Welcome to
St Christopher' s School

Every parent wants the best possible
start in life for their sons and
daughters. For nearly seventy years,
St Christopher's School at Burnham
on Sea has aimed at providing the best
possible start in education.

The enviable educational standards at
St Christopher's are achieved in a happy
family atmosphere of care and concern
for each individual. St Christopher's
believes that each child has his or her
own special gifts which must be
identified and nurtured.

St Christopher's achieves its aims by
offering a broad and challenging
educational environment through its
rich curriculum and wide variety of
extra curricular activities. Sports and
music for example are particular
strengths of the school.

The impressive older buildings of St Christopher's face
onto Berrow Road in Burnham-0n-Sea. The main school
entrance is off St Christopher's Way.

Excellent Facilities

St Christopher's has always maintained an
excellent staff-pupil ratio, combining outstanding
teachers with small class groups. The teaching
has always been characterised by combining the
best of traditional and modern approaches.

However, St Christopher's school is also fortunate to have some of the best educational
facilities in the area. Most of the teaching takes place in a sequence of modern buildings
along St Christopher's Way. The extensive grounds include a large playing field and a
modern adventure playground.

Inside the main building there are modern and airy classrooms and teaching facilities.
The Information Technology suite contains modern computers and other computer
hardware is in use in other areas of the school. The central school hall, the Watson Hall
doubles as a theatre and gymnasium. There is a well-equipped library, science laboratory,
music rooms and individual practice rooms.

The most recent addition to the St Christopher's buildings is the Pizey Centre, a three
storey structure. In addition to classrooms, the building includes a large art & craft centre
and a music centre.

A Story of Educational Success

St Christopher's was originally founded as a
girls boarding preparatory school in 1930 by
the Misses Watson. The charming chapel of
St Christopher's, the heart of the school, is a
tribute to the faith of the founders. The
character of the enrolment has developed
over the years, but the essential educational
character of the school has not changed.

The link with Sidcot, however, has given
St Christopher's the support and resources
of a much larger group and has given the
pupils at St Christopher's access to the
extensive sporting and other facilities at Sidcot.

The curriculum at St Christopher's goes well
beyond the constraints of the National
Curriculum. From the earliest ages, children
are encouraged to take books home to look at
and read with parents. The positive impact
which such "homework" can have on a child's
learning  has been well established by recent
research.

English. Mathematics, Science, Art and
Physical Education are covered from the
earliest years. Other specialised areas are
introduced at appropriate age levels, including
Technology, IT, French, History, Geography, etc.

St Christopher's facilities are outstanding.
Modern, well equipped classroomes are
combined with libraries and other
specialist facilities

St Christopher's School aims to provide a full
and well rounded education to prepare pupils
for entry into their senior schools. Whilst
St Christopher's is part of the Sidcot Group of
Schools, boys and girls can be prepared for
entrance to any other senior school.

Educational visits are made each year and
outside experts brought into the school.
The additional sporting and swimming facilities
as Sidcot School only a few minutes away near
Cheddar, are used by St Christopher's pupils
as required. The school regularly updates or
replaces its own facilities, such as computers.

Creative Education

Art, Craft, Design and Technology all figure
high in the St Christopher's wider curriculum.
Creativity will be ever more important as life
becomes more technological.

The links between music and academic success
are also acknowledged. Music is a regular
feature of the curriculum from the earliest days.
All pupils have the opportunity to study music
as a practical subject though the
St Christopher's team of instrumental teachers.
Pupils are encouraged to take the appropriate
examinations offerered by the Associated
Board of Music.

As well as having libraries, the Chapel and the music centre,
St Christopher's has its own extensive outdoor play area.

The expressive arts have long been a strength
of the education offered by St Christopher's.
Pupils take part in drama, dance and public
speaking competitions in the region, often
with great distinction.

Within the school, a specialist studio offers
facilities for pottery, silk screen printing,
and drawing and painting, both in and out of
school hours. The school's Watson Hall forms
the setting for frequent plays and musical
presentations for parents and our local
community. Individual speech and drama
tuition is available for pupils at
St Christopher's.

