St. James Senior Boys

Alevel Excellence 2011
St. James Senior Boys
St James Schools were founded in 1975 by Leon
MacLaren, a London barrister who had devoted
himself to the study of Philosophy and Economics.
His simple vision was to nourish the whole being
spiritually, emotionally, intellectually and
physically.
From the beginning, the Platonic principle that each
child is already pure, perfect, free and eternal lies at
the core of our approach. Instead of cramming
information in, the practise of the teacher is to tease
out (educare) the inner brilliance of each child.
The second great idea is that the conscious and
creative essence of every child is the same;
therefore, every child can excel, albeit in different
ways.
Accessing the divine potential requires stillness and
the power of concentration. The daily practice of
Quiet Time, and spending a short period clearing
the mind at the beginning and end of every lesson,
is critical to academic penetration. Meditation
twice a day is built into the timetable.
Human happiness is at the essence of all successful
education. Our boys sing regularly, which opens
their hearts to the whole human family, and are
given plenty of opportunities to serve each other.
We seek to evolve the courage to speak, especially
in public; the power to control oneself, especially
selfishness; the sense that justice is knowing your
duty and, finally, wisdom or clear decision-making
for the welfare of all.
From small beginnings in central London, St James
Senior Boys moved in 2010 to a 32-acre paradise,
allowing academic, cultural and sporting prowess
to flow.
We do not select our pupils on academic grounds;
entry is by interview with the Headmaster who
looks to the opportunity for growth in character as
well as empathy with our distinctive philosophical
ethos. In view of this, the academic results are
impressive:
GCSE Passes in 2011: 100% pass rate;
A*A 61%; A*AB 83%; A* to C 98%
A-Level Passes in 2011: 100% pass rate;
A*A 49%; A* to C 92%
Apart from the superb sporting and cultural
facilities provided on the Ashford site, and the
excellent academic standards, the majority of
parents are attracted to the school by the distinctive
philosophical approach which also includes
Philosophy lessons for every boy throughout the
school each week.
This approach has one overriding principle. It is
that every human being shares the same essence
which is divine and full of knowledge,
consciousness and happiness.
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Alevel Excellence 2011
sporting activities. In addition there are numerous
opportunities to become involved in extracurricular
activities.
With so much time being devoted to sport it is vital
that each lesson is meaningful, fulfilling and
enjoyable. A central theme for our physical
education programme is that each pupil is
encouraged to fully participate and make sport an
integral part of an overall healthy lifestyle. In order
to achieve this, it is important that an environment
is created in which the pupils feel safe and
comfortable to take part and be the best that they
can be.
The aim of the whole education is to bring forth
those qualities which would allow each boy to
achieve his full potential and discover what it
means to become a man.
There are many opportunities provided in
assemblies, at special lectures and during the
Headmaster’s Guest Nights, for dialogue and
debate on some of the great issues facing mankind.
In Years 7-8 (ages 11-12) emphasis is given to
developing each boy’s powers of attention so he
achieves some measure of ‘personal mastery’. He
is introduced to the idea of unity and co-operation,
the value of caring for others and the importance of
living attentively in the present moment, for all
happiness is to be found there. He also begins to
discover how to use his mind to think through
questions from all angles.
In Years 9-11 (ages 13-16) the emphasis moves to
developing reason and unfolding a vision for living.
The ideal presented is to become a “master of the
world and a companion of truth and goodness
simultaneously”. The boys consider the
importance of relationships, especially the value of
the family. Examples of outstanding leadership are
examined and every boy has the opportunity to test
his own leadership abilities during a visit in Year
10 to the Lucca Leadership Centre in Italy.
Each boy is told that at 16, he becomes a man. He
swaps his school uniform for a business suit; he
takes on responsibility to care for younger pupils
and he is treated like an adult, as far as possible.
This gives the sixth former a sense of worth. We
also spend pastoral time helping him to outline his
vision for how to be useful in the world. Such a
vision helps to ‘pull’ the young man towards
success, alleviating some of the need to ‘push’ him.
Every youngster is full of gifts and talents – that is
our approach. Every youngster is also able to ask
for Learning Support. Some 25% are dyslexic –
the national average – and they receive both tutorial
and classroom help for as long as they want it.
The over-riding key to delivering success is to hold
this large vision of every pupil and then work
tirelessly to let him reveal it to himself. Greatness
is a state of mind and heart first, before it goes into
action.
The final years 12 and 13 (ages 17 and 18) focus on
developing skills, particularly communication
skills, which will enable the young men to become
useful in the world. The art of contemporary
Socratic dialogue is taught which provides the
forum for discussing political, social, ethical and
philosophical issues. They are also introduced to
the principles of emotional intelligence.
The role of physical education and sport in the
overall development of each pupil at St James is a
vital one. This is reflected in the time dedicated to
games in the timetable. Each pupil spends three
afternoons per week engaged in a variety of
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