Educational Leadership Team
Christine Curtis y James Shallcross

Dear Parents:

We are delighted that you have shown interest in our new project. For us, Richmond Park School provides an opportunity to make full use of our experience to create a school which is different and exciting. In this first newsletter, we want to tell you about our educational experience and what we essentially believe.

Christine has had a long and succesful career in Spain as a teacher, headteacher, and inspector. Also, she is a senior yoga teacher and her extensive training, research and practice in mindfulness across all ages have given her an extensive base of knowledge and skills. She will ensure students are well prepared academically and personally for the demands and needs of contemporary life.

James worked for many years in England as a teacher and, later, as a general inspector. In Spain, he has been the headteacher of three schools, educational founder of 5 British schools and general director of two school groups. He is the co-founder of the British inspection system in Spain and an honorary member of the National Association of British Schools in Spain. In 2000, he was awarded the MBE.

In essence, we believe that schools have to be creative places of learning where students are prepared academically, intellectually, emotionally and socially for the demands of a fast-changing world.

In a revolution, you cannot stand still. We need to learn for the future, while still learning from the past.

Knowledge is much more accessible than before, for example, but it has to be discovered in many different ways, fully understood and used effecively. Teachers need to facilitate, rather than transmit learning. Students have to acquire new skills and use them in multiple contexts. Above all, we have to help them in multiple contexts. Above all, we have to help them in the process of learning to think and thinking to learn.

We strongly believe that thinking and communication skills should be at the heart of the educational process. As well, our staff have to challenge students to get the best out of themselves and make full use of their own particular intelligences.

This means our teachers must teach everyone: those with learning difficulties, others who are extraordinarily talented, and all the rest who need to learn and express what they have learnt in many different ways.

At Richmond Park School, our obligation is based on the integral development of the human being

Education is not confined to intellectual growth and academic achievement. At Richmond Park School, we are commmitted to developing the whole person.

Our students’ future success and happiness need to be underpinned by inner strength, determination and self-belief. They must have strong values, based on self-respect and respect for others, and a deep commitment to social and environmental action.

Education in Richmond Park School will be joyful, intriguing, and comprehensive. What students experience at school deeply affects them. We are confident our students and your children will reap the benefits of what we offer them. They will learn for their own futures.

Christine Curtis y James Shallcross