Walthamstow Hall Junior School
WHAT? WHERE?
Walthamstow Hall (or Wally Hall as it is most often referred to) is comprised of a Junior School on a site in Bradbourne Park Road and a Senior School (on a separate site in central Sevenoaks).
The Junior School welcomes pupils from rising 2s to 11 years and is on the intimate side with 150 pupils currently on roll. To maintain optimum class sizes (18 is the largest in the school) there is the flexibility to divide year groups into two classes.
A school with a well-established, successfully academic reputation – it celebrated its 180th anniversary in 2018 – making it one of the oldest girls’ schools in the country and certainly the oldest in Kent.
FACILITIES
The Junior School moved from the Senior School in Holly Bush Lane (see separate review) to its own site in Bradbourne Park Road in 1992 – housed in the building of what used to be St Hilary’s school prior to that (one for the fact fans).
The site is a wonderful oasis of creativity and colour. There’s a super cute, well-designed Sensory Garden, pictured above, with a ship in the middle of it to encourage imaginative play (the ship is a theme at Wally Hall – more on this later).
Pockets of interactive, colourful spaces are found all around the school and otherwise pretty standard brick buildings or walls are brightened up with rainbows, or piano keyboards, which is very effective. All this helps make it a welcoming space that the girls clearly love.
SPORT
This has given both Junior and Senior schools more space while keeping the strong bonds and benefits. For the girls at the Junior School it’s kind of like the advantages of being a younger sister, with the opportunities afforded by being part of a bigger, experienced family. Not to mention the use of the Senior School facilities, like the Senior School Sports Hall, for example for Badminton, Netball matches and Friday Football Club, plus the swimming pool and the Ship Theatre. (Click here for the Muddy review of Walthamstow Hall Senior School).
In fact, all girls from Reception to Y6 use the pool on the Senior School site for weekly swimming lessons, which is no doubt why their Junior Swim Team consistently excels in the National IAPS. And the U11 Netball Squad were also IAPS Regional Champions.
Wally Hall Junior School is not a school blessed with a lot of outdoor space, so don’t expect expansive greenery and huge purpose-built concert halls. The school has decent netball courts – and outdoor play areas. But the school still does very well competitively (one of their Sports Coaches is even an Olympian), proving that it’s the skills and love of sport you teach, rather than acres of land, that are crucial for creating good sportswomen.
What’s more, through its excellent relationship with the local area, the school makes sure that the town location never means the girls miss out on anything. If the facilities aren’t available at the Senior School, they have other arrangements in place. For example, Sports Days take place at Tonbridge School, where the girls have traditionally been accommodated for this calendar highlight (see above).
ICT
Within the buildings themselves there is a lot of space – there’s excellent specialist facilities like a Science Lab, Art & DT Room, stage, Libraries for both younger and older pupils, Music Centre and ICT suite… (remember it’s on the site of what was once a senior school).
As well as computing lessons being taught from Reception, from Year 3 all pupils have a separate touch-typing lesson.
In fact, while on the subject of ICT, this is a school that mixes both tradition and technology well – screens are put to good use and woven into the fabric of the school as you walk around.
Screens dotted about feature Special Notices for the Day, the school lunch Menu, Timetable info and more. During snack time one Y5 class were watching a News Bites round up of the week’s news stories on the large screen next to the whiteboard (pictured above).
ART
Art is given the full weight it deserves here – with posters in the classroom stating ‘Art Makes Children Powerful.’ This sets the tone for the Senior School where you can take Art (with Textiles) and Three Dimensional Design as separate subjects.
MUSIC & DRAMA
As well as gaining a good knowledge of instruments during Music lessons (like playing the ukulele here) there’s a good selection of private music tuition.
Trinity Drama lessons can be added in Year 6 and the girls have access to the Ship Theatre at the Senior School, (pictured above), for bigger concerts and productions. Here’s the Summer 2021 production of We’ll Meet Again.
ACADEMIC RESULTS
They’re good. Girls are definitely encouraged to be curious, to find things out and think for themselves. This is a place for girls with academic potential.
There has, however, been a shift in how the school approaches this since my last visit. There’s tangibly a sense of the need to thrive in order to reach your potential – above a sense of simply getting the right grades – which feels more in step with the current climate.
Y6 Leavers go on to a variety of schools in the area but the vast majority (about two thirds) move up into the natural destination of Wally Hall Senior School. Girls also take up places at Sevenoaks and other independent schools, and attain a variety of scholarships. In addition, about a dozen or so sit the Kent test each year, mainly progressing to Tonbridge Grammar.
Prospective pupils spend a ‘taster day’ at the Junior School where they undergo assessments tailored to their age group. At the Early Years stage this consists of very informal observations to ensure that the girls are happy in the environment.
