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St Christopher's School, London

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St Christopher's School details

Address:
St Christopher's School
32 Belsize Lane, Hampstead, London NW3 5AE
Telephone:
020 7435 1521
Fax:
020 7431 6694
Email:
admissions@ st-christophers.hampstead.sch.uk
Website:
www.st-christophers.hampstead.sch.uk
Authority:
Camden
Admissions:
Selective
Gender of entry:
Girls
Age range:
4-11
Number of students:
235
Affiliation:
IAPS
Last inspection:
June 2002. Read the full inspection report.

Find a school:

ISC accredited

General information

Headteacher: Susan West, appointed in January 2003.

Staff: 18 (men 2, women 16).

Background: Founded in 1883, the school is situated in a quiet residential area of Belsize Park. The main building is a handsome red-brick Victorian house and within the grounds are purpose-built classrooms for science, modern languages and design and technology. There is also a well-equipped gymnasium and a netball court. A new information centre opened in 2000 containing a library housing a large collection of fiction and non-fiction books, and a computer suite with networked computers, scanners, printers and digital cameras. Subject areas include French and Spanish as well as an extended art and drama syllabus in addition to those outlined by the National Curriculum. Netball, lacrosse, short tennis, uni-hockey, rounders, cricket, swimming and gymnastics are taught. There are two school orchestras and three choirs, including a chamber choir, and the majority of children receive individual tuition, which is offered in twelve instruments. After-school clubs are offered in art, bridge, drama, French, gymnastics, yoga, Mandarin and music. Charity fundraising is undertaken for charities chosen by pupils and parents. The school is over-subscribed, receiving four applications for each place. Most pupils go on to London day senior schools, for which six pupils were awarded scholarships in 2006. Pupil-centred, relaxed, with a clear sense of purpose and direction. The school works around the word respect. Individuality and excellence are encouraged.

Approach to discipline: Respect. Pupils are expected to respect each other, their possessions and the building in which they work. Golden Rules, all positive statements are agreed by all pupils in each class. Responsibility for actions and the consequences is the approach to discipline.

Uniform: Tracksuit, or shorts, polo shirt for daily wear. Tunic and blouse or cotton dress for formal wear. All in navy, emerald.

Special needs: SEN provision is undertaken by fully-qualified teachers. A specialist room with appropriate resources is used for individual and group work. Learning differences are accommodated in-house and the SEN coordinator(SENCO) advises class and specialist teachers.

Inspection: June 2002: ?St Christopher?s is a highly successful school, under strong leadership. It provides a very good education, through which the pupils attain high academic standards and develop their confidence and interests in a wide range of activities. They are very well prepared to gain places at the highly regarded senior schools to which most proceed. The pupils? very good progress is the result of the high quality of the teaching, the very good attitudes which the pupils have to their learning, and the good curriculum and resources. The school takes great care of the pupils and makes very good provision for their personal development and welfare, although greater advantage could be taken of assessment to promote further improvements in pupils? work.?.

Secondary schools: North London Collegiate School (5 pupils); South Hampstead High School (1 pupils); Wycombe Abbey School (2 pupils); St Paul's Girls' School (4 pupils); Francis Holland School (8 pupils).

Girls' age range: 4 to 11.

Over-subscribed: 4:1.

Before-school care: 08.00-08.30.

After-school care: 15.00-16.00.

Percentage admitted according to academic ability: 80%.

Factors taken into account other than academic ability: Personality.

Selection procedures: Mixture of standardised tests and play.

Day pupils: 235.

Average class size (Year 5): 18.

Subjects taught at seven: 13.

Subjects taught at 11: 13.

All teachers hold teaching qualifications?: Y.

Teachers with degrees: 100%.

Specialist teachers used: Art, DT, and drama from year four. Maths, English, science, music, PE, French, Spanish and chess throughout.

Subjects taught in addition to national curriculum: Spanish, Chess, Mandarin, DT, music and singing.

Sports offered: Netball, pop lacrosse, unihockey, rounders, short tennis, cricket, gymnastics and swimming.

On-site sports facilities: Netball court.

Off-site sports facilities: Local Pool and local cricket club.

Percentage receiving instrumental tuition (Year 5): 69%.

Daily act of collective worship?: N.

Common entrance?: Y.

Major scholarships won: Academic: Belmont, Channing, Haberdashers' Aske's. Music: St Paul's Girl's, City of London, St Mary's Calne.

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