St Christopher's pupils are almost spoilt for choice in
the facilities available for them

Physical Education and Sport

St Christopher's is extraordinarily fortunate in its facilities for Physical Education.
On its own campus, St Christopher's has a large playing field with several
sports pitches, hard playing areas and other facilities. The school is able to use these
assets to offer its pupils soccer, rugby, hockey, netball, cricket, tennis and athletics.

The Watson Hall, in the main school buildings, offers gymnasium facilities, and
St Christopher's has built an enviable reputation in gymnastics over recent years.
Dance can also be offered in these facilities.

The facilities offered at nearby Sidcot include a superb new indoor heated swimming pool,
a large sports hall, and equestrian centre.

For less formal Physical Education, the impressive adventure playground at St Christopher's
is very popular with the pupils, as are the swings and other play equipment on the school
playing field.

The generous staffing policy at St Christopher's means
that pupils have an excellent start to their educational careers.

SOCIAL EDUCATION AND
DEVELOPMENT

Individual social development is encouraged
through the organisation of the school and
its extra curricular activities. Playtimes are
actively supervised to ensure the
development of positive and healthy
friendships.

Each pupil at St Christopher's is assigned to
a "form" group, each with its own designated
"form teacher". This member of staff takes a
particular interest in the social, as well as the
academic progress of the pupils in his or her
form. In the younger classes, the form teacher
will also be the member of staff providing most
of the lessons. Such arrangements help to
ensure that every child is aware of the
school's care and interest.

Intra-mural competitions are arranged on a
friendly basis between the "houses" in the
school, and with other schools in the
Sidcot group.

It is the aim that each pupil at St Christopher's
is prepared to play an active and positive role
in life, both here at St Christopher's and in the
school and society that he or she will join
afterwards.

Extra Curricular Education

St Christopher's aims offer a variety of activities after school to extend the educational
experience for pupils. These activities are arranged on a termly basis, and have
recently included computer club, arts and craft, soccer, ballet, choir, needlecraft,
netball boys games, gym club and music making.

There are some weekend activities involving sports matches or drama festivals etc.
Activity days are often held during the easter and summer holidays for children aged
between three and seven years. An after-school supervised play session is offered
for our youngest pupils up to 6.00pm each evening.

Whilst the teaching staff at St Christopher's are
professional educators, the school recognises the
vital role played by parents in the educational
process. The regular homework which is set is one
way of facilitating parental involvement in the joyful
process of the development on each individual pupil
at our school.

Reports are issued to parents, and discussions may be held with staff based on these documents.
Parents are always welcome to discuss with the Headteacher any concerns they may have relating
to their child's welfare or progress.

St Christopher's is very fortunate to have an organisation of parents know as the "St Christopher's
Association." This association has greatly helped the school in the past through its fundraising
efforts, which provide "extras" for the pupils at St Christopher's. The Association has also helped
the school with its communication between teachers and parents through the enjoyable social
functions which are organised each year.

JOINING ST CHRISTOPHER'S - YOUR NEXT STEP

Children may enter St Christopher's at any age. The youngest children are usually approaching
their third birthday, and the oldest children are eleven when they complete their final year at
St Christopher's (NC Year 6).

Admission is on the basis of interview with the St Christopher's
Headteacher, and (if appropriate) a report from the child's previous school. Application must be
made on the form ( a copy of which should be found in the pocket at the back of the propectus)

Your next step is to complete the application form and return it. Alternatively come and see for
yourself the excellent education available for your child at St Christopher's.

Please write , phone or fax the Administrator.

St Christopher's School
St Christopher's Way
Burnham on Sea
Somerset
TA8 2NY
Telephone 01278 782234
           Fax 01278 795566

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in this prospectus.
Nonetheless, St Christopher's School is a living institution and changes may be introduced at short
notice. This prospectus therefore, does not constitute either in part or in whole, any contract between
parents and the school.