Parents often tell us that St Christopher’s ‘just felt right’. Rather like choosing a house, metaphorical ticks in boxes amount to nothing if you don’t get that feeling. It must speak to the head and the heart. Yet feelings and matters of the heart are notoriously tricky to put into words.

From the heart’s perspective, St Christopher’s offers a magical childhood. It’s in the intangibles: the warmth that exudes from staff, the joy and energy that permeate, the fizzing of creativity and curiosity. You’ll see it in the way that we stop and pay attention to the people in front of us – the children and their adults – because in the busyness of life, time is what enables us to meet your family’s needs. St Christopher’s is a little school with a big heart and big ambition.

From the head’s perspective, we can point to 6 key reasons:

The Best Start – Maximising the First Five Years

Often called the window of opportunity, the first five years are a critical period in your child’s development. In fact, your child’s brain develops faster in the first five years than at any other time in their life. This brain development establishes the foundations for your child’s future learning, health, and behaviour. Major physical and cognitive milestones are reached, and your child’s social and emotional skills are shaped by their experiences and interactions with caregivers. We offer a stimulating and supportive environment, crucial for building your child’s brain connections and achieving their full potential. We invest in your child whole-heartedly, for this is the time when investment has the greatest impact on their future.

Specialists in Early Education

Without older children to consider, our sole focus is early education. Your child will be taught by experts in early education; a skilled team of mixed-age practitioners with deep knowledge and experience of child development. Overlay that with specialist teachers in Art, PE, Music, Forest School and French and you have the recipe for a head start on those all-important formative years. We recruit staff for their zest for life as much as their teaching talents. Take our art teacher who, far from dumbing down, finds innovative ways to share her passion and creativity in age-appropriate ways. Metal-sculpture-inspired champagne-cork chairs, anyone?

Relentless Focus on Wellbeing

With those first five years in mind, your child’s well-being is central. Connection and noticing matter in education. The emotional bond between your child and their teacher – when their teacher notices, listens and believes in them – makes a difference. Equally important is the ability to understand yourself and your feelings. Our bespoke ‘Mighty Minds’ programme and daily zones of regulation practice help your child embed self-reflection and regulation. Young children inevitably make mistakes, and we encourage them, because the growth from the ensuing restorative practice and reflection is priceless. It’s how they learn best.

Belonging for All

If the pandemic gave us anything, it was newfound appreciation for the value of community and connection. St Christopher’s is a place for all the family to belong. Your child will be known and cherished as an individual and you will be supported through the ups and downs of parenting. What does this belonging look like? For your child, it’s little things, like the lunchtime supervisor knowing you don’t like gravy, to the big annual traditions like making and hanging your decoration on the Christmas tree and ice-creams on St Christopher’s day. As a parent, it’s genuine partnership in your child’s wellbeing, and a ready-made network of families with shared values, offering everything from babysitter recommendations to Christmas wreath making sessions.

Support for Working Families

Parenting can feel like a balancing act. Many parents speak honestly about the natural pull between work and family life – wanting to give their best at work while cherishing time with their child. We make busy family life easier at St Christopher’s with our flexible, extended day which runs from 7.45am to 6pm . Your child will be having a lovely time with their friends cared for by staff they know and trust. The ages mix before and after school for that sibling feel. Sessions are structured for the continuity and reassurance that brings, but child-led to ensure down-time is enjoyable and meets their needs. If your child is into aeroplanes, they might find themselves designing a runway from a fruit box from which to launch junk-modelled planes and pilots. If they’re an aspiring athlete, the trim-trail becomes their training ground.

A Choice of Pathways to Future Schools

This isn’t simply about preparing for a new school – it’s a carefully designed transition programme that supports each child individually on their onward journey. And, at the risk of echoing a familiar advert, this isn’t just any transition. We offer a dual-pathway approach, allowing families to choose the route that best suits their child.

As part of the RGS family of schools we offer a seamless, stress-free journey through the school years, starting with an early offer pathway to RGS Junior schools at Year 1. If you are aiming for other leading schools, our 7+ programme is tailored to the relevant entrance requirements of your chosen school. We have a strong track record for securing places at first choice schools, thanks to the way in which we balance matters of the head and the heart.