Our Admissions Update provides the latest on our admissions process, news, and developments at Crackley Hall and Little Crackers Nursery. We hope the newsletter conveys our caring, family atmosphere where attention to, and individual challenge and support for, each pupil is at the centre of all we do, whilst displaying the many opportunities, enjoyment and achievements of our children across academics, sports, and the arts.

This year brings exciting changes at our on-site nursery, Little Crackers Nursery. Eligible families are now benefitting from extended funding, and from January 2026, we’ll be welcoming babies from 9 months old. These developments mean children can begin their learning journey with us even earlier, with full access to funding and year-round support.

Crackley Hall remains a popular choice for families, and we continue to prioritise small class sizes to ensure each child receives the attention they need at this key stage in their development. Our close-knit community offers both the warmth of a small school and the breadth of opportunity to stretch and inspire every pupil. Children are happy here—and that matters deeply to us. Just as importantly, our families feel connected and involved.

We look forward to welcoming you to Crackley Hall and Little Crackers Nursery soon.

Robert Duigan

Crackley Hall School in Kenilworth has been endorsed by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) with the school fully meeting the standards in every area following a visit in June 2025.

Their very positive report, which has just been published, follows a new framework which examines standards relating to five key areas: 

• leadership and management and governance
• the quality of education, training and recreation
• pupils’ physical and mental health and emotional well being
• pupils’ social and economic education and contribution to society
• safeguarding 

As well as fully meeting the standards, in its summary the inspection report notes that Crackley Hall School has developed a broad curriculum and varied co-curricular programme that ‘deepens pupils’ engagement and broadens their perspectives’. It also recognises that pupils at the school ‘grow into articulate, empathetic individuals who are equipped to contribute positively to their wider communities’.

A team of four inspectors visited the school over three days; they observed lessons and scrutinised pupils’ work. During their rigorous inspection, they spoke with pupils, teachers, senior staff and trustees. Inspectors observed extra-curricular activities, attended assemblies, inspected the premises and examined school documentation and records. In addition, they reviewed all the responses by parents, pupils and staff to pre-inspection questionnaires. 

Some of the key strengths recognised in the report are: 

• Teachers plan lessons that build on pupils’ prior knowledge and encourage pupils to apply their learning in increasingly complex ways.
• Teachers provide high quality feedback and pupils respond positively to this guidance. They are motivated to do well and achieve more.
• The school’s curriculum provides pupils with an all-round education that supports them to become articulate and knowledgeable learners.
• The breadth and challenge of the curriculum also support pupils’ personal development, helping them to grow in resilience, curiosity and confidence.
• Pupils interact respectfully and collaborate confidently, both within and beyond the classroom.
• Leaders provide many opportunities for pupils to develop confidence, resilience and courage.
• Leaders promote a clear ethos of community, kindness and responsibility. This is evident in pupils’ thoughtful contributions to school life and the wider community.

Headmaster, Rob Duigan, comments: “The report is a really positive endorsement of everything we do here at Crackley Hall School and reflects a huge team effort. It shows that we are delivering on our commitment to providing our pupils with an outstanding all-round education, instilling in our children life-long learning skills while fostering the qualities of kindness and responsibility and helping them grow into articulate young people ready to contribute to the wider world.” 

Mr Duigan continues: “It is particularly pleasing to have the breadth of our curriculum and co-curricular offering recognised as this, underpinned by our Catholic ethos, undoubtedly has a long-term positive impact on our pupils' lives both inside and outside of the classroom. My thanks go to the outstanding staff here at Crackley Hall School, our wonderful pupils and hugely supportive parent body; all of whom have played a part in this successful inspection.” 

Foundation Principal, Ed Hester, added: “As a Foundation, we are committed to making our school environments places where every child can thrive and flourish, both academically and personally and it is affirming to by the ISI. A huge “well done” to Rob and all the team at Crackley Hall School.”

A copy of the report is available to read here The Princethorpe Foundation - Inspections and on the ISI’s website.

The ISI is the Government-approved body responsible for the inspection of independent schools. 

We wished congratulations and the very best of luck to all our Junior 6 pupils who finished at Crackley Hall School in July and have moved on to a range of outstanding local independent and state schools in September. 

27 of the cohort have joined the Foundation’s senior school, Princethorpe College, 13 on scholarships. We also had pupils going to a number of other independent schools as well as local grammar and state schools. 

Headmaster, Rob Duigan, said, “Our aim is always to do our best to help our pupils reach the destination secondary school of their choice and we were particularly pleased with the range of scholarship offers this group has received, including academic, art, drama, musical theatre and sport. It was an excellent outcome and everyone here was thrilled for them.”

Congratulations to all the children on their achievements – Crackley Hall School is really proud of you all.

Our fantastic summer show was Treachery At Traitor's Quay, a musical tale of mystery and espionage set during World War Two. We followed the adventures of the five Dawson children evacuated to the coast to stay at the large home of Eggin-Drake, Minister of Information.

