Chigwell school prospectus

An Independent SCHOOL for Boys and Girls aged 4 to 18

CHIGWELL SCHOOL

AUT VIAM INVENIAM AUT FACIAM

Welcome to chigwell school

From the Headmaster Welcome to Chigwell. We are a diverse and happy school community for boys and girls aged 4-18.

We offer children a rich and full education in a stable, traditional environment, but one nonetheless focused on the future. Renowned for our high academic standards, we set equal store by our wide range of extra-curricular activities, our well developed sense of pastoral care, and the spiritual dimension to our life. Chigwell School is, above all, a community in which children can grow. We seek to develop the whole person, so that ultimately he or she can make a positive contribution to the world of the 21st Century whilst looking back on time spent at their school with affection.

Working closely with parents, we aim to ensure that when our pupils leave us at the age of 18, they are ready to enter the world outside and to play their part in it. We want Chigwellians to be: • Academically well-equipped to obtain good grades in public examinations and to succeed at university • Employable – able to work in teams, get things done, show resourcefulness, communicate verbally, on paper and by modern means of technology – and adaptable, with the capacity to learn new skills • Capable of developing into good citizens, involved in the community • Secure and confident in their own spiritual beliefs and philosophy of life, with a clear set of values.

The School is located in the village of Chigwell, only 7 miles from central London and close to the Epping and Hainault Forests. Set in its own beautiful grounds of over 100 acres, our Pre Prep, Junior and Senior Schools share a single campus, enabling us to offer an exceptionally stable educational environment. The Pre Prep School caters for children aged 4 to 6, the Junior School for children from the age of 7 up to 13, the Senior School from 13 onwards. We offer boarding facilities for Sixth Form Pupils.

I hope this prospectus gives you a flavour of life at Chigwell and that you will want to visit us. We would be delighted to meet you and to show you around.

Michael Punt, Headmaster

a school with A soul...

Chigwell fosters an environment where children can discover and nurture spiritual values. While the inspiration and ideals of the School’s foundation are Anglican, nowadays all the principal world faiths are represented on the School’s roll, and we value and respect this important dimension to our life. We believe worship is important and everyone in the School attends services in the Chapel or the Church. Although these services are grounded in the Christian faith, we draw consciously on the insights and experiences of the world’s great religious traditions and are inclusive of all pupils. We delight in what we have in common, but also respect and affirm distinctiveness.

Our Chaplain is Anglican, but he is pastor and priest to the whole community.

We encourage pupils to take religion seriously and to develop their own spiritual life. We have societies for members of many faith traditions, which pupils attend on a voluntary basis.

...where minds can grow The classroom is at the very heart of a Chigwell education. The School has a strong academic tradition and a long-standing record of success in public examinations and in Oxbridge entrance.

We encourage our pupils to develop: • A love of learning • The ability to think logically and laterally • The capacity to express themselves coherently both verbally and on paper • Good study habits and the willingness to take responsibility for their own learning and academic performance.

We have high academic expectations of all our pupils and the pace of work is sustained and challenging.

Our pupils work hard and take their studies seriously.

Our staff, too, are highly committed and always willing to give individual help and support to all pupils including those of exceptional ability who may need stretching, and to those who find some areas of the work more difficult.

pre prep A single campus... a sure start We aim to provide a consistent approach to education throughout your child’s school career. Our academic and pastoral structures are designed to develop the fouryear-old right through to the end of their teenage years.

The Pre Prep at Chigwell starts pupils on their exciting learning journey with all its discoveries, challenges, achievements and advantages for life. Pupils and their families quickly get to know each other and establish friendships that will last a lifetime. Home-school partnership is also highly valued and the Pre Prep operates an ‘open door’ policy for parents.

We believe that building children’s confidence enables them to flourish and enjoy learning. We celebrate success and build upon the achievements of each child.

Set in the heart of the School’s beautiful grounds, our brand new Pre Prep offers our pupils and our hard working staff a state-of-the-art, purpose built building, with a grand assembly hall, a library, dedicated teaching and playing areas, specially designed for this age group, so that our 4-6 years-olds really will have a flying start to school life.

Transition to the Junior School is planned appropriately to ensure that children’s needs are known and continue to be met in the best way possible.

JUNIOR SCHOOL Discovering new horizons and responsibilities...

Joining the Junior School at the age of 7 is an exciting step for children as they progress from the Pre Prep School or come to Chigwell as newcomers.

The Head of the Junior School is responsible for pupils aged 7 to 13 and is supported by a team of form tutors who monitor each child’s academic progress and well-being. Children are increasingly enthused as the curriculum broadens and they have the opportunity to try a whole range of new subjects and explore a host of options open to them in a safe and secure environment.

The Junior and Senior Schools share the same educational philosophy, as well as many facilities and teaching staff. Friendships and joint activities also link Juniors and Seniors, giving pupils a sense of continuity as they progress through the School, and everyone can use the School’s extensive facilities.

From age 11, the teaching and curriculum are provided

by Senior School departments ensuring that preparation begins early for public examinations.

