Clapham School

Basic Information

Address: 332 E Seminary Ave Wheaton, IL 60187
County: DuPage
Phone Number: 630-547-5125
President: Kathy Bailey (Head of School)
Principal: Kolby Atchison
School Type: private

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Additional Information

Accreditation: Independent Schools Association of the Central States
Founded: 2015
Organization Affiliation: Association of Classical and Christian Schools, Society for Classical Learning, CiRCE Institute, Ambleside Schools International, Independent Schools Association of the Central States
Ages/Grades: PK-12
School Setting:

day school near downtown Wheaton

School Schedule: 8:30 - 2:45 (some high school courses start at 7:30 am)
School Size: around 130
Classroom Size: 16 student cap
Student/Teacher Ratio: 1 - 8
Tuition:

$12000

Financial Aid:

Apply through FACTS

After School Programs: Yes
Computer Capabilities:

Yes

School Championships:

2019-20 Girls Volleyball champions (undefeated); JV Boys Basketball champions (undefeated)

School Clubs:

Junior Classical League, Fencing, Improv Club, Sewing, The Clapham Singers, Strategy Games, Math Olympiads

Mission Statement:

Clapham School inspires students with an education founded on a Christian worldview, informed by the classical tradition and approached with diligence and joy.

Philosophy/Belief Statement:

Christian Worldview
We believe that all truth is God’s truth.
We see all children as persons created in the image of God.
We aim to enculturate them into a life of service to Christ.
We engage in intentional spiritual formation and discipleship.

Classical Tradition
We are classical in content:
We study classic literature, art, music, and all the liberal arts and sciences.
We are classical in method:
We train students in the skills of memorizing, speaking, discussing and writing (AKA the liberal arts of the Trivium).
We are classical in purpose:
We prepare students for life-long learning and servant-leadership in the world.

Joyful Discovery
Students learn in an atmosphere free from artificial distractions, behavior charts and prizes. Instead, beautiful artwork, plants, inspiring quotes and music fill our classrooms, and children learn simply for the joy of learning. At the same time, they are called on to work hard and learn to confront challenges with grit and perseverance, while in an atmosphere of supportive relationships with teachers, peers and coaches. Our model of joyful discovery is inspired by the philosophy and methods of Charlotte Mason.

School History:

In 2005 a group of families in the Wheaton area conceived the idea of Clapham School because of their desire for a school that was both academically rigorous and authentically Christian. They began praying together weekly for God's guidance and launched the school with a small group of families in the fall of 2006.

Early on the school leveraged the help of a consultant to develop the curriculum and policies of the school in line with the growing classical Christian school movement. This gave the school a head start with a tried and true model of education and set of best practices.

In addition, the philosophy of Charlotte Mason, a British educator from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was influential in the school's early development. Her Christian principles of respecting the personhood of the child and fostering joyful discovery soften the rough edges of the classical tradition and bring classical education into the 21st century.