The Old Hall School A GSG School

What The Good Schools Guide says

Head

Since September 2022, Anna Karacan, the first female head in the Wrekin Old Hall Trust’s 150-year history. Educated at Wrekin College, then took a gap year and tried working in offices ‘but couldn’t stand it’. Degree in European theatre studies (Manchester), followed by PGCE with a year in Turkey in between (where she met her husband). Did shortish stint teaching in an inner-city state school before jumping ship to ‘better resourced’ private sector.

Also has experience of working in international schools – her last job was deputy head of Kellett School in Hong Kong and she was instrumental in setting up Harrow Prep School in Hong Kong. And, boy, can you tell, with her Hong Kong sparkle and futuristic approach to education. A warm, jaunty and highly driven whirlwind of ideas, she has wasted no time in eg creating more links with the senior school (more shared staff, facilities and ideas), overhauling clubs and introducing an innovation lab, as well as more digital literacy, communication and problem-solving skills. ‘I’m not interested in a class all building a bird box that’s an exact copy of the teacher’s prototype. I want to see children design their own, then choose a tree to test it out on and work out why it worked or didn’t, negotiating with their classmates along the way.’ She has also modernised the school’s approach to behaviour and widened the sports offering.

Parents say she’s ‘a breath of fresh air’ and ‘absolutely incredible’. ‘She’s wasted no time bringing us up to speed on every single aspect of the school.’ She is also pulled out for being ‘highly nurturing’, evidenced by cuddles with pupils throughout our visit, and for her aspirational mindset – ‘She gets that you have to be on your game from day one of prep school so that you fly in secondary school.’ One told us, ‘She had big boots to fill, but she has blown my socks off.’

Married to a commercial pilot, with two children at Wrekin College, their family base is in Turkey and they regularly return to Hong Kong. When she’s not jet-setting, spare time is currently spent learning to paddleboard – ‘Watching others do it, I just thought that looks so cool!’

Entrance

Academically non-selective, with reception the main entry point. At that stage, it’s first come, first served after a visit to the head, many coming from the attached nursery. Entry from year 1 via taster day. Year 3 an increasingly popular point to join – for many parents, it’s the ‘state to 8’ mentality which sees them cram in three years of private education as preparation for grammar school, ‘although most end up deciding on Wrekin College,’ says head. Two-form entry from reception, rising to three in some year groups (school won’t go over 22 per class). SENCo meets all prospective pupils to discuss any reasonable adjustments, eg wobble cushions, EAL.

Exit

In 2023, 80 per cent to its partner senior school, Wrekin College, where it’s automatic entry, with entrance tests sat for setting purposes only. The rest to Haberdashers’ Adams Grammar School, Newport Girls’ High School, Oswestry School, Thomas Telford School and Prestfelde School.

Our view

One of the oldest schools in the area (founded 1845) but with a distinctly modern feel, reflected in the purpose-built, open-plan building flooded with light. The first thing you see, through a glass wall, is the new innovation lab with IT suite and art room through further glass walls beyond. And, as it’s two-tiered, you also glimpse pupils treading the boards of the gallery above. First impressions are dynamic, purposeful and thoroughly uplifting.

Outside, running along the far-side length of the building, is a vast tarmacked area split into free-flow areas from the early years classrooms (packed with puppet show, sensory trays, toy cars, scooter trails, etc), as well as play areas for older children including giant chess set, climbing wall and adventure apparatus. Nobody could complain of being short of space or equipment here. At the back, there are sports pitches, Astros and courts galore, as well as a large, canopied area (‘the world’s most expensive tent!’ quips head) where children learn around the firepit with views of rolling hills beyond (although a few felt it isn’t used enough).

Parents praise the school for being ‘nurturing’ and ‘family oriented’ and believe this goes a long way in building confidence and a ‘have a go’ mentality in their children. They also like the through link to Wrekin College – they share the same site and pupils increasingly use their facilities, notably the sports halls, indoor pool and chapel, where we sat in on a service kept lively with the chaplain’s magic tricks.

New curriculum focuses on 21st-century skills – critical and creative thinking, taking initiative, technology literacy etc. Pupils are taught mainly by their class teacher – ‘Children need to feel safe and secure to learn.’ The exceptions, taught by subject specialists, are ICT, Spanish, music, sports and swimming from reception, with innovation, drama and science added from year 3. We’d have happily sat in on any one of the science teacher’s lessons – the ultimate female STEM lead, she’s a helicopter pilot in her spare time and quickly won pupils over by getting them to dissect sheep hearts and make fake blood. Not forgetting the hatchling project, another crowd pleaser. Spanish is going great guns – more conversational than ever, with a year 6 trip to Spain in the planning so they can put their skills to full use. Setting only in maths, from year 3. Most parents approve of the emphasis on encouraging effort and high expectations over pure results (although a few tutor their children).