SENIOR SCHOOL ...and a confident future The focal point of pupils’ lives in the Senior School is their house – Caswalls’, Lambourne, Penn’s or Swallow’s – and many pastoral, sporting and social activities are organised on a house basis. Each house has a housemaster or housemistress with a team of supporting tutors.

Every pupil has a house tutor who oversees all aspects of their education, welfare and progress, and is the immediate point of contact for parents. The shared stability and common standards promoted by both home and the School help smooth the passage from childhood through adolescence to adulthood. By working together, parents and teachers can give boys and girls the effective support and direction they need.

SIXTH FORM a stepping stone to university Our Sixth Form is a vibrant part of the School where students gain a greater sense of responsibility and purpose. As in all parts of the School, students engage in activities beyond their academic studies, exploring and learning new skills for life.

Students who have progressed through Chigwell to GCSE are joined by others who join the Sixth Form from local schools as well as a small number of international boarders. This mix of students provides an energising feel at this important stage and we encourage students to learn from each other.

Our A level results are impressive: in recent years 95% of Chigwellians have moved on to degree courses at university, or music and other specialist colleges, with 8% entering Oxford and Cambridge universities and some 70% reaching the leading Russell Group universities. Each year a few students choose to go to work rather than tertiary education and they have gained excellent placements.

We place a great emphasis on life after school and work to open pupils’ minds to the importance and scope of university education, and their careers.

BOARDING For international students joining us in the Sixth Form, Chigwell has developed a unique provision, specially designed to give students new to the country all the support they need to succeed. At the centre of this is our special family boarding system which provides a secure home for new students, helping them to adapt to life in Britain and giving them the confidence to take advantage of all the opportunities available at Chigwell.

THE POWER OF PERFORMANCE...

DRAMA The School has its own state-of-the-art 170-seat theatre designed for use by the whole School community. In addition to the main auditorium, it includes a green room, rehearsal and teaching spaces, dressing rooms and a foyer.

We believe drama is key to developing creativity and the inter-personal skills which are so essential in modern life – the ability to speak in public, to communicate with other people, to work in teams and to resolve conflict.

Pupils have formal drama lessons which they use to explore a variety of issues. These build selfconfidence and understanding through role-play and improvisation.

They also develop personal skills and are introduced to the world of theatre. Some will go on to take Drama and Theatre Studies at GCSE and A level.

Numerous productions take place throughout the year, giving pupils opportunities to experience the demands of developing a role, performing, or working backstage in order to discover the teamwork needed to stage a show successfully. Sixth formers have the opportunity to cast, design and direct their own productions.

MUSIC Chigwell enjoys an enviable reputation for music and there is an infectious and lively atmosphere in the department. Giving over 300 lessons per week, it has the benefit of 23 visiting music teachers and all pupils who learn an instrument are encouraged to participate in the host of choirs and ensembles in the School.

Throughout the year there are opportunities for pupils of all ages and abilities to perform and we cater for a wide range of musical tastes including jazz, rock and pop. Our approach is highly inclusive whilst stretching the most able to achieve excellence. Whether it is singing in the House Music Competition, playing in an orchestra, band or chamber group, we have something for everyone.

In addition to the regular concerts at School, there are performances elsewhere, notably the huge annual choral concert at Brentwood Cathedral. The Chapel Choir leads Evensong at Pembroke College, Cambridge, annually and has toured overseas.

Music is also an academic subject which some will study to GCSE or A Level. Pupils have been awarded music scholarships at Oxford and Cambridge.

Creativity...

Art & DESIGN Art and Design offers every pupil a great opportunity to explore their own and other peoples’ creativity. It is a lively and engaging subject that has great relevance to contemporary life.

At Chigwell, traditional artistic approaches such as drawing and painting are fully integrated with the use of ICT and pupils experience a wide variety of techniques. The facilities are impressive, as is the standard of work that pupils produce.

Art and Design is a highly rewarding subject, which offers all pupils a great deal of freedom to express their views and their feelings. Pupils learn to work independently, to think critically, and in so doing, they increase their own artistic abilities and self-confidence whilst expanding their knowledge of the wider visual world.

Design & Technology Design and Technology offers a broad and exciting curriculum that aims to develop pupils’ knowledge and awareness of contemporary design and technology.

Pupils study and engage in a range of design issues, ranging from aesthetics and ergonomics through to the technological and functional aspects of product design.

Lessons aim to develop and augment practical abilities as far as possible and encourage pupils to explore their own ideas, concepts and the creative application of materials.

Pupils engage in experimental modelling, learn a vast range of workshop processes and apply their knowledge to the production of a final outcome. In addition, graphical communication skills are taught to assist pupils with their design work.

The department is also proud to be affiliated with the Arkwright Engineering Scholarship Trust, which offers enrichment activities and potential external scholarships for pupils at GCSE and above.

A place in the team...

Sport plays an important part in the life of the School.

