New Hall SchoolThe Best Start in Life

New Hall SchoolWelcome to

“It is a privilege for my children to learn in such a glorious and inspiring environment.” Parent

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New Hall is unusually vibrant and forward-

thinking. Our aim is to meet the changing needs

of young people and their families in the modern

and technological age. We are proud of our rich

history and the tradition of academic excellence

combined with outstanding pastoral care.

Dedicated and specialist staff work together as

a team to enable each student to fulfil his or her

potential. We aim to educate the whole person:

academically, creatively and socially, in a

community which also nurtures the spiritual

and moral dimensions of human life. This is

a place where each individual can be known and

affirmed in his or her

unique identity. We have

high expectations of good

conduct and self-discipline.

In a happy and caring

environment, students grow

in maturity and confidence

and make life-long friends.

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“We believe a New Hall education can give you the best start in life. We know that your experience in your school days is a powerful influence on future success, in your chosen

career and your personal relationships. We believe that New Hall offers

a distinctive education of real quality.”

Katherine Jeffrey, Principal since 2001

New Hall benefits from a magnificent campus and stunning heritage setting, with a Grade I listed main building that occupies a former Tudor palace built by King Henry VIII. The school is conveniently situated 35 miles north east of London and close to the town centre of Chelmsford, just off junction 19 of the A12. There is an extensive network of coaches and minibuses for travel to and from school.

The school is also easily accessible for boarders, being close to London airports; the 19-mile drive to Stansted Airport takes about 30 minutes. There are frequent trains between Chelmsford and central London; the train journey takes 35 minutes. Cambridge is less than an hour’s journey by car and the school organises a number of trips to this historic university city.

Location

New Hall has a distinctive Catholic foundation and Christian ethos and welcomes all who support that ethos. Students of many faiths and traditions belong to our community and we believe that everyone benefits from the universal values of love, trust, respect and fellowship that are central to our school life.

Students participate in the planning of liturgies and take an active role in various ministries as servers, readers and musicians. The acoustics of the Chapel enhance the fine liturgical music that enriches the worship.

A lively Chaplaincy provides a wide range of activities which students may choose to join. The school organises a programme for Confirmation preparation, for both Catholic and Anglican students.

Our Ethos

The school encourages self-discipline and a sense of responsibility; teamwork and a spirit of service to others are therefore at the heart of New Hall. In particular, a sense of community is fostered through the award-winning and nationally recognised organisation, New Hall Voluntary Service (NHVS), which was founded in 1978. NHVS activities include 8 weekly Action Groups, supporting people in need in the local community through student volunteers and adult volunteer supporters. In addition, the annual Children’s Holiday has been running now for over 30 years and usually involves adult and student volunteers, providing a holiday for approximately 25 children in need.

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“The gentle tolling of the Chapel bell draws you in as you walk down the Chapel corridor. The air resonates with the sound of the magnificent organ and choral singing.”

Staff member

“The Chapel is at the heart of the school.”

Brentwood Diocese Religious Education Inspection Report

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Curriculum

“Learning at New Hall is fun as well as challenging!” Year 10 student

An imaginatively taught and well-balanced

curriculum is appropriately tailored to the needs

of the individual. The staff endeavour to bring out

the best in everyone, so that academic potential is

realised and individual gifts and talents discovered

and nurtured.

The ‘diamond model’ educational structure provides

the optimal combination of co-educational and

single-sex teaching. Children progress from the co-

educational Preparatory School to the Boys’ Division

or Girls’ Division and then to the co-educational

Sixth Form in preparation for university life and

future careers. The benefits of single-sex teaching

for the first five years of Senior School derive from

the ability to tailor pastoral and academic provision

more sensitively, gender-specifically and expertly

to the needs of young people going through the

physical, emotional and social upheaval

of adolescence.

The New Hall curriculum is distinctive in its

breadth and academic rigour. In the Preparatory

School, there are specialist teachers for

Mathematics, French, ICT, Latin, Drama, Music,

Physical Education & Games and Dance. Students

learn French from age 3, Latin from age 7, and

in the Senior School, French or Spanish from age

11, with one or more of these languages normally

being taken at GCSE. Language learning at New

Hall is reinforced by exchanges and cultural trips

to France and Spain. In addition, Ancient Greek is

offered for keen classicists.

There is a strong emphasis on separate sciences,

taught by specialist teachers throughout the Senior

School. Those with particular aptitude and interest

may take all three sciences at GCSE.

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In the Sixth Form, the curriculum is extended

to include options such as Government &

Politics, Philosophy & Ethics, Economics,

Further Mathematics and Critical Thinking.

A full list of GCSE and A Level options is

available in the Additional Information

Booklet and on the website.

