In this week's Roundup:
Head's Welcome | The Week Ahead | Key Term Dates | Noticeboard | Photo of the Week
Nursery & Junior | Senior & Sixth Form | Submit a Story
A message from
Rich Jones, Head.
I was standing in the foyer of the Theatre this week when three students, all around 12 years old, came up to me and asked, very plainly, politely and seriously, “Do you think we’ll have to go to war this year Rich?”
Not joking. Not dramatic. Just genuinely asking.
It stopped me in my tracks ever so slightly. What a thing to be actually thinking. And what a question to be carrying at that age.
The world our young people are absorbing right now seems increasingly loud, unstable, and often framed in extremes. This week alone, headlines from the World Economic Forum dominated the news, alongside familiar figures returning to centre stage. Much of the language used in global politics today (sounding all too familiar to us students of history) is about strength, winning, dominance and certainty. Who is right. Who is wrong. Who is strong. Who is weak. Who needs to bow.
And that matters because language shapes thinking.
The philosopher Bertrand Russell warned that the moment we divide the world into the virtuous and the non-virtuous, the good and the bad, we edge closer to some kind of heartlessness. When people believe they are better, morally or culturally, and that others are lesser, it becomes far easier to justify harmful action. Disagreement turns into dehumanisation. Power disguises itself as justice.
When you simply disagree with someone, you tend to treat them with respect. When you fall out with your friend, you usually look for a way through it and sort it out. However, when people are labelled as enemies, simpletons, or threats, history tells us what follows. Cruelty becomes easier when we stop seeing one another as fully human.
So what do we do with this, especially in a school full of young people who are trying to make sense of a complicated world?
Firstly, we do not pretend these questions are not there. If 12-year-olds are asking about war and conflict, then silence is not a strategy. Avoidance does not calm anxiety. In my experience honest, age-appropriate conversation does.
Secondly, we slow things down. It is important to remind our students that disagreement does not require hatred, that debate does not need winners and losers, and that strength is not the same as shouting the loudest or exerting power over others.
And thirdly, we all have to model it.
This week, our students have been involved in our Major Officials’ elections, and I was struck by something quietly brilliant. The very first thing both of our new Head Students did was to contact those who had not been appointed. Not because they had to. Because they understood that leadership is not about superiority, but responsibility. That disagreement or disappointment does not diminish dignity. That community matters more than status.
That is St Chris at its best.
We actively encourage debate, discussion, and disagreement here. We want students to challenge ideas, question authority, and hold different views. But we do so within a culture that insists on humanity, kindness, and respect. We teach that you can be passionate without being cruel, certain without being closed, and confident without needing to dominate.
When students ask big, frightening questions about the world, our job is not to give false reassurance or dramatic answers. It is to create space for dialogue, to calm without dismissing, and to show that complexity does not need to be terrifying.
The world may feel unstable. The noise may be loud. But within our community, I really appreciate that we choose conversation over condemnation, curiosity over certainty, and care over power.
Especially now, when it has never been more important.
Wellbeing Update
Sign Up for the Wellbeing Hub
At St Chris, we’re proud to empower our staff and families to support the mental health and wellbeing of young people through The Wellbeing Hub — an online platform offering expert guidance and practical resources.
Parents and guardians are warmly invited to register for access via the button below. Once signed up, you'll find a wide range of support at your fingertips — including podcasts, online courses, live events, and Q&A sessions with leading professionals in the field.
Week Commencing 26 January 2026
Webinars:
28 January: Raising teens in the digital age: Friendship, bullying, and the online world
29 January: Managing harmful sexual behaviours and sexualised harassment at school
Senior & Sixth Form Careers Fair
Wednesday 25 February 2026
We’re Looking for Exhibitors!
We are preparing for our upcoming Careers Fair and are inviting alumni, families and the wider St Chris community to take part. Your insight can offer valuable guidance to our Senior School and Sixth Form students as they consider their future pathways.
We welcome parents, former St Chris students, friends of the school, universities and local employers from any sector. Participants may host a small information table, speak informally with students about their career journey, or offer advice on skills, qualifications and development.
Students from Year 7 through to the Sixth Form will visit throughout the morning.
If you would like to be involved, please email lizzie.hedderson@stchris.co.uk.
Thank you for supporting our community, and please feel free to share this invitation with anyone who may be interested.
Muddy Stilettos Review of St Chris
We were delighted to welcome Muddy Stilettos to St Chris recently, and their independent review captures so much of what makes our school distinctive; from our progressive approach to learning and strong pastoral care, to the trust, kindness and individuality that shape daily life here.
