St Christopher School, Letchworth
Encyclopedia
St Christopher School is a boarding and day co-educational independent school
located in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire
. Established in 1915 shortly after Ebenezer Howard
founded Letchworth Garden City, the school is a long-time proponent of progressive education. It was to be a school 'where members of different faiths shall be encouraged to mix together and in this way to learn a respect and tolerance for beliefs other than their own'.
Overall the aim was to create a community that would encourage the positive development of all the capacities that lie within the child. "We treat our young people as individuals and aim for them to develop competence and resourcefulness, social conscience and moral courage, the capacity for friendship and a true zest for life" is St Christopher's ethos.
The school was established with the motto "The Utmost for The Highest".
and the freedom and encouragement to address teachers by their first names. The school has entirely vegetarian diet for both boarders and day pupils (a condition of receiving initial sponsorship from the Theosophical Society
). The school established a system of self-governance with Major Officials (the St. Christopher term for a prefect
) being nominated and elected by their student peers. School meetings allow students and staff alike to propose, vote and implement new and amended rules and policy - but with the headmaster reserving the right to veto any he deems unworkable or unacceptable. The system was temporarily in turmoil during the mid-2000s (see below) but a move back towards this ethos has recently been restored under the leadership of current Head Richard Palmer who has held the post since 2006.
The school offers a number of annual trips including Ladakh
, Kosovo
and Rajasthan
, along with some DoE (Duke of Edinburgh Award) expeditions. These are generally (but not always) taken as part of a short programme of activities at the end of the Summer Term known as the Late Summer Programme.
and Isabel King assumed joint headship following Smith's retirement the previous year, but both women left to found Frensham Heights
in Surrey in 1925.
The School in its present form developed under the guidance of Lyn and Eleanor Harris (1925-1953) and their son Nicholas (1954-1980). Following Nicholas's death in a road accident on the island of Gozo
in Malta
, the governors hired Colin Reid, essentially to carry on his work.
Colin Reid was Head Master from 1981-2004. There were many changes, and, some say, a loss of much of the early idealism from the mid 1990s, and references to inspiration by A. S. Neill
of Summerhill School
at Leiston
, in Suffolk, are now more or less of historical interest only. But the ethos of the school remained very much intact and Colin and his wife Betsy, who taught History, retired in 2004 with great respect from past and present staff and pupils.
The headmaster for the next two years was Donald Wilkinson, made many changes to the running of the school during his short spell. Mr Wilkinson's alterations to the way the school was run, including its system of self government and its alleged policy on pupils with special educational needs were extremely unpopular amongst students, parents and teachers alike and were felt by many to be contrary to much of what St Christopher had always stood for. Rumours that he wanted to reverse the school's stance on school uniform or close down its art department or were, however, unfounded. Mass redundancies across the staff also contributed to his unpopularity.
Donald Wilkinson announced his resignation from the post on 28 September 2006, citing personal reasons. The Chairman of Governors thanked Donald for his contribution to the development of the School and in particular for the raising of exam results both at GCSE and A level.
St. Chris' current Head is Richard Palmer. Richard was seen as good choice for the headship as he already had a history with the school. During the 1980s he worked at St Christopher during a gap year and returned a few years later, this time doing teaching practice. Richard joined the permanent staff in 1989 and taught Craft, Design and Technology, Science and ICT as well as serving as a boarding house tutor and warden of a VI Form Boarding House before leaving in the mid 1990s. Having taught elsewhere and gained experience as a deputy head in Cambridge, Richard returned in 2004 as Head of the Junior School. He served as Acting Head of the whole school in the interregnum following Donald's abrupt departure but on the 11th December 2006, he was announced as the permanent Headmaster after three other candidates had been considered and subsequently rejected. While wishing to continue the high academic standard, he has also in the eyes of many, helped re-centre the school on its proper focus, not only encouraging a proper work/play balance but also re-opening two boarding houses which had been closed under Wilkinson's headship - one as VI Form boarding accommodation, the other as a new permanent home for the school's Montessori department catering for the under-fives. Jenny Palmer also works in the School and Richard and Jenny have two children in the School.
performed at the school theatre, in December 1924 in Through the Crack (unknown author) as understudy and assistant stage manager, and in April 1925 he played Lennox in Shakespeare's Macbeth
and was assistant stage manager.
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
located in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
. Established in 1915 shortly after Ebenezer Howard
Ebenezer Howard
Sir Ebenezer Howard is known for his publication Garden Cities of To-morrow , the description of a utopian city in which people live harmoniously together with nature. The publication resulted in the founding of the garden city movement, that realized several Garden Cities in Great Britain at the...
founded Letchworth Garden City, the school is a long-time proponent of progressive education. It was to be a school 'where members of different faiths shall be encouraged to mix together and in this way to learn a respect and tolerance for beliefs other than their own'.
