General Information

Proprietor and address
Independent Education Association Ltd.
Earsby Street,
London
W14 8SH
Telephone Number:
020 7348 1777

Headmaster Mr R.T. McNeill
Mobile number: 07885 107 822

Chairman of St. James Management Committee
Mr M. Cranny
16 Leegate Gardens,
Heaton Mersey,
Stockport SK4 3NR
Telephone no. 0161 442 7003

Admissions
The School is open to any child from four and a half, whose parents are broadly sympathetic to the general principles of St James School. Admissions will be subject to the availability of a place. The School has a spiritual ethos but welcomes children from many different ethnic groups, backgrounds and creeds. There are no religious or ability criteria to be met but when applying it is important that parents inform the headmaster of any special educational needs or medical conditions that their child may have. Application is made by completing an application form and meeting with the head teacher to discuss the philosophy of the school and the needs of the child. Admission occurs when parents accept the offer of a place.

Special needs
As a small school with a limit on staffing we may not be able, currently, to cater for all special needs, and it is therefore important that parents discuss with the school any known special educational needs or disabilities before accepting a place. Each application will be carefully considered, and it may be that the small size and particular nature of the school would be distinct advantages in meeting some areas of need, including those of children whose first language is not English. Our staff are not, however, qualified to make a specialist diagnosis of dyslexia or other learning difficulties.
Where a child is assessed as having special needs after joining the school, the Head will decide if those needs can be adequately met by the school.
St James is committed to providing learning support for all pupils accepted into the school whose first language is not English. The aim is to enable them to become fully fluent in their use of written and spoken English so that future opportunities are not restricted. It is also the aim that the fluency in the English language be achieved as quickly as possible so that the pupil does not feel alienated from what takes place both in the class and socially. This learning support would take place both within the classroom and, if necessary outside.

the School works with the Local Authority in meeting the needs of any pupil with a special needs statement.

Awards and Sanctions
The School tries to encourage the children to act correctly through awards and praise but sometimes sanctions will be necessary. In such cases we will use sanctions, which are appropriate to the age of the child and the misdemeanour requiring correction. e.g. withdrawal of privileges. In cases where difficulties of a more serious or persistent nature are being experienced, parents will be contacted so that the issues may be discussed more fully.

Exclusions
As an ultimate sanction the school may decide to temporarily exclude a pupil for a short period of a few days, when a serious breach of discipline has occurred. In such cases the parents would have the opportunity to discuss the details of the event with the Head Teacher and every effort would be made to help the child understand why the action had been taken and how to avoid a repetition. In extremely serious cases, where it is considered by the Head Teacher and the Chairman of the Management Committee that the child can no longer operate in the school, then a permanent exclusion would be considered. However every effort would be made by the school working with the parents to moderate the behaviour of the child before resorting to this ultimate sanction.

The School's Founding Principles

The principles to be applied are:

a) To give the children information of:
(1) the simple principles of spiritual knowledge,
(2) knowledge of the universe,
(3) man,
(4) and the individual's relation thereto.
In the belief that the child really knows, and, if the information is given simply and accurately enough, it will connect with that inner knowledge and make it available to the child.

b) To remind the child of the threefold human duty-
(1) to remember the creator
(2) to live according to the fine regulations of the universe
(3) to find the way back to God.
c) To give disciplined practice in spiritual, mental and physical fields, including training in appropriate skills.