The Avenue, Boreham, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 3HS
10 reasons to choose New Hall Preparatory School
Top line
New Hall Preparatory School has a Schoolsmith Score® of 85. It is one of the best independent prep schools in and around Chelmsford and one of the 6 best primary schools for 5 miles.
School fundamentals
New Hall Preparatory School is an independent prep day and boarding school for boys and girls (50%/50%) between the ages of 1 and 11 years. Boarding from Year 3 for the very small number of pupils who board. 60% are full boarders and 40% are weekly or flexi boarders. It is a Roman Catholic school, open to all faiths and none. The school has an academically selective admissions policy. It is the prep school to New Hall School, an all-through school to age 18. New Hall Preparatory School fees range from £4,526 (Rec) to £6,243 per term (2025/26). Full boarding fees are £10,009 per term. Fees include VAT but exclude lunches.
Average class size
New Hall Preparatory School has three classes per year and an average class size of 19 pupils.
Leavers' destinations
At the end of Year 6, 75% of pupils at the Prep move up to New Hall School after taking the entrance exam. They make up a third of the senior intake. Others leave for an Essex grammar, in particular King Edward VI Grammar and Chelmsford County High. A small number leave for other local independent schools. A four year average for attainment in Year 6 SATS puts New Hall Prep in the top 8.4% of all prep and primary schools in England, ranging from the top 3.6% in 2017 to the top 12.9% in 2019.
The New Hall Preparatory School curriculum
School curriculum is based on the National Curriculum, is subject based, and emphasises Catholic social morality. Enquiry skills are developed within the subjects and through Theme days and weeks. Curriculum also includes PSHEE, reasoning, GCSE politics, French, Spanish, Latin, Greek. The school offers each pupil between 5 and 10 different extra-curricular academic activities or hobby clubs.
More on the curriculum
There are regular educational trips for all year groups, visiting speakers, Forest School to Year 2 and a residential trip for Year 6.
Specialist teaching
Specialist teachers for sport, music and languages throughout, dance and Forest School in pre-prep, and for politics from Year 5.
Sport at New Hall Preparatory School
School offers between 10 and 15 different sports over the course of the year. Competitive teams in major sports from Year 3. In recent years the school has enjoyed national success in sailing.
The Arts at New Hall Preparatory School
Art, music and drama are taught as discrete curricular subjects to all pupils. All pupils learn an instrument in class and half take extra-curricular instrument lessons from Year 3. Three choirs, orchestra and several instrument ensembles. Each pupil may participate in up to 10 different extra-curricular creative and performing arts clubs.
Wraparound care
Wraparound care from 8.00am to 6.00pm.
Find another school near New Hall Preparatory School
St Anne’s School (4.2 miles); St Cedd’s School (4.3 miles); Widford Lodge School (5.1 miles); Felsted Preparatory School (10.1 miles); Holmwood House School (18.3 miles); Bishop’s Stortford College Prep & Pre-Prep School (23.6 miles).
Perryfields Junior School (2.7 miles); Hatfield Peverel St Andrew’s Junior School (4.5 miles); Beehive Lane Community Primary School (4.6 miles).
New Hall School (0 miles); Felsted School (10.3 miles); St John’s School, Billericay (11.8 miles); Brentwood School (14.6 miles).
St John Payne Catholic School, Chelmsford (3.7 miles); Chelmsford County High School for Girls (4 miles); King Edward VI Grammar School, Chelmsford (4.1 miles).