Witham Hall School Prospectus

A caring, family environment

With a beautiful Queen Anne country house at its heart, Witham Hall is a happy and thriving boarding and day school for boys and girls aged 4 to 13 years. Education is very special here, both in and beyond the classroom, and every child will have the encouragement and opportunity to thrive in this stimulating and secure environment.

Outstanding pastoral care lies at the heart of everything we do and we take great pride in the happy and purposeful atmosphere that encompasses all age groups and areas of the School. Children are encouraged to be considerate and kind to one another, thus developing sound moral values and character.

Boarding is a rewarding and enjoyable part of Witham life and many pupils take advantage of the flexible and weekly options. It is enormous fun and helps cement friendships, independence and confidence.

Excellent classroom teaching is the cornerstone of academic success and we are unashamedly ambitious for all our pupils. We are blessed with a passionate, talented and dedicated staff who are determined to help our pupils reach their potential.

We firmly believe in the importance of educating the whole child and academic excellence is matched by the huge range of opportunities outside the classroom. Sport, music and the creative arts are integral to the education we offer, while our outstanding facilities and coaching provide an ideal environment in which children can excel.

A Witham education is fun, broad and challenging, and the friendships that your child establishes here are likely to remain with them for the rest of their lives.

These pages cannot fully demonstrate what an exciting, creative and happy community we are – please come and visit to find out what makes Witham such a magical place to learn and grow.

At Witham we believe in a child-centred approach to every aspect of school life, giving your child the opportunity to thrive as part of the Witham family.

William Austen Headmaster

Every child is valued

We understand that your child is special and we fully realise that you have placed your trust in us to ensure that, from their earliest years, they feel happy and secure, from which confidence and ambition can grow.

Through our care, your son or daughter will soon settle and feel comfortable to be themselves. With sensitive monitoring and the support of Class Teachers, their confidence and self-esteem will start to emerge. The happy atmosphere that pervades the School is commented upon by all those who visit us.

For many, the Witham journey begins in Reception. Within dedicated and well-resourced areas, the Pre-Prep department provides a bright and lively setting where, in small classes, children are encouraged to develop their skills

of communication, literacy, numeracy and creativity. Our commitment to your child’s physical, emotional and spiritual development is firmly founded in their Pre-Prep experience.

This positive and pleasant introduction to School life ensures that your child will transfer smoothly and purposefully to Prep at the end of Year 3. From Year 4 onwards, in addition to their existing Staff Mentor, every child benefits from the guidance and support of their Form Tutor.

and nurtured

Witham offers a tremendous start to their education: they are taught to focus and strive”

(The Good Schools Guide)

From the EYFS onwards they are inquisitive learners and confidently ask questions”

We will encourage your child to value themselves and those around them, and to approach their learning with enthusiasm and energy. We are committed to ensuring that each child in our care has the opportunity to achieve their full potential through our differentiated teaching and careful monitoring.

First-class tuition is supported by equally comprehensive resources to create a strong sense of academic rigour. A rich and broad curriculum is innovatively delivered through small classes and, by the identification of individual learning styles, we ensure that each child’s needs are met.

In the lower years, children are taught by their Class Teacher for most lessons. Specialisation is then gradually introduced so that their educational experience is enriched and extended.

Educational trips, both at home and overseas, further serve to enhance learning, as do a range of experiences outside

the classroom. Whole-School theme days, visiting speakers, national competitions and regional festivals all provide additional intellectual stimuli.

Our children are prepared for entry at 13+ to a range of leading Independent Schools that include Oakham, Oundle and Uppingham within close proximity and, further afield, Eton, Millfield, Repton, Rugby, Shrewsbury and Stowe. Witham has an outstanding record of children progressing to their chosen school, and an enviable record of Scholarship success across a wide range of disciplines.

life and learning

Pupils achieve high standards in Music and Creative Arts as a result of their lively enthusiasm and the School’s emphasis on the value of creativity”

We excel

We passionately believe that music is for all, and our children enjoy many opportunities to participate and perform from an early age. All are encouraged to learn an instrument, and enthusiastic and talented musicians are taught by our skilled team of permanent and visiting specialists, each with their own tuition room. The School has a number of outstanding music ensembles and these regularly perform in and beyond the concert hall.