The performances took place at the Leamington Spa Centre and saw children from Reception through to Junior 6 tread the boards in this marvellous, musical tale.

We hope you were astounded and amazed by the talents of your children - we certainly were.

We took photos at the dress rehearsals and an album of photos will be shared with parents next week.

A huge thank you to our wonderful staff for all their hard work, to parents for their fabulous support in the run up to the performance and most of all to the children. Crackley, as always, you were just incredible!

Three Crackley Hall athletes qualified to take part in the ISA’s National Track and Field Championships after a super successful outing at the regional qualifying event. Excitingly, the Year 6 Girls and Boys teams both placed first overall helping Crackley Hall’s Girls finish first overall and Crackley Hall’s Boys come in just behind in overall second place.

Crackley Hall took a team of Junior 4, 5 and 6 pupils to Aldersley Sports Village in Wolverhampton on Wednesday this week, one of 35 schools attending the event. Many of the children put in amazing performances with pupils winning an astounding 16 medals. The school was delighted to see so many athletes being placed in both track and field events.

Congratulations go to Isabel A-J (J5) who took two Golds, qualifying for both the 70m and 150m sprint, Grace A (J6) who took Gold in the High Jump, qualifying for the Nationals, and Scarlett M (J6) who took Silver in 600m and also qualified for the Nationals.

Well done also to Junior 4 pupils, Fred S – Silver in 60m, Florella P – Silver in Throw and George W – Bronze in Long Jump, Junior 5 pupils, Harry W – Silver in Long Jump and Charlotte T – Bronze in Throw, and Junior 6 pupils, Rory S – Silver in Long Jump, Ryan M – Bronze in 150m, Theo H – Bronze in High Jump, Theo H – Bronze in Shot Putt and Scarlett M – Bronze in 60m, and the J6 Girls and Boys Relay teams who both took Bronze.

These results reflect the breadth of sporting excellence nurtured through class and extra-curricular sporting opportunities across the school.

Little Crackers Nursery has some exciting changes to its provision from September 2025. 

Our popular nursery, which is based at Crackley Hall School, will now offer the full government 30-hour funding to eligible families. It will also offer only year-round (51-week) places and by January 2026 it will take babies from 9-months-old. 

Comments Headmaster, Rob Duigan, “We have recently reviewed our provision in the light of strong demand for nursery places locally and the changes to Government funding from September. The changes mean that children can start their exciting journey into learning with us even sooner and parents can fully benefit from the funding and year-round support available.” 

Work will take place over the October half term, and by January the nursery will be able to accommodate children from 9 months to pre-school in its forest-themed Ladybirds, Dormice, Hedgehogs and Badgers Rooms.  

Situated at the heart of Crackley Hall School, the light and natural nursery rooms and outdoor spaces, including Windmill Wood, are designed to give children a blank canvas to experiment, create, explore and learn. A wide variety of activities are on offer and the children are supported by a friendly and caring Nursery Team, a qualified Early Years Teacher and specialist teachers for Music, Drama, PE and Games, Forest School and French. Sessions are flexible with the nursery day running from 7.45pm to 6.00pm and mornings, afternoons, long days and full weeks available. 

The new Ladybirds Room will be able to accommodate nine babies. Places for all ages are limited and interested families should contact Jenny Vaughan, Registrar, by email admissions@littlecrackers.co.uk or call 01926 514410 to discuss availability and book their child’s place. 

Crackley Hall School has received its second review by the prestigious Good Schools Guide. The Guide, which selects schools to be included on merit alone, is famous for its unbiased and candid reviews of state and private schools and is trusted by families worldwide. Crackley Hall is one of just 1,300 schools currently reviewed by the Guide, out of over 30,000 schools in the UK.

An editor from the Guide visited the school in March, interviewed the Headmaster, Rob Duigan, toured the site with pupils, observed lessons and spoke to teachers and parents.

The 2,000-word review, which now appears on the Good Schools Guide’s website and will be included in the next hard copy edition, includes a pen portrait of the Headmaster, plus insights into teaching and learning, sport and the performing arts, co-curricular activities, pastoral care and leavers’ destinations.

Commenting on the school’s approach, the Guide says:

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. Always a busy school, it’s now more academic, with teaching ‘more focused and attentive to specific goals’. Parents like that it’s still ‘achieved in a nurturing, not a pressurised, way’ and that they ‘go at the rate of the child’.

The very comprehensive review concludes with a Last Word, which sums up the Guide’s findings:

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 schools we’ve been to.

To read the full review click here. 

Comments Rob Duigan, Headmaster, “It was a pleasure to welcome the Good Schools Guide back to Crackley Hall.  They spent a busy day with us and have captured the warmth and energy of our whole school community.  We are delighted that they have recognised the all-round excellence of our first-class school, and especially our collective enthusiasm for all aspects of learning and the individual care and attention we invest in each and every one of our pupils.”

