YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Q.  In what way does The Old Hall’s curriculum provide a broad and rich education?
A.  A wide range of subjects is taught by graduate specialists in purpose-built facilities, enabling The Old Hall to offer a quality of education not available in the majority of schools. English, Mathematics, Humanities, Science, French, Music, Art, Drama, Design Technology, PE and Games, ICT….. all are pursued to very high standards.   Full curriculum details are always available for parents.  In addition, an extensive range of extra-curricular experiences – physical, social, spiritual and cultural – offers children an unrivalled opportunity for rich and rounded development.

Q.  How does the School make provision for children with particular academic strengths or weaknesses?
A.  A comprehensive and continuous assessment programme, managed by a qualified full-time Learning Support co-ordinator, identifies strengths and weaknesses.  The co-ordinator then works with staff and children to implement personally appropriate individual education plans.

Q.  How is music taught and enjoyed at the School?
A.  All children from Kindergarten to Year 6 learn to read and play music.  They progress from ocarinas to keyboards during their school careers, learning to compose as well as to play.  Individual instrumental lessons are provided by a gifted team of peripatetics, and all children have the opportunity to play in concerts and to take The Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music examinations. Children are encouraged to make, share and appreciate music as regularly as possible.

Q.  How does the School’s pastoral system work?  How are pupils’ problems and problem pupils approached?
A.  An extremely effective tutor system and a timetabled PSHE/Citizenship programme provide an excellent framework for guidance and support. In addition, the prefect and monitor systems offer peer support and the work of the pupils on the School Council is centred upon pupil welfare.

Q.  What is the pupil to teacher ratio?  Is staff turnover high?
A.  There are approximately 30 dedicated full and part-time teachers and classroom assistants, making the staff-pupil ratio roughly 1:10   Staff turnover is negligible, which reflects the happy and nurturing ethos enjoyed by all members of the School Community.

Q.  How does the School help parents to choose the right school for their children’s senior education?
A.  The School has a long and very successful history of matching senior schools to the needs of individual families.  The Head is active in maintaining strong links with a broad range of senior schools, knowing the ethos and characteristics of each one.  Individual consultations with parents are designed to help families to choose schools in which their particular children will flourish.

Q.  To which senior schools does The Old Hall send its pupils at 11+
A.  In a typical year, The Old Hall sends children to around 10 senior schools.  Some of the main ones are: Wrekin College, Adams Grammar, Ellesmere College, Moreton Hall, Newport Girls High, Old Swinford Hospital, Shrewsbury Girls High, Stafford Grammar, Tettenhall College, Wolverhampton Grammar.

Q.  To which organisation does the school belong?  How has it been accredited?
A.  The Headmaster is a member of IAPS (The Independent Association of Preparatory Schools). Therefore, the School is accredited via rigorous inspection by ISI (the Independent Schools Inspectorate).

Q.  When was the last School Inspection and what recommendations were made?
A.  The School was Inspected in January 2006 and received grades higher than satisfactory in every single aspect of its provision.  Pastoral care and relationships with parents were particularly identified as outstanding.  There was only one minor recommendation, which was to ensure that provision of independently challenging tasks, though good throughout the School, is even across the curriculum. This is currently being addressed by the School.
     
Q.  What is the relationship between The Old Hall and Wrekin College?
A.  The Schools belong to the same trust – The Wrekin Old Hall Trust. They enjoy a flourishing relationship, although the Schools operate largely autonomously as educational providers. The Heads and staff of both Schools work closely together, with the Head of Wrekin College being the leader of the team. The Schools share some outstanding facilities, notably in the P.E. and Games departments.

Q.  What provision is made for educational visits and residential trips?
A.  Numerous educational visits and outings are included across the curriculum and in all year groups.  Older pupils (Years 5 and 6) also benefit from residential trips for outdoor education and to enhance their experience of foreign culture. Hugely enjoyable annual trips to France and Italy are experienced by most of the children in the senior years.

Q.  What is the School’s attitude to religion?
A.  The Old Hall is a Church of England school, which recognises and welcomes pupils from all religious faiths. Religious Education encompasses all the major world religions in its curriculum and seeks to promote tolerance and understanding.

Q.  How does the school communicate with parents?
A.  Frequently and in a multitude of ways on a daily, weekly and fortnightly basis.  Newsletters, home-school books and numerous noticeboards give regular up-to-date information.  Informal and formal meetings complement daily conversation in order to maintain a strong partnership between home and school.

Q.  What does the School offer by way of extra-curricular activities?
A.  A varied and exciting range of clubs operates four evenings a week in addition to lunchtime activities.  They currently include: Chess, Board Games, Football, Cricket, Netball, Rounders, Nature, Geology, Art, Computers, Scrabble, Drama, ESB, LAMDA, Ballet, Music and Rockets!

Q.  How does the School measure its academic success?
A.  The School measures its academic success by the results of its pupils in relation to their abilities.  We celebrate the achievements of those who do well just to get through a test as publicly as those of our academic award winners (10 this year).

Q.  What are the requirements for entrance into the school?
A.  Simply that pupils wish to contribute to the School’s community and that we feel that they will benefit from what we offer.

Q.  Are bursaries and/or scholarships available?
A.  Yes. Bursaries depend upon individual circumstances, and scholarships are usually awarded at the end of Year 4 on the basis of internal cognitive ability testing, attitude and performance.

Q.  Are the fees fully inclusive? What ‘extras’ are not included in the fees?
A.  The fees include tuition, books and materials. Lunch is also included. Charges are made for music lessons, trips and visits. Occasionally, other charges are made for services which have been requested by parents, such as breakfast and after-school care. Parental permission is always sought before extra items are charged to school fees.   Where extra-curricular activities, such as Ballet or LAMDA, are taught or provided by outside agencies on school premises, the cost is passed on to parents accordingly. The majority of Learning Support is included in the basic fees.  However, where specific one-to-one tuition is recommended, parents are able to choose whether to take up the offer of this extra tuition in school at a cost of £9 per session.