Crackley Hall School

Since 2011, Rob Duigan, who had a ‘happy, busy, outdoors childhood’ with his three brothers and at the Catholic school he attended in South Africa. Sporty too – first league cricket, amateur premier league football, athletics, fly half rugby, tennis

Purposefully woolly entrance criteria ‘because I don’t want to leave people out’, says head. Ultimate decision based on taster day ‘where we get to know the child and see how they interact’. Standardised tests in English and maths (in-class for the

Growing numbers to foundation school Princethorpe – 27 pupils in 2025 (numbers are growing thanks to offers now being made in May of year 5 to avoid year 6 entrance tests). Next biggest chunk to local grammars, then it’s local independents, notably

In an area ‘saturated with choice’, as one parent put it, Crackley Hall’s superpower is its homeliness. ‘Like one big, welcoming family – you feel it straightaway,’ said a mother. And it’s true that once you’ve squeezed your way into the car park

This school asks three things of its pupils – to do their best, be kind and smile – and everyone we met did just that. Smaller and (refreshingly, according to parents) less formal than some of the local competition, it’s one of the friendliest