Thank you to all the parents, pupils and members of staff who kindly spoke to the Guide's editor about their experience of the school.

Parental feedback to a recent survey about the provision at Little Crackers gave the nursery and its team a huge vote of approval.

Around half of our current nursery families responded to the survey invitation in May, scoring the provision against a variety of industry standard criteria and feeding back on various aspects of nursery life.

Overall, the nursery got a satisfaction rating of 4.67 out of 5, with parents marking some elements even higher - Safeguarding 4.94, Outside Space 4.78, Care 4.72 and Learning and Progress 4.72.

The most valued aspects of the provision were the high standards of care received, the presence of a qualified early years teacher, the relationship with nursery staff and the specialist teaching for Music, French, PE and Forest School.

When asked to use three words to describe the nursery, strong themes emerged with parents repeatedly using the words friendly, welcoming, caring, safe and supportive as well as academic, professional and structured, as can be seen from the word cloud generated.

We know how important positive endorsement from current parents is to our schools, so it is particularly pleasing that 94% of the parents who responded said they would definitely recommend Little Crackers to their friends and family, and it is also good to know that 83% are planning to continue into Reception at Crackley Hall.

Areas for improvement focused primarily upon communication and greater use of the 'Famly' online platform, which has been introduced relatively recently. We will therefore be looking to share more stories, news and photos with parents on the platform.  

Some of the lovely comments made by parents include:

Our son has flourished since starting as a Dormouse and we regularly get comments about his manners and how advanced his speech is. The move of nursery was the best thing we did for our son combined with the fact that he absolutely loves his time there.

Little Crackers has been a fantastic stepping stone for all of our children. I have never worried about my children, they are in good hands and all have grown in confidence.

Overall, the transition from Nursery into reception was seamless for our eldest. We really appreciate that the nursery is on site and the children have so much exposure to specialist teaching, outside classes (like rugby tots) and forest school. Thank you.

Comments Rob Duigan, Headmaster, “A huge well done to Nursery Manager, Clare Bird and the whole Nursery Team, it is heartening to see how well regarded the nursery is by our parents and how much their hard work and dedication to the children and their learning is valued.  

He continues, “The survey forms part of a wider review of the Little Crackers offering and we aim to build upon this success to finetune our services. ”

Many thanks to all the nursery parents who responded to the survey, we are immensely grateful for your feedback and support. 

In the Trinity Term, our Junior 5 high performance learners took on the challenge of the Warwickshire Schools Library Service’s Junior Book Award. The children read the books shortlisted for the award before attending the award ceremony at the end of June.

Everyone enjoyed reading the books and especially attending the ceremony where they had the chance to hear from and meet the authors, ask questions and celebrate all the shortlisted books. They were delighted to discover that the winning book this year was Bird Boy by Catherine Burton, which they had all really enjoyed.

At the awards, pupils also met the current Warwickshire Young Poet Laureate who shared some of her amazing poetry with them.

The book award was a great opportunity to encourage reading for pleasure and to celebrate the power of stories.

Junior 6 pupil, Ella, read an impressive two million words across the academic year having devoured an incredible 33 books. She topped the leader board in the school’s annual reading challenge but she was not the only bookworm here at Crackley Hall School, with a further six pupils, Alex, Hector, Gabriella, Niamh, Beatrice and Edward, all having passed the million word mark.

Ella is modest about her amazing reading achievement saying, “I just enjoy reading and I read lots of different books.” She told us she mainly reads at school and that she really enjoyed her year group’s reading challenge to read books related to WW2. 

Crackley Hall’s approach to reading and literacy is supported by Renaissance’s Accelerated Reader system. Children in Junior 3 to Junior 6 take a quiz after reading each book that tests their understanding. The approach promotes reading for pleasure whilst ensuring the children read appropriately challenging books. It totals up the books and words read, and we find the competitive element has a positive impact on children’s motivation to read.

There are so many good books out there for children to read and Crackley has a very positive reading culture in school. We find our pupils engage really well in our reading challenge, they enjoy tracking their word count and its awe-inspiring to see that we already have so many reading millionaires.

Our Little Crackers Nursery team organised a very special ‘Graduation Ceremony’ to celebrate the pre-school group ‘moving on’ to big school. The ceremony took place at the end of June, in front of their families and the children were each presented with a little scroll by Nursery Manager, Clare Bird.

Our Badgers had practised special songs for the occasion and sang them perfectly, they also performed an amusing sketch, helpfully reminding them all what they need to take to school. There was even a special cake for everyone to enjoy.

Mrs Bird said, “It was wonderful to mark this important moment for our Little Crackers. We are all sorry to see this fantastic group of children move on, but we wave goodbye with a smile and plenty of good wishes for exciting times ahead.”

