.uk. You can also request time off via My School Portal. |
| How do I visit the school to see a member of staff? |
| If you wish to meet with a member of staff, please contact your child’s class teacher in advance, to arrange a convenient appointment. All visitors (including parents) must report to the Junior School Office on arrival at the School, where they will be signed in and given a visitor’s badge, and made aware of our safeguarding and fire procedures. |
| What is the Silence? |
| The Silence is a tradition at St Chris where the staff and students take a moment together to pause, think and listen. It’s an important part of our Morning Talks and school meetings and in the Junior School, students ring a bell at lunchtime to signify a moment of silence. |
| What are the School’s bank details? |
| Account Name: St Christopher School (Letchworth) Limited Account Number: 90800643 Sort Code: 20-41-38 The bank details are the same for all payments to the School, so please include a reference for your payment e.g. SURNAME FEES or SURNAME TRIP. |
| How do I contact the Governors? |
| The Chair of the Governors may be contacted in confidence by email at alison.burrows@stchris.co.uk or c/o the main school address: Chair of Governors, St Christopher School, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire SG6 3JZ. |
| Where do I find the School’s policies? |
| A comprehensive list of our policies and procedures can be found on the school website: www.stchris.co.uk/policies. Alternatively please contact the Head’s PA, who can send you a digital or hard copy: toni.warner@stchris.co.uk. |
| How do I make a complaint? |
| The open climate of St Chris encourages parents, along with students and staff, to voice their concerns. Usually, discussion of the matter allays or removes the worry without the need for formal procedures. All complaints are carefully considered, and it is usually helpful for there to be a discussion at an early stage about the issue, the procedures and the possible outcomes. In the first instance, please contact the Head: head@stchris.co.uk. A copy of our Complaints Policy can be found on our website. www.stchris.co.uk/policies. |
| Can I bring my dog to pick my child up from school? |
| Other than guide or hearing dogs, dogs are not allowed in the School buildings. Please keep dogs on a lead at all times and under your direct control, and be aware that some of our students are scared of dogs or may be allergic to them. |
| Is there a PTA? |
| All parents and guardians are automatically enrolled as members of the Parents’ Circle – our name for the PTA. Each class has its own Parents’ Circle Class Rep – another parent at the School. When a student starts at the school we ask their parent/carer if they would like to be put in touch with their Class Rep. The Class Rep usually creates a WhatsApp group to share information with their class. These groups are an efficient way to stay up to date and enable social engagements to be planned. |
| Can I book additional swimming lessons for my child and can our family use the pool? |
| Parents can book additional swimming lessons through the St Chris Swim School; these take place after school hours and at the weekend. You can find further information on our website: www.stchris.co.uk/swim-school We also run regular weekly Family Swim and Adult Swim sessions for those families who have a child at St Chris. Further information is sent out in The Roundup at the start of each term. |
| Who do I contact if I have further questions? |
| If you have any additional questions, or wish to discuss anything further, please do not hesitate to contact us. Before your child starts at school please contact Lucy in the Admissions Team via admissions@stchris.co.uk. We aim to respond to all emails within two working days. |
