At Christ Church School, there is a strong emphasis placed on educating the whole child.

This approach promotes the total development of each child - language, motor, personal/social and intellectual growth. The benefits of this educational method are supported by extensive research, particularly from the New Haven-based Gesell Institute of Human Development.

The Gesell Institute stresses the importance of appreciating readiness for any task that has its roots in the biological/maturational makeup of a child. Children develop in predictable patterns, but not rates. Readiness cannot be produced, sped up or ignored. Therefore, it is imperative that parents and educators understand and respect developmental age - where children are now, not where adults think they should be. This does not mean that children should not be held to high standards and/or have to meet raised expectations; however, these expectations should be based on a sound understanding of what is developmentally appropriate for the various ages and stages of growth.

Because Christ Church School understands the importance of developmental education, there is a priority placed on training teachers to be close observers of children's readiness for new levels of content, skills and activities. The classrooms and curriculum are structured to promote the highest levels of learning for each child, and the school provides enriching and meaningful experiences that allow children to grow more fully within their developmental age - helping prepare them for better learning at later ages.