The review explores the journey from Nursery through to Sixth Form, celebrating our creative strengths, breadth of opportunity and the way young people are encouraged to think for themselves, take responsibility and be known as individuals.
If you’d like to see St Chris through fresh eyes, we hope you’ll enjoy reading the full review.
Notices
Whole School
Bicycle Training Sessions - Hertfordshire
Does your child want to learn to ride a bike? Ready to boost their cycling skills? Missed out on Bikeability training?
Cycle training sessions are running across Hertfordshire, with options for all ages and abilities. Check out what’s happening near you:
🚲 Watford Cycle Hub
King George V Playing Fields, Tolpits Lane
More details: www.watfordcyclehub.org.uk
🚲 Stevenage Cycling Hub
Fairlands Valley Park, Stevenage
Find out more: www.stevenagecyclinghub.co.uk
🚲 St Albans Cycle Hub C.I.C
Cottonmill Estate, St Albans
Course info: www.stalbanscyclehub.co.uk
🚲 SEND Cycling Courses
Various locations across Hertfordshire during most school holidays
In partnership with the Herts Disability Sports Foundation, we offer specialist 1 to 1 cycle training for riders with additional needs.
Find out more: www.hdsf.co.uk/find-an-activity/cyclingactivities/
Water Polo Sessions | Ages 8+
- Juniors: Saturday 8.00am at Letchworth Leisure Centre
- Seniors: Saturday 8:30pm at Hitchin Swimming Centre
A lively introduction to water polo for children aged 8 and above. These sessions are a fun way to build strength, stamina and speed in the water.
Open to confident swimmers aged 8+, with no prior water polo experience required. Ideal for those ready to explore the pool beyond the four strokes and develop new skills as part of a team.
For further information or to register interest, please contact hitchinwaterpolo@gmail.com or telephone 07817614262.
Barracudas – 2026 Camps Now Open for
Booking
Barracudas holiday camps for 2026 are live and taking bookings. Families can take advantage of the Early Booking Offer, available until 31 January, with the best price guaranteed for next year.
In addition, we’re pleased to share an extra £20 discount for St Chris families when booking two days or more. Simply use the code SCHOOL20 at checkout.
Junior School
Recycled Fashion Show - Junior School Participation
The 30th Annual Inter-School Recycled Fashion Show takes place at St Chris on Saturday, 28 February 2026 and students in F-D Group (Years 4 - Year 6) are invited to participate in what is a fantastic event.
This popular event brings together students from different schools to create and showcase fashion designs made from recycled and repurposed materials, encouraging creativity, sustainability, problem-solving and self-expression.
This year’s theme: ‘Alternate Realities’
Students can draw inspiration from:
- Fantasy worlds, future cities, underwater kingdoms or space adventures
- Eco-futures, utopian/dystopian societies
- Parallel worlds, identity, transformation or surreal landscapes
Parent notes:
- Costumes must be designed and made at home using recycled materials.
- The event runs from around 2.00pm to 10.00pm – a long but exciting day!
- In the week before, we’ll check in with all participants to ensure outfits are ready.
To take part, please email: chloe.burton@stchris.co.uk
Further details and timings will be shared closer to the event. We can’t wait to see the creativity and imagination on display!
Senior & Sixth Form
Ski Trip Student Meeting – Monday 26 January 2026
- What: Ski Trip meeting – itinerary, plans, expectations, roomings
- When: Monday 26 January 2026, second half of lunch
- Where: My classroom, E1
It is important that all students attending the trip come along so we can go through the details and answer any questions.
Please pop this date in your diaries so you don’t forget!
Literary Festival 2-6 March 2026
As we look forward to the Senior School and Sixth Form St Chris Literary Festival running from Monday 2 March - Friday 6 March, we wanted to send out a special reminder regarding one of the week's most anticipated highlights.
World Book Day Fancy Dress – A Little Reminder!
On Thursday 5 March, we will be celebrating World Book Day. We are looking forward to seeing everyone’s wonderful costumes again this year, and we are especially eager to see high engagement across the Secondary School.
Students are warmly invited to come to school in optional fancy dress as their favorite book characters. Whether you choose a classic protagonist or a more contemporary figure, we can’t wait to see the creativity and imagination on display. Let’s show the whole school how much spirit the secondary years can bring to this celebration!
Don't Miss Out on Other Festival Events:
- Book Fairs: Browse the Bow Books Book Fair in the Social Library on Tuesday or grab a bargain at the Pre-Loved Book Fair on Friday. Every pre-loved book is just £1, with all proceeds going to charity.