Every effort is made to teach according to

students’ abilities and to stretch those who

are gifted and talented well beyond the

demands of the public examination courses.

An Oxbridge programme, OMEGA, is in

operation from Year 9. Sixth Form students

are offered the opportunity to engage in an in-

depth research project, the Extended Project,

which complements A Level studies and also

attracts university entry points. Dance AS

Level is also offered as an additional subject

as part of the Gifted & Talented programme.

Some GCSEs and A Levels may be taken early.

There is an excellent track record of students

achieving top grades in public examinations

and successfully securing a place at their

chosen university.

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Our emphasis on pastoral care is a reflection

of our core values and ethos, and is a real

strength of the school. Through the care and

attention of class teachers in the Preparatory

School and the tutorial and mentoring

system in the Senior School, each child is

affirmed and encouraged in their personal

development. A peer-led group, Willow,

provides students with a further support

network, run by senior student volunteers,

who offer help and guidance.

Building confidence and teaching respect

for the self and others are priorities.

Through the vertical house system, we

foster social integration between boys and

girls across the age range, developing team

spirit, good humour and creativity.

Pastoral Care

New Hall School

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The four boarding houses offer their

members a strong sense of identity and

opportunities to forge new friendships.

The boarders enjoy a relaxed, homely

environment and the support and care of

a dedicated and enthusiastic staff team.

All full boarders may have single study

bedrooms from Year 10 onwards. Many

younger full or weekly boarders also have

single rooms, while some may prefer to

share with two or three others. All boarding

houses have their own kitchen, well-

equipped common rooms, internet access

and a selection of books and DVDs.

Boarding

“Trust, respect, love and kindness are at the heart of the New Hall community - it is a really happy place.” Sixth Form Senior Prefect

“My daughter is a different child. Boarding at New Hall has given

her the best of both worlds. She is independent during the week and

at the weekend we have a great time together.”

Parent of a Year 8 weekly boarder

Music has a long and fine tradition at New

Hall. Students may take individual lessons

in orchestral instruments, piano, singing,

drums and electric guitar. There is a host of

performing groups, including: infant, junior

and senior choirs; chamber choirs; a chapel

choir; a junior and senior orchestra; a strings’

academy; wind bands; recorder consorts and

chamber groups. Students are also encouraged

to form jazz and pop bands, for which

specialist support facilities are available.

Regular performances are given by students

in assemblies, lunchtime recitals and formal

concerts. Students take part in regional and

national musical festivals and competitions,

and groups tour regularly to perform in major

venues in Europe.

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Music

New Hall School

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Performing Arts

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The Walkfares Performing Arts Centre is the home of thriving

Music, Dance and Drama Departments. Performances, from

Shakespeare to modern plays and musicals, give students the

opportunity to develop their confidence and creative talents.

There is also an annual dance show, with a cast of up to 300

girls and boys aged 4-18.

Students are encouraged to participate in the English

Speaking Board (ESB) or London Academy of Music and

Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) programmes.

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New Hall School

Sports15

Team spirit, physical development and good health are promoted through our emphasis on sport throughout the school. New Hall balances elite training for those with particular sporting talent, with an inclusive approach that allows students of all abilities to find at least one sport that they can enjoy. Students compete at county, regional, national and international level in a wide range of sports.

In recent years, there has been a significant investment in the sports facilities on campus. The first-class provision now includes: The Waltham Centre 25m 6-lane indoor swimming pool; a national standard athletics track and floodlit Astroturf; ten floodlit tennis/netball courts; two sports halls; Parsons Hall dance studio; junior and senior cricket wickets and indoor training nets; hockey, rugby and football pitches; and a fitness centre. New Hall also has well-established links with a local riding school and a golf club.

The major games are cricket, hockey, netball, rugby and tennis. There is a wide variety of other sports, including aerobics & Pilates, athletics, badminton, basketball, cross country, football, golf, riding, rounders, swimming and volleyball. The school organises national and international sports tours.

Art, including Photography and Design

& Technology, is a popular and successful

subject. Students’ work displays a high level

of skill and creative imagination. A number

of former students have had successful

careers in design. The new Technology Centre

includes state of the art facilities for Product

Design and Cookery.

ICT is an essential part of the curriculum and

there are excellent facilities throughout both

schools. There is a commitment to a rolling

programme of investment, to ensure that

students benefit from the latest technology.

Art,Design & Technology

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New Hall School

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“...learning to see things from a different angle” Director of Co-Curriculum

New Hall School

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Educational opportunities extend far beyond the

classroom. The school’s educational philosophy is

reflected in the variety of challenging activities on

offer, which creates a stimulating environment for

personal development.