In May, we took some of our high-performance learners on a fantastic trip to Bletchley Park. The pupils enjoyed an exciting, engaging, hands-on session that encouraged learning about WW2, teamwork, codebreaking and much more.

They began the day exploring the interactive map room and plotting the position of enemy ships. They then moved on to a guided tour of the grounds taking on the role of newly recruited code breakers. They watched a short film about the impact that Bletchley Park had on the planning and executing of the D-Day landing before finishing the day in a code breaking workshop.

The code-breaking session developed team working, problem solving and mathematical thinking skills and applied them to a practical codebreaking task. Pupils enjoyed the rare opportunity to use a genuine Enigma machine as well as encountering a range of historical codes and cyphers as they worked together to decipher messages to solve a puzzle.  The students increased their knowledge of codes and cyphers and their uses throughout history as well as developing their understanding of the role that cyphers played during WW2, with specific reference to the Enigma machine and the wider operations of Bletchley Park.

It was a fascinating trip for them all.

The latest issue of The Minnacle has just been published, showcasing our pupils' work. The Minnacle celebrates our pupils at their best and this latest edition includes plenty of amazing examples, from powerful descriptive writing to striking artwork. Why not have a read yourself here.

Take a look at The Pinnacle too, it celebrates the work of pupils at our Foundation's senior school, Princethorpe College, you can read it here.

Our Stay 'n' Play sessions run every Wednesday during term-time from 10.30am to 11.45am and are just £2.50, including refreshments and yummy homemade cakes! 

The sessions are held in the school hall with a visit to the Nursery occurring once a term and and an outdoors Forest Fun session once term as well. This is the perfect way to familiarise yourself and your child with Little Crackers. All are always welcome, so why not bring a friend!

Stay 'n Play regularly organises special activities for parents and little ones to enjoy. 

Autumn Term Activities:

Forest Fun
Wednesday 24 September

Autumn Crafts
Wednesday 15 October 

Look Inside Nursery
Wednesday 19 November 

Christmas Party
Wednesday 10 December

To see the latest upcoming events click here to visit the Stay 'n' Play page on our website.

There is no need to book for a regular session but some of the activities may need to be booked in advance, please contact Mrs Jenny Vaughan on 01926 514410 or email staynplay@littlecrackers.co.uk to reserve your place.

For more information, you can also visit www.littlecrackers.co.uk/stay-n-play. 

Are you looking for a secondary school for September 2026?

The 2026 admissions cycle for Year 7 to 10 entry to the Foundation's senior school, Princethorpe College, is now well advanced. This September families have the opportunity for last visits to the College to seek advice and guidance from our friendly Admissions Team.

Open Afternoon - Sunday 14 September 2025 - 2.00pm to 5.00pm

Princethorpe will be holding its annual Open Afternoon on Sunday 15 September from 2.00pm to 5.00pm. All are welcome to visit the College and for younger visitors, there will be many fun subject related activities organised by the departments.

The Headmaster will address visitors in the Chapel during the afternoon and refreshments will be available. 

To book your place please click here.

Those wishing to register for the Entrance Examinations should do so by the deadline of Friday 26 September 2025  to facilitate the gathering of references from junior schools. Registration forms are now available to complete online from the Admissions section on the website here. 

Entrance Examinations for Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 will take place on Saturday 8 November 2025 from 9.30am to 4.00pm. More information is available in our 2026 Admissions and Entrance Examinations Booklet available on our website, click here.

For further information on admissions and entry to the College please speak to the Admissions Team on 01926 634201/297 or by email at admissions@princethorpe.co.uk.

Thursday 25 September 2025 - 6.00pm to 8.00pm

Crackley Hall School is hosting a dedicated Reception and Year 3 Open Evening on Thursday 25 September from 6.00pm. On the same evening Little Crackers Nursery is hosting an Open House, click here to find out more. 

This Open Evening is aimed at prospective families with children wishing to join Reception and Year 3 in September 2026 or beyond. Other year groups are welcome. We can immediately consider applications for children in current Year 2 and 5, with limited spaces in other year groups.

This is a perfect opportunity to see the school and talk to key members of staff who will be teaching and supporting your child.

To book your place please click here. 

If you can't make the Open Evening but would like to look around the school, you can now book a personal tour here or call our Registrar, Mrs Jenny Vaughan on 01926 514410 or email admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk and come on a day to suit you.

The school has limited availability and is operating waiting groups in some year groups, speak to Mrs Vaughan for the latest availability.

For more information visit www.crackleyhall.co.uk

You're Invited to Our Nursery Open House!

Whether you are looking for a pre-school and then onto Reception at Crackley Hall, or you are just starting your journey into looking for a nursery for your little come and explore Little Crackers Nursery on Thursday 25 September 2025 from 6.00pm to 8.00pm. 

