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Christopher joins Bassett House School as Head in September 2024 from Newton Prep, a large and vibrant co-ed school in Battersea rated ‘excellent’ by the ISI.
Chris was an organ scholar at King’s College London and also studied at the Royal College of Music. While working as a professional musician, he was invited to lead a choir of primary age children and, through their energy and enthusiasm, was inspired to change the direction of his career and train as a teacher, opting for a school-based training programme through the University of Roehampton.
Christopher has over ten years’ experience in teaching. His first teaching position was at Christ the Saviour primary school – a large, ‘outstanding’ primary school in Ealing where he taught across Key Stages 1 and 2 before moving to Newton Prep in 2017 as Director of Music. At Newton Prep, he has been Head of Years 7 & 8 and has taught across Years 5 & 6, giving him experience of both 11+ and 13+ preparation. Christopher quickly built a reputation for being creative, energetic, and kind and has inspired the children to take part in music of all types to a very high standard. The school’s senior choir has performed on tour in Cambridge and Dublin and in cathedrals across the UK.
Outside school, Christopher is committed to bringing the joy of singing to children and currently leads a choir of 45 choristers from local primary schools in his role as Director of Music at St Barnabas’ Church, Dulwich, and was previously in a similar role at All Saints Church in Putney Common.
Bassett House School’s ambition to nurture pupils to build the muscle of confidence, adaptability, tenacity, and resilience completely resonated with Christopher’s experience as a chorister, learning piano and then studying the organ. The hard work and discipline needed to study music are balanced with joy and creativity. Christopher believes in doing what you do really well – and with passion – and will bring all of these elements with him to the Bassett House school community.