- Drop Everything and Read!: On Wednesday, students in I, II, III, and IV Groups will participate in this special reading event.
- Workshops: Throughout the week, various groups will be heading to Creative Writing and Poetry Workshops to showcase their brilliance
We look forward to a fantastic week of celebrating literacy together.
Pre-Loved Book Fair
During Literary Week, we will be hosting a Pre-Loved Book Fair. Every book will be available for £1, with all proceeds going to charity. We would love your support in collecting books for the fair.
If you have any pre-loved books you could donate, please could students bring them to E1 at school, where they will be stored safely until the week of the fair.
The Week Ahead
Nursery & Junior School
- Monday 26 January: E Group (Year 5) Star Party (TBC Weather Dependent)
- Wednesday 28 January: Wassailing Ceremony 10:30am
Senior School & Sixth Form
- Monday 26 January: Major Officials Training Day
- Tuesday 27 January: Senior School Creative Careers Evening 6.00-9.00pm
- Wednesday 28 January: III Group (Year 9) Spoken Word Power Live
- Thursday 29 January: Senior Basketball vs Fearnhill (Away)
- Friday 30 January: I Group (Year 7) Trip to British Museum; V Group (Year 11) History trip to The Globe
- Saturday 31 January: LVI (Year 12) Gold DofE Training Day
Spring Term Diary
| Monday 2 February |
I & II Group (Years 7 & 8) Swimming Gala IV & V Group (Years 10 & 11) World Challenge Training Day Senior School Assessment/Taster Week |
| Tuesday 3 February |
Senior School Assessment/Taster Week Sixth Form (Years 12 & 13) Parents' Consultation |
| Wednesday 4 February |
Senior School Assessment/Taster Week III Group (Year 9) Football vs Marriotts (away) Full Governing Board Committee |
| Thursday 5 February |
Senior School Assessment/Taster Week IV Group (Year 10) Football vs JHN (Home) II Group (Year 8) Football vs Barnwell (Home) |
| Friday 6 February | Senior School Assessment/Taster Week |
| Saturday 7 February | Garden City Gambit Robotics Competition |
| Monday 9 February | Stay & Play Session for Nursery Parents |
| Tuesday 10 February |
Safer Internet Day V Group (Year 111) GCSE Drama Practical Exam |
| Thursday 12 February |
D Group (Year 6) Transition Morning II Group (Year 8) Football vs Nobel (Home) Stay & Play Session for Nursery Parents (Forest School) Parent Event for Safer Internet Day |
| Friday 13 February |
Senior School Ski Trip departs Half Term |
Careers Newsletter
Edition #17
Our weekly Careers Newsletter has a different theme and excellent links to further information to help students explore careers they might be interested in. It features up-to-date Labour Market Information, an Employer Spotlight and a University Spotlight. We encourage you to explore this resource with your child to help spark careers conversations at home.
Please see Edition 17 below. If you have any further questions about Career Related Learning at St Chris, please contact Lizzie Hedderson.
Nursery & Junior
| Nursery |
|---|
|
Nursery have been busy this week learning about the author Oliver Jeffers and have enjoyed reading many of his stories. They noticed that 'the boy' is in all of the stories that we have read and have enjoyed exploring his many adventures. The children have made space vehicles from recycled materials, thought about what they would take to space and made some great lists, and have explored different emotions relating to the stories. |
| K Group & J Group Toy Workshop (Reception & Year 1) |
|
This week, Reception and Year 1 came together for an engaging Toy Workshop, led by the North Herts Museum Service. A wide range of toys sparked curiosity and conversation as the children explored toys from the past and present. Learning flowed naturally across subjects: in History, they compared old and modern toys; in Maths, they practised adding numbers through hoopla and coin roll activities; and in Science, they investigated materials and forces by experimenting with push and pull toys, all while having fun. The session finished with a creative challenge, as each child designed and made their own toy using a wooden peg and pens. Back in class, some children were keen to continue, adding wings to their characters and even creating homes for them, extending their learning through imagination and play. |
| Colour Mixing Lab F to D Grpup (Years 4-6) |
|
Pupils in Years 4 to 6 had a wonderful time in STEM Club, exploring the Colour Mixing Lab. Through hands-on experimentation with water and food colouring, they investigated how different ratios create new shades, testing, refining and recording their results as they went. The session encouraged curiosity, careful observation and creativity, as pupils developed their own colours and a deeper understanding of how mixing works in practice. |
| J Group (Year 1) |
|
You may have noticed J Group’s Pop Art displayed outside the classroom. Over several weeks, pupils carefully developed their pieces, experimenting with style and colour before completing thoughtful evaluations of their own and each other’s work. The final discussions showed real insight into artistic choices and personal preferences. A fantastic body of work – well done, J Group. |