Situated at the heart of Crackley Hall School, the light and natural nursery rooms and outdoor spaces, including Windmill Wood, are designed to give children a blank canvas to experiment, create, explore and learn. A wide variety of activities are on offer and the children are supported by our friendly and caring Nursery Team, qualified Early Years Teachers and specialist teachers for Music, Drama, PE and Games, Forest School, Mandarin and French. 

As part of the evening you will meet the new nursery team, take a tour of our welcoming spaces, and discover the exciting plans for our brand-new Ladybird Room – a cosy, nurturing home for babies aged 9 months and up, opening this January.

We can't wait to welcome you and your little ones, to book your place click here.

Most of our pupils enter at Nursery and progress through to Reception. Some pupils also join us at Reception and pupils are welcome at any age, dependent on a place being available. Places in other years may be limited and, in years where there is no place available, we operate waiting groups.

We encourage prospective parents and pupils to visit us both formally and informally to get a true flavour of the school. We hold various Open Events throughout the year, including a specific Nursery and Reception Open Evening in the autumn, which prospective parents and pupils are most welcome to attend. Individual tours are also available. A meeting with Mr Robert Duigan, the Headmaster, is also a key part of the admissions process.

Our Registrar, Mrs Jenny Vaughan will be pleased to talk you through the admissions process and current availability, please contact her on 01926 514410/514444 or email her on admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk. To request a prospectus pack please click here.

Reception and Year 3 2026

Early Bird Application

Those already attending Little Crackers in the pre-school year, and siblings, are given priority for places in Reception and any external candidates with a strong interest in a place in Reception and Year 3 are able to apply and take advantage of our early bird application process. The deadline for early bird applications is Friday 17 October 2025. All applications can now be submitted online, via this link, along with the accompanying fee of £90 including VAT (non-returnable) by this date. Reception applicants will be visited in their nursery setting by one of the Early Years Team. Parents of Year 3 applicants will be invited to bring their child in for a taster session in school. 

Subject to availability and a satisfactory visit, offer letters will be sent out first class on Friday 14 November 2025 with a Confirmation of Acceptance Form, which we ask you to complete and return to us together with a deposit of £400 by the acceptance deadline of Monday 1 December 2025.

On-time Applicants

Applicants interested in a place in Reception and Year 3 following similar timescales to the state application process, need to register by the deadline of Monday 2 February 2026; once we have received your completed online application and accompanying fee of £90 including VAT (non-returnable). Reception applicants will be visited in their nursery setting by one of the Early Years Team. Parents of Year 3 applicants will be invited to bring their child in for a taster session in school. 

Subject to availability and a satisfactory visit, offer letters to applicants will be sent out first class on Friday 6 March 2026 with a Confirmation of Acceptance Form, which we ask you to complete and return to us together with a deposit of £400 by the acceptance deadline of Tuesday 5 May 2026.

Current Reception to Junior 6

Applications for places in the current Reception to Junior 6 will be treated on an individual basis. In years where there is no place available, we operate waiting groups. Please contact Jenny Vaughan, our Registrar, to discuss.

Should a potential place be available you will be invited in to meet with Mr Duigan, the Headmaster, then if appropriate you should complete an online application with the accompanying fee of £90 including VAT (non-returnable), after which time your child will be invited for a Taster Day. 

We will also ask for your child’s most recent school report to support your application and will seek a reference from your child’s current school. Following receipt of this information, confirmation of a place being offered would be made in writing. To secure your place return your completed Confirmation of Acceptance Form with a deposit of £400 within 14 days of the date of the offer being made.

The final deadline for applications and completed registration forms for entry in September 2025 is Friday 22 May 2026. All incoming pupils need to have completed the admissions process by Friday 12 June 2026 to enable the applicant to attend our planned Induction Morning at the end of that month. (Although a place at Crackley Hall may become available after this date, and applications will be processed, we cannot guarantee availability of places.)

Induction
New pupils are given the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the school, staff and fellow pupils when they are invited to our Induction Morning in the Trinity Term, normally at the end of June. 

Bursaries
Bursaries are available for pupils wishing to join Crackley Hall although these are normally awarded to children from Junior 3 and above. Whilst the main financial criteria are household income and net assets, each application is considered on its own merits. 

Costs associated with dependant sick or disabled children will be taken into account and an allowance is made where there are other children already in the Foundation.

Our general guidance is that currently bursaries are not normally granted where gross household income exceeds £60,000 per annum and/or total net assets exceed £250,000.

Applications are made via an online system, please contact feessupport@princethorpe.co.uk to be sent a link to the system.

Note: Deposits are refunded after the end of the final term which the pupil spends at the school.

The Crackley Hall community is enriched by the inclusion of children from many different countries and we are happy to assist parents relocating from overseas with their applications. The Crackley family currently includes children who have joined us from the USA, China, Brazil, Spain, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland and Korea.