In lower school (reception to year 2), teachers build foundations across all subjects, mainly via thematic learning, eg writing about Vikings in English, while counting in Viking money in maths. New Supersonic Friends phonics and White Rose maths programmes bring real-life context to learning. From year 3, innovation kicks in, eg designing and making a board game. Reading, spellings and times tables expected at home, but additional homework is optional – ‘I’d hate for a family to be planning a wildlife walk or visit to a museum then cancel because there’s a worksheet to be done,’ says head.

Full-time SENDCo and TA provide interventions (mainly in the classroom) for the eight per cent of years 1-2 and 22 per cent of years 3-6 on the SEN register. Autism, ADHD, dyslexia, DCD, visual strain and cystic fibrosis all supported. Two EHCPs when we visited. The department has three intervention rooms – one more informal and sensory, ‘a place to go if you feel overwhelmed’. One-to-ones rare – ‘It’s got to be about lifelong learning’ – but they offer some booster groups and parents say ‘there’s no end to their efforts when it comes to reasonable adjustments’, including assistive technology. There are clubs for sign language and executive functioning, and touch typing is offered.

Music on curriculum – ‘easily the most popular lesson,’ say pupils. Department led by two directors of music, with performance opportunities including chapel, concerts, assemblies etc. Ensembles a bit thin on the ground (which school is addressing) – surprising as nearly all children learn an instrument from year 2 (and not just the usuals – several we met played the electric guitar). Singing is big – younger pupils burst into a spontaneous rendition of a song about vegetables while we were chatting to them, while later we found year 2s singing, ‘Three, six, nine, let’s sing the rhyme…’ – another catchy little number. For more formal opportunities, there is a lower school choir and chapel choir.

Christmas must be busy here – reception does a nativity play and years 1 and 2 a Christmas play. Years 3 and 4 do their own production too, but it’s the years 5 and 6 show-stopper that’s the real talk of the town (well, the school), recently Pirates of the Curry Bean. Timetabled drama lessons from year 3; LAMDA available at an extra cost.

Everyone rates the new ‘young and dynamic’ art teacher – she’s all about ‘thought provoking pieces’, we heard, most recently a project involving recycling old shoes, though it was the monster stamps that the younger ones wanted to tell us about in minute detail.

Sport is important – it can afford to be with those wonderful Wrekin College facilities. Football, rugby, cricket, hockey, netball and athletics all played – and much less gendered than they were, most recently with boys doing hockey. Everyone gets a go, but – perhaps more than in the past, say parents – they play to win. ‘There’s a good balance of being inclusive and encouraging with playing competitively,’ reckoned one. Swimming on curriculum weekly from reception.

All children attend one of the (mostly free) after-school clubs. Large glossy brochures (one each for lower and upper schools) provide visual explanations of what’s on offer day by day from story club to football skills and Beatrix Potter to golf. ‘The idea is that each child sits down with their family to consider trying new things.’ Brilliant. Day trips out, and eg a zoo company coming in, serve as hooks for new topics ‘so we can contextualise them and find out what they know’.

Nothing considered too trivial in terms of parents flagging things to teachers – right down to a child having skipped breakfast: ‘It just means they make sure they get a banana or something here.’ A matron provides an extra layer of pupil welfare.

Emphasis on manners pays off out of school, say parents. New behaviour policy has seen the removal of ‘Friday golden time’, replaced with conversations around helping children learn from mistakes. Recent mischievous encounters such as tissues being stuffed down the loos (causing a flood) and graffiti were dealt with by stern talk from the head, mainly about who that impacts. Lots of rewards, including house points, certificates etc. Leadership opportunities include eco-committee and school and sports councils – ‘Democracy in the making!’ declared our tour guides, who then discussed among themselves which one might help them reinstate the tuck shop.

Food out of this world. Seriously, one of the best school roasts we’ve had, with other choices including wraps, jacket spuds and super salad bar. ‘Thank you for our food!’ shouted all the children quite suddenly mid lunch. ‘Were they thanking God or the chefs?’ we whispered, aware that this is a Christian school – ‘Definitely the chefs,’ they informed us; ‘chapel is where we thank God for stuff.’

Parents a mixed bunch, dominated by medics and business people, usually dual income, with a pleasing diversity of ethnicities. They told us they feel involved, with an active PTA and class rep system. Lots of comms, some feel too much. Pupils a sheer delight – never before have so many younger children asked us so many questions, all of them insightful and deriving from genuine curiosity. Those 21st-century skills are clearly paying off.

Money matters

Fees can be paid in interest-free monthly payment plans. Means-tested bursaries available.

The last word

A forward-thinking mixed-ability prep, with a focus on skills for the future and discovering where young passions lie. Lovely modern surroundings too, that are a hop, skip and a jump away from Wrekin College, where most pupils go on to.

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