T H E  C H A P E L

The Chapel of St Christopher and the Infant Jesus stands at the heart of the School community and is probably the most easily identifiable School building with its imposing tower and steeple, a landmark that can be seen for miles around.

It was built as a War Memorial and contains the names of Old Russellians who lost their lives in the world wars; it is, therefore, a constant reminder of their self-sacrifice and the cost of freedom that we all enjoy.

The Chapel provides a focal point for the celebration or commemoration of important occasions during the school year such as Commendation Service, Harvest Festival, Remembrance and Mother’s Day, in addition to special anniversary services such as the 150th Celebration in May 2003.

It is the School’s own church where the boarding community attends worship on special Sundays throughout the year.

Each weekday morning prayers are said for the life of the School and Holy Communion is celebrated every week. Chapel remains open all day.

Prep School pupils attend special Chapel services to celebrate Harvest Festival and Mother's Day and the Carol Service is the focus of our Christmas festivities. On a day to day basis, the spiritual development of the Prep School pupils is provided by the daily School Assembly. In Assembly a wide range of moral, ethical and social themes are explored enabling the pupils to learn how to respect and care for each other, adults and the wider community, how to treasure and sustain the natural environment and to appreciate that the range of world religions can lead people on the right path to understanding and fulfilment. Attendance at Assembly is compulsory for all Prep School pupils for it is the environment in which they will come to understand and value the high expectations we have of how each member of our community will behave.

The Chapel provides a splendid setting for musical recitals by the Choir and Choral Society and is regularly used for lunchtime concerts.

The Music department uses it, the RE department explores it, the Art department draws and paints it, and everybody recognises it! It is a living building which is admired and appreciated by many. Above all, its presence is a statement that this school recognises the need to remind ourselves of another dimension in our lives—be it specifically religious or broadly spiritual—and a place to which pupils and staff of all faiths or of none can come to experience peace and quiet, a special place in which to reflect on their own thoughts and, possibly, to find something they are seeking.