If parents are visiting the UK we ask them to meet with Mr Duigan, the Headmaster.  Where a taster day is not possible and where children are English-speaking and in Year 2 or above, we can arrange for assessment papers in English and Maths to be sent to the child’s current school for them to administer and send back to us for marking.

Where children do not speak English as a first language or are too young to take assessment papers, we ask for school reports and a reference from the current school prior to offering a place.

We work closely at Crackley with a trusted partner who is experienced in English Language teaching and who can tailor a programme to meet the individual needs of children joining us.  This normally focuses on an initial intensive period of English Language support, tailing off as the child becomes more proficient and settles into life at Crackley Hall.

Our Registrar, Jenny Vaughan will always be happy to answer any questions regarding applications from overseas and to ensure that the admissions process runs as smoothly as possible.

You can email her at admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk or telephone her direct line on 01926 514410.

We understand that prospective parents may have many questions that they would like to ask ahead of applying for a place for their child at Crackley Hall.  We have included those most frequently asked, but should you have a query that isn’t covered here, please call Jenny Vaughan (pictured), our Registrar, on 01926 514410.

Q: How did the Foundation respond to the introduction of VAT to private school fees in January 2025?

A: In January 2025 the Foundation reduced its fees so that the increase passed on to parents was 5%, substantially less than the 20% VAT rate. We continue to stand by our commitment to minimise the impact on families, keeping fees as affordable as possible, whilst continuing to provide the highest standard of education and pastoral care for our pupils.

Current fees are available on our website which can be found here.

Q: Will my child need to take an entrance exam for Crackley Hall?

A: Whilst we do not have a formal entrance examination for Crackley, we wish to ensure that every child will fit into school life and engage with our stimulating and varied range of activities and our ethos.  We ask prospective parents to meet with Mr Duigan, the Headmaster, and normally ask for children to join us on a taster day which can be arranged for a mutually convenient date. During the course of a taster day, we ask children in Years 2 and above to take papers in English and Maths although we will look at the taster day as a whole when offering a place. 

Q: Are there set joining points within the school year?

A: No, where places exist, we take children throughout the school year according to the preference of parents.

Q: What is the average class size at Crackley Hall?

A: The average class size is 18 pupils. Where class sizes exceed this we provide additional teaching support to ensure the same high standards and level of personal attention for each child. Our teacher to pupil ratio is 1:11 and our adult to child ratio is 1:8.

Q: Do you have to be Catholic to join Crackley Hall?

A: No. We welcome children from all faiths and cultural backgrounds. The Catholic ethos of the Princethorpe Foundation underpins the school and is central to its character as a caring and friendly environment where children are encouraged to be the best that they can be. The Crackley community includes Catholic children whose families wish their children to be educated within a Catholic setting but also other Christian denominations and children of other faiths or no faith.

Q: What makes Crackley Hall special?

A:  We talk a lot about the ethos of the Princethorpe Foundation and it is not just talk; it really is the basis of all that we do at Crackley Hall and parents often comment on the friendly atmosphere when they visit. We encourage the children to be kind to each other and to show respect for their peers and teachers, which in turn creates an environment where they are free to try their best and to develop their talents. The school has grown in recent years, but the family feel where each child is known as an individual remains. This combines with the highest standards of teaching and tuition from specialist teachers in Music, Drama, French, Sports, RE and Mandarin. 

Q: My child is a high achiever; how will Crackley benefit him/her? 

A: Children who demonstrate a high standard academically will be supported to further develop their abilities. A structured Able, Gifted and Talented programme operates through the school, ensuring that we meet the needs of children not just academically but also in other areas such as sports and performing arts. Sometimes parents worry that because their child is quiet or falls in the middle ground, they will be overlooked – this is not the case at Crackley as we strive to develop the potential of all children and to develop their talents.

With the support of our senior school, Princethorpe College, we have introduced the Junior da Vinci Programme to stretch children and to engender the idea that any child can be a gifted or talented student if they work hard. The programme encourages children to develop a growth mind-set and to take an active part in their own learning.

Q: My child may need additional support – what can Crackley Hall offer?

A: Our learning support team, which includes a Speech and Language therapist, works with children providing extra help at whatever level they need from 1:1 support to inclusion in small groups to hone their skills in specific areas, such as communication and language, numeracy and co-ordination.  

We are quick to recognise children who may need extra support and we try to 'catch' them before they begin to struggle. This means that class teachers refer children to our Learning Support Co-ordinator as soon as they are concerned. In this way we try not to miss anyone and to keep all children’s self-esteem high. We welcome input from parents and are very happy to discuss any concerns they may have.

If further assessment/advice is required from external professionals (e.g. educational psychologists), we support parents through the referral process. The school follows the guidance set out in the SEND Code of Practice 2015. 

Support for a child may entail 1:1 teaching for which there is a termly charge. Children who require this teaching will receive a structured, cumulative, multi-sensory learning programme tailored to their individual needs.

