Welcome from the Head

A warm welcome from me. I hope you can see from our website and ethos that we are unique and inclusive Somerset Prep-School, where pupils, parents, and staff alike, feel they truly belong.

I began teaching at All Hallows in 1993 as head of Geography, before returning to university full time to undertake a doctorate and train to become an Educational Psychologist. I then returned to All Hallows as the UK’s first practitioner to be employed as a school psychologist by a single mainstream setting, working in this role with local authorities, before taking up the role of Deputy Head, and then taking up the headship of All Hallows in 2017.

Despite All Hallows being with me for almost 3 decades, I am yet to get over the feeling of immense pride and belonging as I journey through the school gates and down the main drive on my way into school each morning. I am reminded that we are a school which is ‘getting it right’ and leading the way forward in Prep-School Education.

At All Hallows, in addition to more measurable academic products of schooling, we work with parents and teachers to promote more ethereal educational outcomes, such as long-term wellbeing, a sense of self, a moral compass, a degree of resilience, preparation for some aspects of work and even an appreciation for philosophy, culture, creativity, and civilisation.

I addition to being a school where happiness and wellbeing are paramount, we are also seeking to cultivate a range of skills, characteristics and mindsets in our young people, including a willingness to take risks, a keenness to work as part of a team and open-mindedness, both in terms of thinking outside the box and in believing there are no ceilings to learning. Creativity is embedded within the curriculum from the classroom to the games field, empowering the children to take charge of and reflect on their learning.

Doing education differently

At All Hallows we believe we are doing something very distinctive and as a result, our pupils are achieving superb outcomes in so many areas.

Aside from the inspirational teaching and our innovative and flexible curriculum, these outcomes are reached because our children’s happiness and wellbeing underpin everything we do, and our pupils feel they belong. Believing that the different aspects of a child’s life are mutually reinforcing, working in partnership with parents we aim to develop the whole child emotionally, creatively, intellectually, socially, and spiritually.

Our approach is proving to be hugely successful with Year 8 pupils moving onto their senior schools of choice. Furthermore, around 65% of these children in recent years have gained a scholarship or award in the process.

Discovering strengths and passions

Our children are busy, happy, energetic and share a love of the outdoor life with a curriculum that allows them to study a broad range of subjects enabling them to find their own particular strengths and passions. Art, creative design, music, performing arts, sport and countless enrichment opportunities are offered to everyone. We believe every child has a contribution to make to our community and we celebrate pupils for who they are, as well as the milestones they reach along their educational journey.

Preparing for our children’s future education

We nurture our children’s self-confidence and self-belief so that when they leave us aged 13 to move onto senior school, they are positive, creative, reflective, curious and resilient learners, who understand that it is important to give back to the world in which they live and believe they can do so. We are a truly independent school, and our Year 8 pupils leave to study at some of the best senior schools in the country with a large number achieving scholarships.

Providing a home from home for our boarders

Our boarders live in the main house at the centre of our school, where we aim to give them a home from home experience, with a warm and caring atmosphere, complete with log fires and welly boots lined up in the porch. This sense of family, community, care and the warmth of our relationships permeates the whole of our school life.

We warmly welcome all faiths and none

We warmly welcome children and families from all faiths and none. All Hallows is an entirely inclusive Christian school. These foundations provide us with both a guide for our actions and a benchmark for our provision, providing us with a firm anchor in an ever-changing educational landscape. Our footings mean that we treat each child as an individual and believe that everyone has an inherent value that is unique and exclusive.

Whilst thanking you for visiting the All Hallows School website, I urge you to come and visit so you can experience the genuine warmth of our welcome and the sheer vibrancy of our school community. I would be delighted to meet you, to hear about your hopes for your children and to share with you the energy of the school in action.

Part of the Monkton family of Schools

Many leading independent schools are creating groups of schools so they can work together more closely. On the 15th of March 2022, we were delighted to join the Monkton Family of Schools. By forming a closer relationship with other schools, we will be able to share best practice, create educational innovations and build a deeper understanding of how children journey through their whole school career.

All Hallows will continue very much in the same way as prior to the merger, indeed our families will notice very little change, and there is no expectation that children from All Hallows will automatically transfer to Monkton at 13+. Working with other schools will allow us to take full advantage of shared resources, facilities, and expertise. We believe this will bring clear educational, financial, and spiritual benefits, including enhancing the advantages of moving schools at 13, underpinning the long-term sustainability of both schools, and strengthening our Christian faith.