The extra-curricular programme runs during

the school day, on weekday evenings and at the

weekend. Activities range from debating & public

speaking to chess, eco-club, croquet and Air

Cadets. Senior School students may participate in

the annual pilgrimage to Lourdes and may also

undertake expeditions, in particular as part of the

Duke of Edinburgh Award and as members of a

World Challenge team.

Enrichment Activities

The school community has a vibrant,

multi-cultural dimension, which brings

significant social and educational benefits in

the opportunities provided to learn about,

and to learn from, different cultures and

traditions.

Students from other schools are invited

to join the New Hall Educational Day

programme. These Educational Days, which

take place on Saturdays, have a particular

focus such as Science, Latin & Classics,

Technology, Music, Dance or Sport.

Most girls and boys join the Preparatory

School at 3+ and, from age 7, these students

may become flexi-boarders or boarders.

Other boarders may join the Preparatory

School in Years 3-6.

Admission to the Girls’ Division or Boys’

Division is at 11+ and 13+, following

success in either Common Entrance or the

New Hall entrance assessments. Students

may also join the co-educational Sixth Form

at 16+. Most students in the Sixth Form

find boarding particularly beneficial in

preparation for the transition to university

life. From Years 10-13, all boarders are full

or weekly boarders.

Admissions

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Careers

ConclusionNew Hall students set out on their adult lives having acquired a wide range of skills, knowledge and experience, life-long friends and interests. They will expect to go to one of the best universities, or to a specialist art school, music college or sports academy. Once there, they will have the confidence to achieve success in their future careers.

We strive to help the students to develop a compass to guide them through important life decisions and experiences and the wisdom to make choices that will enable them to realise their unique potential. It is our hope that the experience of community and the values cherished at New Hall will encourage them always to respect the dignity of human life and to contribute to the local and wider community, in a spirit of generosity and kindness.

New Hall students grow in confidence and learn

the communication skills for good relationships

with others and for a successful career. Students are

encouraged to consider their futures from an early

stage. From Year 7, students benefit from careers

education lessons, which help them to recognise

their own strengths and weaknesses and to set

personal targets for progression.

From Year 9 onwards, students undertake specialist

careers programmes. These programmes are

valuable in helping students to make positive

choices in terms of their options at GCSE and

A Level. In addition to careers questionnaires and

feedback, follow-up interviews provide students

with suggestions for their careers research and

empower them to manage their higher education

and career route.

There are excellent work experience

opportunities, with work placements provided

by Old Fishes (alumni), outside agencies,

parents or through contacts made at the New

Hall Careers Convention. Through their

membership of the Old Fishes’ Association

(OFA), former students retain the strong sense

of community experienced during their school

days and also benefit from a lively social and

careers network.

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New Hall is one of the oldest Catholic schools in England. The school was founded in Liège in Belgium in 1642 by Susan Hawley, who also formed the English Community of the Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre. The Community’s spirituality, rooted in the Augustinian tradition, has a special emphasis on the Resurrection, prayer, community life, hospitality and service to others. The faith which lies at the heart of this foundation remains essential to the character of the school today. Initially the school offered a Catholic education to girls who were denied this in England in the Post-Reformation period. In 1794, the French Revolutionary Wars forced the Canonesses to leave the Low Countries. The school reopened on its present site in 1799.

History

Approached from a mile-long tree-lined avenue, the main building occupies the magnificent former Tudor palace of Beaulieu. In 1517, the estate was acquired by King Henry VIII, who greatly enlarged and enhanced the building and called it Beaulieu. A major archaeological dig took place in 2009 by Channel 4’s Time Team, which confirmed the importance of New Hall as the first of Henry VIII’s great palaces, on which Hampton Court was modelled. The Royal Arms of Henry VIII are now to be seen in the school Chapel. For many years the home of Mary Tudor, New Hall was subsequently granted to the Earl of Sussex by Queen Elizabeth I. Oliver Cromwell later procured the estate for five shillings. Today the spacious campus provides continuous education from ages 3-18, with excellent purpose-built facilities for boarding and day students. While continuing to draw on its rich heritage and to maintain its traditional values, the school has also evolved to meet the needs of the modern age.

New Hall School

Additional Information

This prospectus is provided for information only and is designed to describe the broad principles on which New Hall School is presently run and to give an indication of our history and ethos. Although believed correct at the time of publication, it does not form part of any agreement between parents and New Hall School Trust.

The Avenue,

Boreham,

Chelmsford,

Essex CM3 3HS

t 01245 467 588

f 01245 464 348

e registrar@newhallschool.co.uk

www.newhallschool.co.uk

New Hall School