Parts are keenly sought in the frequent School productions, such as the Pre-Prep nativity, the annual play or our participation in external Shakespeare festivals at professional theatres: these

at the Arts

events never fail to inspire and delight their audiences. As well as developing new talents and skills in this way, large numbers of our children also take advantage of individual or small group tuition.

The visual arts are an equally impressive facet of Witham life. Encouraged to explore and experiment within a wide variety of media, our children regularly produce work to standards beyond their expectations. The colourful and astonishing results – proudly visible around the School – are a testament to our firm commitment to creativity and expression.

The Arts are a vibrant and visible part of daily life at Witham, and the reputation that we hold for producing exceptional Music, Drama and Art is well deserved.

A perfect setting for Sport

(Parent Survey)

We pride ourselves on the way we carefully balance sporting excellence with inclusivity. We encourage our children to try their utmost, and this is reflected in both their collective and individual achievements in the sporting arena.

That special feeling of being part of a team and representing the School is made possible for all children by a healthy commitment to Physical Education and Games, incorporating a comprehensive programme of competitive sports fixtures against other schools. Experiences are further extended through tournaments, festivals and national competitions.

Witham Hall is blessed with outstanding facilities for sport and recreation. Within around 20 acres of immaculately maintained playing fields sit our Olympic-sized astroturf pitch, a nine-hole par three golf course, first-class netball and tennis courts, a glass backed squash court, county standard cricket square and enviable grass playing surfaces. A modern, superbly equipped Sports Centre houses a dance/drama studio, fitness suite and the superb main indoor playing area.

Alongside the main sports within each term, recreational and competitive opportunities are further extended through the evening activities programme, which may often provide the very first experience in a particular discipline.

In provision, coaching and facilities, Witham is the outstanding school in the area”

Based within the heart of the impressive main School building, our boarders enjoy superb views across our beautiful gardens and grounds to the gently undulating Lincolnshire countryside beyond. Originally built as a magnificent family home, the elegant interiors help create our unique Witham atmosphere.

Wonderfully cared for by their House Parents, supported by our resident team of staff, our children live, study and play together in a special environment in which many warm and lasting friendships are made. Whether weekly or flexi-boarding, children love the wide ranging experiences that boarding at Witham provides, with most of them going on to board at their Senior School. It is simply great fun!

Importantly, boarders and day pupils mix seamlessly together. All of them benefit from the high quality and nutritious food produced by our dedicated catering staff. The children’s wellbeing is further supported by Matrons who are sensitive to the individual needs of each child. This is truly a community where everybody is encouraged to listen to, look after and help each other.

Boarding is unique at

Boarding has made her so independent and confident. I can’t believe it is the same child” (Parent Survey)

Witham Hall

A vibrant, active School

At the end of the school day our children have the opportunity to engage in a wide range of after-school and evening activities, whether they board that evening or are going home.

The breadth of what we offer is all-encompassing, be it archery to cushion-making or ski-training to coarse fishing. The children are stimulated, challenged and rewarded by a programme that constantly changes, but continually unearths new talents and passions that can subsequently last a lifetime.

We consider the extra-curricular provision a vital strength of the School” (Parent Survey)

A School within a community

Pupils are very aware of the needs of others…and the whole School contributes to those in society less fortunate than themselves”

(ISI)

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As well as having close contact with their Form Tutor, your child will be assigned a Mentor to strengthen the pastoral bonds that exist at Witham. Each Mentor is a member of staff assigned to your child’s house.

The house system, in addition to forging a sense of belonging and loyalty, is the focus of many of our extended curricular and internal sporting events. As individuals, the children compete for ‘Golds’ in the classroom for academic achievement and endeavour; these are added to house points competed for in a host of school-wide disciplines. Prep Speech Day and Sports Day, held on the last Saturday of the Trinity Term, sees the culmination of the house competition each year.

The School greatly values the healthy and rewarding links it has with the village and local community. From our regular

engagement with the village church out to the parishes beyond, we aim to make a positive difference to the lives of others. This is also evident in our commitment to charitable work. Be it close to home or in the building of a school in a remote village in Cambodia, it provides an opportunity to reflect upon our own fortunes and widen our self-perspective.

Parental involvement in all that the children do is strong. Through the ‘Friends of Witham’ this support is harnessed to great effect to further enrich the Witham experience both in and beyond the School.

Experience the special atmosphere

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