In later years prospective pupils may sit some tests, especially if they are keen to progress into the Senior School (and, if so, this will include a Maths and English test and having a meeting with the Headmistress, Miss Ferro).
HEAD TEACHER
Miss Stephanie Ferro (pictured above) is the over-arching Headmistress of both schools, having joined in January 2018, and is well settled into the role. She’s a frequent visitor to the Junior School. She is very keen to emphasize her ‘one school’ vision that unites both sites.
But for day-to-day guidance and parental feedback the Junior School does also have an on-site Assistant Head, Mrs Chrissie Conway (pictured above), and Head of Pre-Prep, Mr Harry Andrews (pictured below). Both have joined the school since my last visit, and are very welcome appointments, with the leadership team working closely together.
Chrissie Conway and Harry Andrews are both clearly more than capable at overseeing the daily running of the Junior School. Harry Andews has the kind of calm, gentle, upbeat approach required for that age group.
Passionate about creating a vibrant, buzzy atmosphere where girls feel fully comfortable to take risks, in a safe, learning environment. Chrissie Conway explains that the key is striking the right chord of relaxed motivation, which is certainly the resounding note as you walk around.
WHAT ELSE?
To my mind, there have been two big areas of development since my last visit. The first is the Forest School. There’s been a big shift in outside play, initially a response to the pandemic, but now totally embraced throughout the school and particularly within the Early Years up to Year 3.
The school boasts two fully trained Forest School teachers – and calculated risk taking, tools and, of course, hot chocolates are now regular fixtures.
Bringing me to my second development – this time less about physical facilities, but more of an evolution in focus. As evidenced with the new Forest School, but now running through the veins of the whole school, is a new found emphasis on confidence building.
I’m pleased to see it continues right through every element of lessons. Girls do not sit still for long. PE kit seems to be worn everywhere, there’s a wonderfully animated English lesson taking place with some very scary lost souls trying to break out of the Underworld.
Where, previously, the school had a somewhat scholarly reputation, this now seems like an environment where even the shy, or less academic, could reach their full potential and thrive. Happiness, under Assistant Head, Mrs Chrissie Conway, is at the forefront.
The new Leaps and Bounds initiative teaches everything from eurythmy dance to circus skills in order to develop the girls’ spatial awareness, fine motor skills, ranges of movement, self-awareness, rhetoric and performance skills.
There’s no gender stereotyping here – the long list of clubs rightly includes STEM, Latin, Problem Solving and Taekwondo.
QUIRKS & USP
Walthamstow Hall was founded 184 years ago in East London as a school and home for the daughters of missionaries. That missionary history is why the school uses a ship as its symbol and you’ll see this theme featured a lot around both the Junior and Senior schools.
Another nice touch here, and the cornerstone of the Junior School curriculum, are their theme days, such as Confidence Day, Creativity Day, Calculation Day, Courage Day and the forthcoming Crescendo Day. The pupils I met were as enthusiastic as the staff to tell me about these days and the initiatives and activities born from these days, like a school climbing trip, pictured above.
WRAP AROUND CARE
Wally Hall Junior School offers wraparound care from 7.15am to 6.00pm, Monday – Friday, for pupils from Nursery age through to Year 6. Based in a flexible classroom space, with cloakroom provision and access to outside areas.
There’s also Homework Club after school and Holiday Club for those busy working parents out of term time, open to all pupils in the school and their siblings (if at an appropriate age). Holiday Club runs through all the school holidays, with a week off for Christmas and Easter.
WORD ON THE GROUND
The vast majority of girls that go here turn into successful all-rounders. The group of girls who took me on a tour of the school certainly did their school proud (it’s always a good sign when students themselves are trusted to take me on a review tour). They demonstrated sharp enquiring little minds, all with very different personalities, but all equally charming. Wally Hall prides itself on producing girls that are bright, sparky and confident – while still being a joiner and team player.
THE MUDDY VERDICT
Good for: This is a place for girls with academic potential, but is purposeful rather than pushy. Particularly ideal for anyone working in London and looking at independent schools in commutable settings.
Not for: Anyone wanting a rambling rural setting – it’s a small, intimate site. However the sports skill set here is strong and the use of the Senior School facilities is a real plus point.
Go see for yourself! Their next Open Event is on Sat 5 Feb which will be a digital live broadcast at 2pm featuring a panel of teachers who will take your questions live on air. Then you can visit the school with your own individual onsite tour between 7 – 11 and 14 – 18 Feb 2022.
Walthamstow Hall Junior, Bradbourne Park Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN13 3LD, Tel: 01732 453815, walthamstow-hall.co.uk/junior-school
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