Reasons to Choose St Chris
St Christopher School is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 3-18 in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire.
We’re also something unmistakably different from the moment you arrive…
St Chris is an outstanding, modern school with an important, progressive heritage.
Since 1915, St Chris has placed kindness, understanding and progress at the heart of education. We believe in knowing each child as an individual, encouraging learning through experience, teamwork and critical thinking. More than a century on, our progressive ethos continues to shape confident, thoughtful and compassionate young people.
A ‘progressive’ educational heritage is the unshakable emphasis on knowing and believing in each individual child for who they are.
We believe in a simple but powerful idea. In being open to doing things differently if - and only if - it makes things better for our students.
A great school should be a place of restless innovation.
Of being willing and able to try ‘it’ fully prepared that ‘it’ might not work. This time. But it might if we changed ‘it’, if we worked together on
‘it’, if we explored how others across the globe had tackled the same ‘it’.
This applies as much to a four-year-old as it does a forty-four-year old; in both learning, and in shaping how that learning happens.
Suddenly ‘it’ seems very exciting - and rightly - because education should be.
In our learning we are willing to give children something of which they are often deprived – time.
Children grow and learn at different times and at different speeds. The true skill of a teacher lies in creating an environment where every child feels able to make progress in their own way.
There is a wonderful irony that when young people learn for the joy of learning – rather than for external rewards – they often achieve even greater success.
Beyond the classroom, we encourage our students to embrace the full richness of life. For some, that may mean sport, music, art or drama; for others it could be animal care, robotics or countless other interests. Whatever the path, co-curricular opportunities at St Chris are designed to build confidence, nurture passions and inspire children to try new things long after they leave us.
Our young people produce phenomenal academic results because we help them to, not force them to.
We understand our privilege in society but use that understanding to fuel our service to others.
An excellent modern school is a socially responsible school. Since our inception, we have been active participants within our local community and global society. We are a community inherently aware of its position in society an understand that it is our responsibility to share what we can with those that are in need. Our students grow with the understanding of their privilege and how to use this to best serve the world around them. Service is at the heart of all that we do.
There are no unnecessary barriers to being yourself at St Chris.
You will see us for who we really are; dressed in our own clothes and not all made ‘uniform’.
You will hear us for who we really are; with first names used between staff and students to build openness and trust.
These things may seem small - they may even seem unusual - but they matter for what they mean. We’re in this together.
When barriers are taken away, and replaced with trust, incredible success often follows.
At St Chris you can dive into anything safe in the knowledge that you’ll never ‘hit the bottom’.
You’ll know someone is watching, you’ll know you’re safe, you’ll know you’ll always come back to the surface.
The adults in our community become a ‘critical friend’ to our students. They act as a ‘friend’ should - they listen but they are willing to challenge, they advocate without question but will point out mistakes where they’ve happened, they will be a safe haven whenever they are needed.
When young people have this security, they can have a true zest for life.
We believe in ‘relevant excellence’. We’re looking for excellence that means something in the real world.
Excellence measured against outdated standards is not excellence at all. At St Chris, we seek excellence that truly matters – excellence that equips our young people for the world they will step into.
Of course, this includes academic success: rising to challenges, achieving strong results and securing the opportunities that open the next stage of their journey. But it also means much more. It is about developing the qualities that cannot be captured by a grade – integrity, self-awareness, resilience, the ability to listen and to lead, and above all, the character to be remembered as a good person.
In a world overflowing with information, we do not need children who can simply memorise. We need self-starters and innovators, problem-solvers and peacemakers, young people who care deeply about others and who can also take care of themselves.
This has always been our philosophy. It is far closer to the values of global pioneers and modern employers than to the rigid examination halls of the past – and we are proud of that.
We want everyone to belong and understand the importance of fostering a strong, caring and inclusive community.
A sense of belonging and mutual respect is at the heart of everything we do, and we strive to create a nurturing space where everyone can thrive. Everyone at St Chris has a voice and one that is listened to, respected and championed.
We build on our rich heritage of student ownership and decision-making to ensure that students play an active role in the development of their school and their futures. We work best as a community.
We are committed to providing education that is practically and emotionally relevant to the world around us.
We want our young people to brim with potential while feeling secure and at ease within themselves.
We want them to go further than they ever imagined possible – and to find real happiness along the way.
And we want our community to be one where respect, care, laughter and challenge sit side by side, shaping the way we live and learn together.
St Chris is something unmistakenly different from the moment you arrive.
Those who have visited St Chris will have felt its unique atmosphere. The corridors are calm and peaceful, classrooms are bright and spacious, not overcrowded and rowdy, and you will find students and staff that are happy, fulfilled and engaged. It is not until you see the school for yourself, when you put your finger on the pulse of St Chris, that you can understand what this feels like. St Chris is a special place unlike any other. Students feel unwaveringly supported throughout their studies both academically and emotionally. Adults and young people work collaboratively for the betterment of each other.
Once you’ve experienced the St Chris culture, it’s hard to imagine how else a school should be run.
- We are committed to bringing together informed progressive attitudes and the best of modern education.
- We are committed to creating a respectful, supportive, high achieving, and happy community.
- We are committed to providing education that is practically and emotionally relevant to the world around us.