Should your child need any additional learning support, please indicate this on the registration form.  He/she will then spend some time with our SENCo during the taster day.

Q: What extra-curricular clubs do you offer?

A: We offer over 90 different lunch-time and after school clubs that cater for all interests – see the section on clubs, sport and music within this update. 

Q: I am a working parent – do you offer wrap around care and holiday provision?

A:  We offer paid for early bird supervision from 7.45am and after-care until 6.00pm.  We run a holiday club subject to demand, in all school holidays apart from the Christmas week.

Q: If I have two or more children joining, will I get a discount?

A: Yes, families with more than one child at either Princethorpe College or Crackley Hall School receive a discount on the main tuition fee which is automatically applied to siblings (the youngest sibling is charged the full rate 5% for second and third siblings, 10% for fourth and subsequent siblings) and apply whilst there are two or more children attending schools in the Foundation but excluding children attending the Nursery.

Q: Do you accept childcare vouchers?

A: Yes, we take vouchers from most of the major schemes, which may be used against after-school care or holiday club.

Q: Do you operate a bus service to Crackley?

We do not currently operate a bus service, however should you accept a place we are happy to pass your details on to current parents in your post-code so that you can explore lift-share opportunities.

Q: When do I need to apply for a place in September?

A: We always advise the sooner, the better as classes fill up.  Children need to be registered by Friday 22 May 2026 at the latest in order for their application to be progressed for our Induction Morning in June. Our prospectus pack includes a registration form and once you return it to us with the registration fee, we can start the admissions process.

Q: If I apply, when will I hear about a place?

A: Once you have completed and returned a registration form, we will contact you to arrange for you and your child to meet Mr Duigan.  We will also ask for a copy of your child's latest report and request a reference from your child’s current school, when we have this information we will advise whether we will offer a place.  

Q: Will joining Crackley Hall give my child priority for joining Princethorpe?

A: Parents of Year 5 Foundation prep school pupils can opt into an Early Offer Scheme. Pupils at Crackley Hall School already take standardised assessments in English and Mathematics from Junior 3 onwards. These scores, along with free writing tasks, will be shared with Princethorpe College for review, showing academic progress over time.
Early Offer Scheme candidates will also complete an online assessment at their current school, administered by Princethorpe staff. The Admissions Panel will then review all information and, if appropriate, make early offers
in the second half of the summer term, five months earlier than usual. Candidates for Academic or other scholarships will still need to sit the Entrance Exams in November or participate in autumn term scholarship
assessments, but they do so safe in the knowledge that they
already have a place.

Uniform is compulsory for Crackley Hall pupils and helps to create a sense of shared identity, community spirit and pride in oneself and in the school.

Uniform can be purchased from the School Shop located at Princethorpe College.

Normally the Uniform Shop is open from 3.30pm to 4.30pm Mondays and Wednesdays during term time. Additionally, during the summer holidays, the shop is open on selected dates on an appointment only basis.

A uniform list is available in the Crackley Hall Information Booklet that can be found on the School Life page of the school's website here.

Music and Drama

Music is an integral part of life at Crackley Hall and at Little Crackers Nursery where the children benefit from a music and movement class each week.

Mrs Olden is our specialist music teacher and every class has one hour of music a week.  In Junior 1, every child learns to play the recorder and to read music and to play with others. 

In addition, children are encouraged to take part in private lessons with our experienced peripatetic teachers. 

We have a thriving choral group, chamber choir and orchestra and there are many opportunities to sing and play at school and at external events such as Young Voices in which the school has participated for many years.

Drama is also a core part of life at Crackley Hall and children develop their skills in choral speaking, improvisation, public speaking and performance. From the annual LAMDA Communication and Drama Exams to local drama festivals and in-house performances, there are many opportunities for children to develop their confidence and poise through drama. Some of our children have even taken part in professional productions at the RSC and in the West End.

Our end of year music and drama production is always unmissable and gives the children the opportunity to participate in a show of professional quality in a real theatre.

Sports

Our success in competitive sports is testament to the importance of physical education and the promotion of an active lifestyle at Crackley Hall. 

Whether children want to take part in an individual pursuit such as athletics or swimming or a team game such as netball or rugby, they will be encouraged by our enthusiastic and committed staff led by Mr Stedeford, Head of Ganes, to find an activity in which they can develop their skills and confidence. 

Our curriculum and programme of clubs take in a wide range of activities including dance and gymnastics. We are lucky to have spacious playing fields and we also use the sports facilities at Princethorpe College and The University of Warwick.

Clubs

Our extra-curricular programme is managed by Mrs Kat Vaughan, Head of Extended Day, and is extremely popular at Crackley Hall and we encourage children to find something that they will enjoy. From sports to singing to creative arts, with 90 different lunchtime and after schools clubs, there is something for every taste.