We have outstanding facilities, expertly maintained playing fields within the 100 acre site, a floodlit astroturf pitch, a sports hall, netball, tennis courts and outstanding cricket nets.

We teach all pupils the basics of a wide range of sporting activities in timetabled lessons, introducing them to concepts of teamwork and self-discipline, and encouraging them to develop fitness and physical competence.

In the winter terms, the main sports are soccer, hockey and netball, while in the summer we concentrate on cricket, athletics, swimming, rounders and tennis.

Chigwell enjoys a national reputation in sport and there is a comprehensive and challenging inter-school fixture list at all levels for all major games. In addition we believe in encouraging all to participate and to be proud to represent their School.

As well as full-time PE teachers, many members of staff help to run teams and work alongside professional coaches.

We also teach individual and less traditional sports, encouraging all pupils, regardless of physical ability, to develop skills that form part of an enjoyable and healthy life.

Resources for learning...

We believe it is essential that pupils have access to appropriate resources for learning and in this, as in all aspects of school life, we seek to combine the best traditional methods with a forward-looking and modern approach.

The libraries in the School include the main Library (which is well-stocked with reference works and periodicals), the vibrant Junior School Library and specialist libraries within the different departments.

Full-time, trained librarians have overall responsibility for these resources and a comprehensive catalogue is available online.

We place ICT at the core of our teaching and learning because we believe that it is essential for pupils to gain the confidence and skills to prepare them for the challenge of a rapidly developing technological world.

ICT is employed by departments to best enhance their particular subjects.

broadening horizons...

A particular feature of Chigwell is the large number of clubs and societies operating outside the classroom.

We encourage all pupils to take full advantage of the activities available to develop interests, some of which may last a lifetime.

All Junior School pupils are involved in the Chigwell Service Challenge scheme. Our thriving Scout Troop meets regularly and is involved in a variety of out-ofschool events.

Many pupils participate in The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme through to the Gold Award level and for those sixth formers who do not participate in DoE, we operate a similar scheme, the Chigwell Award. A number of older pupils carry out voluntary work locally or overseas.

An energetic and creative Charity Committee, consisting of parents, pupils and staff, organises a wide variety of events in support of charities.

The School has a relationship with a school and Ashram in India which a group of pupils and staff visit each year.

There are well-established and regular exchanges in France, Germany and Spain. Geographers do field work on the North Norfolk coast and have visited New York and Iceland. Historians visit World War I battlefields and Berlin as part of their GCSE and A level courses.

Our sports teams have toured Holland, Spain, Malta and New Zealand as well as destinations that are much nearer to home.

A community that cares Chigwell School is a community in the widest sense dedicated to the teaching and learning of its pupils.

A committed and hardworking support staff works alongside the teachers and all help to create a caring and supportive atmosphere for the young people in our charge.

Our Houses...

PENN’S

Our Founder

William Penn (1644–1718), was a pupil from 1653 to 1656. Well-connected, he became a Quaker and renounced a promising career at Court in order to dedicate his life to propagating his vision of a tolerant and humane society in which war and conflict would play no part.

SAMUEL HARSNETT was the son of a Colchester baker. He was Vicar of Chigwell from 1597 to 1605 and subsequently had a number of distinguished positions. He had high expectations of others, as illustrated by his statutes for the Headmaster, who was to be ‘of a sound religion, of a sober and honest conversation, no tippler nor haunter of ale houses and no puffer of tobacco’.

CASWALLS’ Five distinguished Caswall brothers attended Chigwell School in the 1820s, the most eminent being Edward, poet and famous hymn-writer.

LAMBOURNE Colonel Mark Lockwood, MP, who later became Lord Lambourne, Chairman of Governors from 1893 to 1922, was a local landowner and reformer.

SWALLOW’S Canon Richard Dawson Swallow was Headmaster from 1876 to 1911. The reputation of the School was much enhanced by Swallow, who is often described as the first headmaster of the ‘new regime’.

past, present and future...

Founded in 1629 by Samuel Harsnett, Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University and Archbishop of York, Chigwell School has been at the centre of learning for nearly four centuries.

William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, is our most celebrated former pupil, but generations of Chigwellians have made their mark in all walks of life – in government, the City of London, law, medicine, teaching, industry and commerce, and as citizens.

While we are proud of our long history – indeed, the original school room, now the library, has been in continuous use for nearly 400 years – we are equally focussed on the future. To enable us to offer the best possible facilities, we have undertaken an extensive building and modernisation programme over the past 35 years, yet at the same time have ensured that modern developments blend with the traditional buildings that still form the nucleus of the School. In this way, a sense of history is preserved, which, in a changing world, provides a sense of stability and an important background to the day-to-day life and work of our boys and girls.

CHIGWELL SCHOOL

AUT VIAM INVENIAM AUT FACIAM

Find a way or make a way

CHIGWELL SCHOOL High Road Chigwell Essex IG7 6QF Tel: 020 8501 5700 Fax: 020 8500 6232 E-mail: hm@chigwell-school.org www.chigwell-school.org Chigwell School is an Incorporated Charity No. 1115098.