Overall the aim was to create a community that would encourage the positive development of all the capacities that lie within the child. "We treat our young people as individuals and aim for them to develop competence and resourcefulness, social conscience and moral courage, the capacity for friendship and a true zest for life" is St Christopher's ethos.
The school was established with the motto "The Utmost for The Highest".
Characteristics
St. Christopher is noted for a number of distinctive characteristics. These include a lack of any formal school uniformSchool uniform
A school uniform is an outfit—a set of standardized clothes—worn primarily for an educational institution. They are common in primary and secondary schools in various countries . When used, they form the basis of a school's dress code.Traditionally school uniforms have been largely subdued and...
and the freedom and encouragement to address teachers by their first names. The school has entirely vegetarian diet for both boarders and day pupils (a condition of receiving initial sponsorship from the Theosophical Society
Theosophical Society
The Theosophical Society is an organization formed in 1875 to advance the spiritual principles and search for Truth known as Theosophy. The original organization, after splits and realignments has several successors...
). The school established a system of self-governance with Major Officials (the St. Christopher term for a prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
) being nominated and elected by their student peers. School meetings allow students and staff alike to propose, vote and implement new and amended rules and policy - but with the headmaster reserving the right to veto any he deems unworkable or unacceptable. The system was temporarily in turmoil during the mid-2000s (see below) but a move back towards this ethos has recently been restored under the leadership of current Head Richard Palmer who has held the post since 2006.
The school offers a number of annual trips including Ladakh
Ladakh
Ladakh is a region of Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state of the Republic of India. It lies between the Kunlun mountain range in the north and the main Great Himalayas to the south, inhabited by people of Indo-Aryan and Tibetan descent...
, Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
and Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, along with some DoE (Duke of Edinburgh Award) expeditions. These are generally (but not always) taken as part of a short programme of activities at the end of the Summer Term known as the Late Summer Programme.
History
The school was founded in 1915 by Dr. Armstrong Smith. In 1919, Beatrice EnsorBeatrice Ensor
Beatrice Ensor was a theosophical educationist, pedagogue, co-founder of the New Education Fellowship and editor of the journal Education for the New Era....
and Isabel King assumed joint headship following Smith's retirement the previous year, but both women left to found Frensham Heights
Frensham Heights School
Frensham Heights School is an independent school located in Surrey, United Kingdom, run by the registered charity, Frensham Heights Educational Trust Ltd. It was founded in 1925 and formed as part of the movement for progressive education...
in Surrey in 1925.
The School in its present form developed under the guidance of Lyn and Eleanor Harris (1925-1953) and their son Nicholas (1954-1980). Following Nicholas's death in a road accident on the island of Gozo
Gozo
Gozo is a small island of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Southern European country of Malta; after the island of Malta itself, it is the second-largest island in the archipelago...
in Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, the governors hired Colin Reid, essentially to carry on his work.
Colin Reid was Head Master from 1981-2004. There were many changes, and, some say, a loss of much of the early idealism from the mid 1990s, and references to inspiration by A. S. Neill
A. S. Neill
Alexander Sutherland Neill was a Scottish progressive educator, author and founder of Summerhill school, which remains open and continues to follow his educational philosophy to this day...
of Summerhill School
Summerhill School
Summerhill School is an independent British boarding school that was founded in 1921 by Alexander Sutherland Neill with the belief that the school should be made to fit the child, rather than the other way around...
at Leiston
Leiston
Leiston is a town in eastern Suffolk, England. It is situated near Saxmundham and Aldeburgh, about from the North Sea coast and is northeast of Ipswich and northeast from London...
, in Suffolk, are now more or less of historical interest only. But the ethos of the school remained very much intact and Colin and his wife Betsy, who taught History, retired in 2004 with great respect from past and present staff and pupils.
The headmaster for the next two years was Donald Wilkinson, made many changes to the running of the school during his short spell. Mr Wilkinson's alterations to the way the school was run, including its system of self government and its alleged policy on pupils with special educational needs were extremely unpopular amongst students, parents and teachers alike and were felt by many to be contrary to much of what St Christopher had always stood for. Rumours that he wanted to reverse the school's stance on school uniform or close down its art department or were, however, unfounded. Mass redundancies across the staff also contributed to his unpopularity.
Donald Wilkinson announced his resignation from the post on 28 September 2006, citing personal reasons. The Chairman of Governors thanked Donald for his contribution to the development of the School and in particular for the raising of exam results both at GCSE and A level.
