Walthamstow Hall Senior

Since June 2023, Louise Chamberlain, previously vice principal at CATS, Cambridge, for a year and before that, at Worth School for over 14 years as head of biology, assistant head of welfare and deputy head of pastoral. Had a grammar education and

Entrance into year 7 by ISEB (maths, English, VR and NVR), with almost three candidates per place. A third of the 60-odd places are taken up by juniors (three quarters of them move up), the rest coming from over 40 preps and primary schools including

A small number depart post GCSEs, mostly for co-eds. Nearly all to university, three quarters to Russell Group (Durham, Exeter and Bristol recently popular). One in 10 study STEM subjects (biological sciences particularly popular), with business,

In 2024, 74 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 63 per cent A*/A at A level (86 per cent A*-B).

A relaxed and convivial style of teaching, where mutual respect between pupils and teachers and a low-pressure environment (‘definitely not a hothouse,’ say parents) taps into pupil’s own drive and ambition. The good results ‘speak for themselves,’

The learning support department, on the first floor of the main school building away from the hustle and bustle, oversees the 17 per cent on the SEN register mainly for dyslexia, ADHD and autism. The school says that provision is ‘interlinked with

In some schools we have to go on a drama hunt, and we don’t find it even then. Not so here, where we stumbled across no less than three curriculum lessons in our first hour. Drama is, we were told, ‘taken as seriously as maths’. Three full time staff

‘What don’t they do?’ laughed a parent, referring to the vast range of sport on offer for a relatively small school set in limited grounds (paddle and rugby, if you really want to know). Lacrosse is cherished on account of being ‘a level playing

Pastoral care embedded, with pastoral leads and the therapy dog coming in for high praise. PHSCE (PSHE with added citizenship) displays in every department, eg science labs explaining the chemistry behind mental health. Peer mentoring scheme involves

‘Wally isn’t flashy,’ insist pupils, despite the local perception of the girls all having designer bags. In reality, this would be ‘called out’, they told us. We certainly found them grounded, as well as considerate and earnest (and not one designer

Up to a quarter of girls are on means-tested bursaries and there’s one ‘founder's bursary’ ('almost' 100 per cent) per year group. Scholarships (between 10-20 per cent fee remission) awarded at 11+, 13+ and 16+ in academic, art, drama and sport.

Wally girls are at ease in their own skin – swashbuckling on the stage, facing-off in lacrosse, or engineering racing cars. Chatty and full of joy – proud of their community too, but not full of it. Best for girls prepared to launch themselves into