Our current clubs include rugby, netball, tennis, chamber choir, cookery, yoga and mindfulness, lego, chess, board games, ballet, karate, dance, coding, football, kindness, orchestra and homework club. Some of these clubs are run by teachers and are free of charge whilst some are from external providers.

For those who like to plan ahead the Foundation Term Dates are:

2025-26

Michaelmas Term 2025
 
Tuesday 2 September to Wednesday 17 December 
 
Half Term

Saturday 18 October to Sunday 2 November
 
Lent Term 2026
 
Tuesday 6 January to Thursday 26 March
 
Half Term

Saturday 14 February to Sunday 22 February 

Trinity Term 2026
 
Monday 20 April to Thursday 2 July
 
Half Term

Saturday 23 May to Sunday 31 May

2026-27

Michaelmas Term 2026
 
Wednesday 2 September to Wednesday 16 December 
 
Half Term

Saturday 17 October to Sunday 1 November
 
Lent Term 2027
 
Tuesday 5 January to Thursday 25 March
 
Half Term

Saturday 13 February to Sunday 21 February 

Trinity Term 2027
 
Monday 19 April to Wednesday 7 July
 
Half Term

Saturday 29 May to Sunday 6 June

If you are interested in a place at Little Crackers for your son or daughter we advise you to enquire in good time as places are limited and tend to get booked up early.

We are currently accepting places for immediate entry into Hedgehogs (3s) and Badgers (Pre-school) and there is limited availability in Dormice (2s) until January 2026. For Ladybirds, our new Babies Room, the last remaining spots for January are filling up, so register quickly to avoid disappointment.

For further details on the places available, please contact Jenny Vaughan, Registrar on 01926 514410 or email admissions@crackleyhall.co.uk.

If you are interested in your child attending Little Crackers we would recommend that you contact Mrs Jenny Vaughan, our Registrar, who will make an appointment for you and your child to meet with the Nursery Manager, Rosemary Flint, to discuss availability.

To secure a place, simply complete an online application with your required sessions and preferred start date and return this with the accompanying fee of £75. You will then receive confirmation in writing that we can offer a nursery place with an acceptance form for you to sign.

Prior to starting, you and your child can attend a number of short settling in sessions, typically two or three, where you will meet your child’s key person. A start date, from which point sessions are billable, will be agreed with Nursery staff at the settling-in sessions.

We are delighted to have our new nursery management team in place after welcoming Rosemary Flint as Nursery Manager and Sharon Doran as Deputy Nursery Manager to Little Crackers Nursery. They will work alongside our existing Deputy Manager, Clare Bird, to deliver our exciting plans for Little Crackers Nursery.

Rosemary is a qualified early years teacher with a wide range of experience in different settings, including most recently Bromsgrove School. She will lead on curriculum development, the children’s enrichment activities, staff development and training, as well as communication with parents. Rosemary will also join the extended Senior Leadership Team at Crackley Hall to ensure the nursery is well aligned with the strategies of the main school.

Sharon has a degree in Early Childhood Education Studies and has experience as an early years leader at King Henry VIII Preparatory School and Pathways Nursery amongst others. She will be responsible for ensuring all compliance is correct and in place for the nursery, which will include staff:child ratios, reporting and funding.

We are immensely grateful to Clare Bird for taking on the Acting Nursery Manager role for the last few months, with Rosemary’s arrival she will revert to her role as Deputy Nursery Manager and will now take the lead in launching and developing the new Ladybirds Room for babies from 9-months-old.

The nursery leadership team will work together with Emma Malcolm, Head of Early Years and KS1 at Crackley Hall, to ensure that Little Crackers Nursery goes from strength to strength.

Over the summer, we have also welcomed Harriet Sharpe to our Nursery team as a Nursery Practitioner. Harriet is a former Crackley Hall School pupil and is looking forward to furthering her experience in childcare before she commences her training as a Norland Nanny.

Comments, Rob Duigan, Headmaster, "With these appointments we now have a highly skilled management team in place to deliver our exciting and ambitious plans for Little Crackers Nursery. Their knowledge, skills and enthusiasm for the early years sector shone through at interview and I am delighted to welcome them to the Crackley Hall and Little Crackers family."

All nursery places are all year round, 51 weeks a year.  Families may access universal funding for 3-4 year olds for a maximum of 15 hours per week for 38 weeks of the year. The 15 hours entitlement starts from when the child is 3 years old and ends the term after they turn five or at the end of Reception, whichever is earlier.

From September 2025, if you are a working eligible family your child may be entitled to 30 hours a week of government-funded childcare, calculated on the school term of 38 weeks. This provides a total of 1,140 childcare-funded hours which is spread evenly over 51 weeks of the year. The 30 hours entitlement starts from the term after the child is 9 months old and ends the term after they turn five or at the end of Reception, whichever is earlier.

To find out more about the funding options, please visit the Warwickshire County Council website here.

To view our fees click here.