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St Christopher's School
We speak with Christopher Hammond, Head of St Christopher, about life at the school:
I am extremely proud to be the new Head of St Christopher’s. It’s an exciting time to join the school – we have recently doubled our intake at Reception and achieved a truly excellent outcome in our latest ISI inspection report.
St Christopher’s seeks to nurture the whole child - their intellect, creativity and character. We are rightly known for our excellent academic profile; we send girls to a wonderful variety of selective schools at 11+, finding the perfect fit for every one of them to continue to thrive. Our pastoral care is second to none; with wellbeing at our core, we believe that childhood is precious and want our girls to discover who they are in their time with us.
How do you ensure the school is providing an inclusive environment for all students?
There is no such thing as a ‘St Christopher’s girl.’ We embrace diversity in all its many wonderful forms – St C’s is reflective of modern North London and will continue to be so. Girls who come to St Christopher’s should be proud of their heritage, and respectful of others, and be given opportunities to celebrate their family’s culture. Although we are a selective school, there is a wide range of ability here – some girls need that extra challenge, some a little additional support (sometimes that might even be the same girl in different subjects, or at different times in her St C’s career).
The threat of social media and online activity to young children. The Internet is not evil, and it does not cause society’s ills – it reflects them. However, school staff and parents need to work hand in glove to make sure our children are both educated and alert to the benefits and drawbacks of having any kind of online presence, including gaming. I am sure most readers will have seen Adolescence by this point. I would need another article to discuss my thoughts on AI, but we are not quite at Skynet yet.
How do you measure the success of your school beyond exam results?
If children are happy, the rest will (largely) fall into place. When I see smiling, engaged girls walking through the gate in the morning, I know we have done our job.
I am proud to have been Head of all-girls’ and all-boys’ prep schools, and a co-ed through school during my career. I hope that gives me perspective on what it is to be a school child in 2025. I have led strategic change, developed education through visible thinking and characteristics of learning schemes and supported schools that needed it. Everything I do always has the children at the centre – that’s what gets me up in the morning; it’s the best job in the world. Oh, and during a recent inspection visit on Red Nose Day, I managed to fit in a visit to the stocks to have wet sponges hurled at me to raise money between meetings.
How do you involve parents and the local community in the school’s activities?
By making them relevant to our families and community, drawing on our expertise in school, and making sure that they are accessible to busy parents. I am keen on engaging and supporting new mums and dads too. I know how difficult it can be to make those connections before Reception starts and think schools can play a vital role here. Outreach is key – you can expect to see even more collaboration with local schools, charities and businesses.
Academically: developing children’s character and visible thinking must be the scaffolding to exam success. It is also vital to ensure that sport, drama, art and all our other co-curricular activities are seen as just as important – passing a test is all well and good, but if this is to the detriment of clubs, fun and being a child, then we are doing a disservice to the girls.
How do you ensure that students are well-prepared for life beyond school, whether that’s further education or entering the workforce?
Keep them grounded – at St Christopher’s, we want the girls to be confident, to give them a voice, without a hint of arrogance. No 11-year-old needs to choose their career, but we can provide role models, our alumnae for instance, to inspire the class of 2025 and beyond. This is also where developing character traits such as resilience, collaboration, courage and compassion come to the fore. It is soft skills and emotional intelligence that will guide our girls in their lives and preserve their wellbeing as they enter the wider world.
What is your vision for the school over the next five to 10 years?
To maintain the magic of St Christopher’s and to spread our wings and influence the future of education.
32, Belsize Lane, London NW3 5AE
020 7435 1521
