St Christopher School is a private day and boarding school in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire, England.

Established in 1915 as the Garden City Theosophical School, it has long been a flagship of progressive education. The present name was adopted in 1919.

Character The school is co-educational, taking both day and boarding pupils between the ages of three and eighteen. It has a Montessori School, a Junior School, and a Senior School, with a sixth form.St Christopher School, Independent Schools Council, accessed 7 May 2023

There is no uniform, and all in the school are called by their first names.

History The origins of the school lie in Theosophy, and some seeds were sown in a lecture by George Arundale on 26 December 1912 at a Theosophical Society Adyar convention in Adyar, Madras State, British India. The subject was "Education as Service", and Arundale referred to a book with that title by Jiddu Krishnamurti. A group of those present then wrote to the Theosophical Society in England, asking for a school on Theosophical lines to be established. Fund-raising began in 1913, and the project was supported by Arundale, Annie Besant, and Josephine Ransom.McNab (2014), pp. 7–8

Letchworth was chosen as the site of the school, as it had a flourishing theosophical community. Two houses were bought, 28 and 30 Broadwater Avenue, and the Garden City Theosophical School opened on 20 January 1915, with Dr John Horace Armstrong Smith, a theosophical physician, as head, and with fourteen children enrolled. By the autumn term, the number had risen to 41.

The school soon took over some buildings on Barrington Road, built in 1909 for a short-lived school called Letchworth School. In 1919, a new building was built at the junction of Spring Road and Broadway, and the school adopted its current name. The Barrington Road site was then used for boarders.Johnson (1976), p. 77"History", stchris.co.uk, accessed 7 May 2023

The school's early years were much influenced by Krishnamurti's book. Key principles from the outset were vegetarianism, physical health achieved through exercise, a belief in the benefits of beautiful surroundings, and racial toleration. Exam results were to be "a private matter between teacher and pupil".McNab (2014), p. 10

By 1918, all children were members of a pupil forum called the Moot, which greatly influenced the running of the school.

In 1920, the Theosophical Educational Trust bought a lease of the historic Rectory of Letchworth, to which children were moved from Brackenhill Home School, in Kent, another of the trust's foundations. It later became a house of the St Christopher School called Arunwood and is now used by the Montessori department. The Rectory was one of the childhood homes of Laurence Olivier, whose father was Rector.Alison Baigent, David Cursons, "Arunwood, a brief history", archive.org, accessed 7 May 2023

In 1928, the school was consolidated onto the Barrington Road site.

From 1925 to 1953, Lyn Harris and his wife Eleanor Harris were joint heads of the school. They were followed by Nicholas King-Harris, in post from 1954 to 1980.

In 1934, the school's former buildings on Broadway were sold to the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary to become the Middle School Building, theatre, and gymnasium of the new St Francis' College, Letchworth.St Francis' College, Letchworth, Independent Schools Inspectorate Inspection Report

St Chris Alumni

‘New’ Old Scholars alumni has been set up by Rich Jones on 17th.September 2026

www.stchris.co.uk/alumni

Allegations of abuse On the 9th March 2026, the Daily Telegraph published an article entitled “The dark secret at the heart of Britain's most liberal boarding school”.

This article described the findings of a seven-month investigation by the Telegraph, in the course of which the newspaper had spoken to former students who were at the school from the 1960s to the 1990s. Former pupils alleged that they had endured “disturbing sexual, psychological and physical abuse”. The Telegraph followed up their article with a further six articles about St Christopher. The police have now opened an investigation into the school, entitled “Operation Fashion”. In addition, Malcolm Johnson, a solicitor at Lime Solicitors is bringing a series of civil claims for compensation against St Christopher. The headmaster of St Christopher has said “We are desperately sorry to learn of these profoundly distressing and shocking allegations” and “Our focus now is on supporting former pupils who have spoken about their past experiences and on ensuring the school remains a safe and nurturing environment for every child today.”

Heads 1915–1918: Dr J. H. Armstrong SmithMcNab (2014), pp. 11–22 1919–1925: Beatrice Ensor and Isabel King 1925–1953: Lyn and Eleanor Harris"Through war and peace 1925–53", McNab (2014), pp. 27–36 1954–1980: Nicholas King-Harris"Changing times 1954–80", McNab (2014), pp. 37–46 1981–2004: Colin Reid"Fresh visions 1981–2006", McNab (2014), pp. 47–56 2004–2006: Donald Wilkinson 2006–2020: Richard PalmerMcNab (2014), p. 5 2020–2022: Emma-Kate Henry 2023–Present: Rich Jones

Notable staff Ernest Elmore (1901–1957), sports and drama master Dame Mary Marsh (born 1946), deputy head in 1990s

Notable former pupils

Ed Asafu-Adjaye (born 1988), footballer Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle (born 1965), designer Philip Barton (born 1963), Former Permanent Under Secretary of Foreign and Development Office Catherine Bearder (born 1949), politician"BBC News – Vote 2001 Candidates: Catherine Bearder, BBC News, 2001, accessed 7 May 2023 Peter Blegvad (born 1951), musicianPeter Blegvad biography, Calyx: The Canterbury Website, accessed 7 May 2023 Gavin Campbell (born 1946), actor and presenter Neil Coles (born 1934), professional golfer Jacqui Dankworth (born 1963), singer Julia Darling (1956–2005), authorJackie Kay, "Julia Darling" (obituary), The Guardian , 25 November 2018, accessed 7 May 2023"Julia Darling (1956–2005)", Literary Winchester, accessed 7 May 2023 Jenny Diski (1947–2016), author JJ Feild (born 1978), actor Sonia Friedman (born 1965), theatre producer A. A. Gill (1954–2016), journalistAA Gill: Sunday Times critic dies after cancer diagnosis, BBC, 10 December 2016, accessed 7 May 2023 Connie Glynn (born 1994), author Paul Hamlyn (1926–2001), publisher David Horovitch (born 1945), actor"Horovitch, David" in Who's Who on Television (ITV Books, 1981) Stephen Howarth (born 1981), poet, artist, and actor Elizabeth Jenkins (1905–2010), writer George Lamb, broadcaster Rolf Landsberg (1920–2003), physicist and University RectorDieter Hoffmann, Bernd-Rainer Barth, "Landsberg, Rolf * 28.2.1920, † 27.12.2003 Chemiker, Rektor der Technischen Hochschule für Chemie Leuna-Merseburg", in Bundesstiftung zur Aufarbeitung der SED-Diktatur: Biographische Datenbanken, 21 March 2015 Prince Rupert Loewenstein (1933–2014), manager of The Rolling StonesAdam Sweeting, "Prince Rupert Loewenstein obituary" The Guardian, 22 May 2014, archived, accessed 7 May 2023 Olly Mann, comedian and writer Anthony Moore (born 1948), musician and composer Roger Phillips (1932–2021), photographer Freya Ridings (born 1994), singer, songwriter Shawn Slovo (born 1950), writer Richard Walker (1918–1985), angler Michael Winner (1935–2013), film producer and director

References

L. B. Pekin, The Way of Life at St Christopher School, Letchworth (1939) Reginald Snell, St Christopher School 1915–1975 (1975) A. A. Gill, The Angry Island: Hunting the English (2005) Chris McNab, St Christopher School: a short history (Shire Publications, 2014) www.stchris.co.uk/alumni

External links ISI Inspection Reports School web site http://www.cerihouse.com / artist's website