St James Independent School for Senior Boys

St James is situated on the banks of the Thames, said to be one of the most beautiful stretches of the river. Once you come inside and gaze out over the terrace to the river, and the view across to Richmond Hill and the meadows and woods on the opposite bank, that you realise what a wonderful position we have here.

Visitors are astonished at how peaceful it is, with ducks and swans gently gliding past the windows and riverboats in summer plying up and down The school offers a distinctive education, uniting a philosophical approach to the development of life skills with academic excellence.

Our approach is fundamentally a philosophical one, but with a clear view that truth, values and character need to find practical expression in the world. Our philosophy is one of unity, where every boy is recognized for his particular potential and contribution and where there is acknowledgement of the divine spark of consciousness the spirit of truth in every boy which is the real essence of his being.

We hold high expectations for our pupils. We encourage them to discover the happiness that comes when you serve and care for the world, not just take from it; when you work to inspire harmony and co-operation among people of all faiths and cultures. The world is a challenging place, and we try to prepare our pupils to play leading roles in it.

We draw our philosophy from both west and east. No matter which source, there is agreement that the body, mind and heart of the young boy needs to receive the finest material and the best company if he is to grow into a man of worth. This is why we provide what we regard as the finest of learning materials Mozart, Shakespeare, the King James Bible, the Upanishads, to name a few. We open up our cultural, artistic and historical heritage with trips to Greece, Italy, France and sites of special interest in the UK. The education we offer is at once innovative and traditional.

We encourage adventure and excitement ocean yacht racing, trips into the wilderness in Africa, parachuting and exercises through the Army cadet force and the Duke of Edinburgh schemes. We encourage debate on topical issues. We perform operas and plays and much more. Life is very rich for boys and staff here at St James.

Daily we watch as boys grow into strong men & that is our fulfillment as teachers. We hope that is our gift back to you as parents

KEY FACTS

1. Numbers: At present there are 295 pupils in the school. Age range 10–18. Main entry ages: 11, 13, 16
2. Class Size: Most classes have 20 – 22 pupils, with a maximum of 24.
3. The Sixth Form: At present there are 55 pupils in the Sixth Form.
4. Boarding: James has run a small weekly boarding wing, housing some 30 boys aged 10 to 18. Boys board from Monday to Thursday night and spend the weekends at home
5. Academic results : Academic results are high. This year GCSE – 100% pass rate, 91% A* to C; A Level – 100% pass rate, 81% A to C with three boys each gaining 10 A star grades.
6. The school : In the centre of the building we have a large auditorium which we use for meetings, debates, exhibitions and social events. With raked seating it can become a theatre or concert hall. We have three well-equipped science labs & a
7. Sport : Boys play rugby and cricket mainly at the Lensbury Club sports field in Teddington, which is now owned by St Mary’s College who lease it to us. A coach transports the boys to and from games.