| H Group (Year 2) |
|
This week, Year 2 enjoyed sharing their wonderful quest stories, inspired by the imaginative works of Oliver Jeffers. It was a joy to see their storytelling and writing skills develop so beautifully! In Forest School, students visited the outdoor animals at Arunwood, spotting ducks, pigs, goats, turkeys, chickens, and alpacas along the way. While exploring, they also picked up litter and thoughtfully discussed whether it could be recycled, discovering that everything they collected could go in the Mixed Recycling Bin. |
| G Group (Year 3) |
|
G Group continued developing their persuasive language skills this week, with great enthusiasm as pupils tried to sell products to one another using convincing arguments and clear reasoning. In Topic, pupils completed their clay torcs and are now ready to paint them. They also learnt about roundhouses and hillforts, identifying key features before beginning to construct their own roundhouse models. Although Forest School was cancelled, pupils made the most of the day with a rainy walk, spotting signs of spring and enjoying splashing through puddles along the way. |
| F Group (Year 4) |
|
F Group have been exploring the physical geography of China in their Topic lessons, learning about Mount Everest and the Yangtze River, with plans to turn their attention to the Gobi Desert next. The students examined different landscapes in detail and considered the human impact on these environments, looking thoughtfully at both positive and negative influences. They then chose one area to focus on, locating it on a map of China, sketching it carefully and writing an informative paragraph to show what they had learnt. The quality of focus and effort was impressive. In English, the class has been studying narrative poetry, building on their work with The Willow Pattern Poem. Their next poem, How the Tortoise Got Its Shell by Judith Nicholls, prompted rich discussion about language choices, including the use of powerful verbs and specific nouns rather than relying on animal names alone. Pupils also enjoyed role-playing Zeus and Tortoise, debating whether the punishment at the end of the poem was fair and presenting persuasive arguments on Tortoise’s behalf. They spent time in Forest School practising with their clapping sticks ahead of next week’s Wassailing ceremony. Students rehearsed their part in the procession, preparing to wake the apple trees in the orchard with the rest of the Junior School. With Bryan’s guidance, they are ready to give the trees a lively start to the new season! A thoughtful and creative week – well done, F Group. |
| Junior School Food Recycling Initiative |
|
This week, the Junior School took an important step towards reducing waste with a focus on food recycling. Students heard a Morning Talk from Tony Golder of Dubetta, the waste company that manages over 11 and a half tonnes of our school waste each year. Inspired by Tony’s message, we are now aiming to separate food waste from other rubbish to boost our recycling efforts. As of today, food caddies have been introduced across the school, in After School Care, the Early Years kitchen, the staffroom, and the playground. Eco Councillors will help by emptying the playground caddy and reminding everyone not to contaminate other recycling bins with food. Tony also highlighted that 80% of what we throw away can be recycled in our mixed recycling bins, echoing advice from local councils. Students are already taking responsibility for this initiative, learning the impact of careful recycling and contributing to a greener school. Here’s to more food in caddies and less in the bin! |
Senior & Sixth
Boarding Life: A Taste of France
Following last week’s Indian experience, our boarding students travelled to France through food with a relaxed and enjoyable French feast. The evening menu featured carefully prepared charcuterie boards, rich boeuf bourguignon, classic tarte tatin and freshly made crêpes.
There was a wonderful sense of togetherness in the kitchen, with students fully absorbed in the process and clearly proud of what they created — and even happier to sit down and eat together afterwards. Everything was cooked to a high standard, but special guest judges Joe and Sue awarded top honours to Blaise, Aubert and Luca.
I & II Group (Year 7 and 8) Football Away Win
A huge well done to our I & II Group football team following their away friendly against Sherrardswood on Friday afternoon. The team put in a confident and committed performance, working together superbly to secure an impressive 7–1 victory.
A special mention goes to Toby, named Player of the Match after scoring four goals. An excellent afternoon of football and a performance to be proud of.
III Group (Year 9) Basketball
Our III Group basketball team played a brilliant game against Fearnhill School on Thursday evening. The team worked brilliantly together to come away 48-13 winners. This team has huge potential and it is great to see the progress each week.