St. Chris' current Head is Richard Palmer. Richard was seen as good choice for the headship as he already had a history with the school. During the 1980s he worked at St Christopher during a gap year and returned a few years later, this time doing teaching practice. Richard joined the permanent staff in 1989 and taught Craft, Design and Technology, Science and ICT as well as serving as a boarding house tutor and warden of a VI Form Boarding House before leaving in the mid 1990s. Having taught elsewhere and gained experience as a deputy head in Cambridge, Richard returned in 2004 as Head of the Junior School. He served as Acting Head of the whole school in the interregnum following Donald's abrupt departure but on the 11th December 2006, he was announced as the permanent Headmaster after three other candidates had been considered and subsequently rejected. While wishing to continue the high academic standard, he has also in the eyes of many, helped re-centre the school on its proper focus, not only encouraging a proper work/play balance but also re-opening two boarding houses which had been closed under Wilkinson's headship - one as VI Form boarding accommodation, the other as a new permanent home for the school's Montessori department catering for the under-fives. Jenny Palmer also works in the School and Richard and Jenny have two children in the School.
Old Scholars
Due the ethos and atmosphere at St. Christopher, the school is known for producing pupils that retain their friendships for life with many pupils continuing onto University together. The school has a recognized network for former pupils and staff known as Old Scholars. The Old Scholars club runs an annual meeting in July open for every former St. Christopher pupil and member of staff no matter what year they left the school. Richard and Jenny have been very supportive of the Old Scholars and always attend their weekend reunions. The Old Scholars club also puts on Matches Day for sports in the Spring.Headships
- Dr Armstrong Smith (1915-1918)
- Beatrice Ensor & Isabel King (1919-1925)
- Lyn & Eleanor Harris (1925-1953)
- Nicholas King-Harris (1954-1980)
- Colin Reid (1981-2004)
- Donald Wilkinson (2004-2006)
- Richard Palmer (2006-present)
Notable former pupils
- Gavin Campbell - Actor
- JJ FeildJJ FeildJohn Joseph Feild , known professionally as J. J. Feild, is an Anglo-American actor.-Early and personal life:John Joseph Feild was born in Boulder, Colorado, to British academic Reshad Feild and his American wife. Through his father, he is a relative of British astronomer John Feild...
- Actor - Neil ColesNeil ColesNeil Chapman Coles, MBE is an English professional golfer. As of 2005, Coles is only the second man to win a professional golf tournament in six different decades, starting in the 1950s and extending into the 21st century.Coles was born in England...
- Golfer - Jonathan Croall - Author
- Jenny DiskiJenny Diski-External links:***...
- Author - Sonia FriedmanSonia FriedmanSonia Friedman is a prolific British West End and Broadway theatre producer. She is the younger sister of actress Maria Friedman.-Biography and career:...
- Theatre producer - A A Gill - Journalist & Restaurant Critic
- Paul HamlynPaul HamlynPaul Hamlyn, Baron Hamlyn of Edgeworth, CBE , was a German-born British publisher and philanthropist.-Family:...
- Publisher - Neil MurrayNeil MurrayNeil Murray may refer to:*Neil Murray , British musician who has played bass for a number of notable rock bands*Neil Murray , Australian singer/songwriter who has worked solo and as a member of the Warumpi Band...
- Musician - Shaun Slovo - Author
- Michael WinnerMichael WinnerMichael Robert Winner is a British film director and producer, active in both Europe and the United States, also known as a food critic for the Sunday Times.-Early life and early career :...
- Film Producer & Director - Ed Asafu-AdjayeEd Asafu-AdjayeEdward Yaw Okyere "Ed" Asafu-Adjaye is an English professional footballer who plays for Luton Town.-Career:Born in Hammersmith, London, Asafu-Adjaye started his career at Luton Town as a scholar, he was sent on loan to Isthmian League Premier Division side Walton & Hersham, making his debut for...
- Footballer - Olly Mann - Podcaster
- Richard WalkerRichard Walker (angler)Richard Stuart Walker was an English angler.One of the first to apply scientific thought to angling, 'Dick' Walker wrote many books on the sport. He also wrote for the angling press, most notably for the Angling Times...
- Angler - George Lamb - Broadcaster
- Mary-Ann Horley - Journalist
- Caspar Walsh - Writer & Journalist
Trivia
Laurence OlivierLaurence Olivier
Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier, OM was an English actor, director, and producer. He was one of the most famous and revered actors of the 20th century. He married three times, to fellow actors Jill Esmond, Vivien Leigh, and Joan Plowright...
performed at the school theatre, in December 1924 in Through the Crack (unknown author) as understudy and assistant stage manager, and in April 1925 he played Lennox in Shakespeare's Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
and was assistant stage manager.