WHAT? WHERE?

Pupils at St-Nicholas-school-Fleet-Hampshire

A day through school in the village of Church Crookham, just outside Fleet, St Nicholas ’ School takes children from two years and nine months right through to 16. In the Infant School, boys and girls learn together, while the Junior and Senior Schools (ages 7 to 16) are girls only. With a current roll call of 320 pupils, class sizes average just 15, up to a maximum of 20.

Set in 37 acres and surrounded by woodland and countryside, St Nicholas’ School was founded in Fleet in 1935. It moved to its current, leafy Church Crookham setting in 1996. Once a private estate dating back to the late 19th century, the main school building is a characterful red-brick period property.

Surrounding the main house are a combination of purpose-built modern buildings, including a full-sized sports hall and St Nicholas’ Nursery and Infant School, Branksomewood. A charming, self-contained wooden building, it’s tucked away in the heart of the woods with its own playground and expansive playing field.

FACILITIES

/ SPORTS

Sport at St Nicholas' School Church Crookham Fleet Hampshire girls

Sports are popular, with plenty of space for them, too. Outdoors, there’s a floodlit Astroturf pitch and all-weather courts, offering year-round facilities for hockey, tennis, netball and football. Playing fields and woodland trails are well used for football, rugby and cross-country in the winter. In the summer, they’re used for cricket, rounders and athletics. Inside, St Nicholas’ newly renovated Sports Hall is used for basketball, volleyball, badminton, gymnastics, dance and trampolining. Seniors focused on fitness and strength training also have the option of a well-equipped fitness suite.

Netball and rounders are well-loved competitive team sports at St Nicholas’. Basketball was introduced just a few years ago but has quickly become a favourite. St Nicholas’ girls are good at it too, with several Senior teams winning trophies at both District and County levels.

The school swim squad trains at the nearby Hart Leisure Centre, where Infant and Junior swimming lessons also take place. St Nicholas’ has also established partnerships with local clubs like Avondale Tennis Club, Panthers Elite Netball Club, Washindi Trampoline Club, and Fleet Flyers Basketball Club, offering expert coaching for a variety of after-school clubs.

/ MUSIC, ART & DRAMA

drama at Sport at St Nicholas' School Church Crookham Fleet Hampshire girls

Creativity thrives at St Nicholas’, where both academic and extra-curricular pursuits in the arts are strongly encouraged. The school’s impressive Performing Arts Centre rivals local theatres, complete with raked seating and an orchestra pit. In Drama, the Junior and Senior Plays are a major highlight of the school calendar. St Nicholas’ also offers LAMDA examinations for aspiring thespians eager to develop their skills.

music at St Nicholas' School Church Crookham Fleet Hampshire girls

Music is a key focus throughout the school, with each year group introduced to a different instrument. Pupils in the Infant School start learning the violin and even perform a concert for their parents in the Pritchard Hall by the age of six or seven.

By the time they reach their senior years, pupils will have explored a variety of woodwind, string, and percussion instruments, with 70% of pupils receiving peripatetic lessons in at least one instrument. The school has a wide range of musical ensembles too, including swing and rock bands and choirs. Music is offered as a GCSE option and pupils sit termly Trinity and ABRSM music exams.

Art lesson at St Nicholas School Hampshire

Art at St Nicholas’ covers drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics and 3D art, all closely integrated with Design Technology.

Textiles, in particular, is a highlight, with a focus on design rather than traditional ‘make do and mend.’ Pupils develop skills in hand and machine sewing, pattern cutting and embellishment. They’re also given the freedom to create their own designs, which are proudly showcased in a dedicated fashion show. Aspiring designers can choose GCSE Textiles and are backed to pursue their dreams, as demonstrated by a recent leaver who secured herself a place at a prestigious Fashion School in Italy, aged just 16.

LITTLIES

Nursery and Infants St Nicholas' School Church Crookham Fleet Hampshire girls

Little ones at St Nicholas’ are very fortunate. Bright, airy classrooms open up into stunning wooded play areas and there’s a large pond that offers endless nature-filled adventures. Not to mention the much-loved playground with plenty of fun equipment and a huge sandpit.

As with the rest of the school, academics are a priority. St Nicholas’ latest ISI inspection concluded that children in the EYFS receive an excellent start to their education. By the end of Year 2, most are working well above age-related expectations.

Specialist teachers from the main school visit for Forest School, Music, Performing Arts and PE lessons, with activities including French and Spanish language lessons, ballet and rugby tots keep pupils engaged and active. (No surprise that parents comment on how well their children sleep at night).

ACADEMICS

Teacher at Sport at St Nicholas' School Church Crookham Fleet Hampshire girls

Academics here are strong. The school recently ranked as 6th in the country in The Times Parent Power league tables for achieving the best GCSE results among independent schools without a Sixth Form. ‘More Able and Talented’ (MAT) pupils are identified by subject teachers and baseline data, with a ‘dynamic’ curriculum geared to challenge them appropriately and academic enrichment such as workshops, talks and trips.

VAR headset pupil at St Nicholas' School Church Crookham Fleet Hampshire girls

St Nicholas’ School tailors the curriculum and GCSE options to meet the individual needs of each pupil. Under the leadership of the Head, STEM subjects take centre stage. There are four state-of-the-art labs and the option for St Nicholas’ girls to do maths, statistics (a year early) and further maths GCSE. Languages are a major focus too, with pupils starting Mandarin from the Infants stage. At GCSE, pupils can choose from Mandarin, French, Spanish and Latin.

2024 GCSE results were excellent. 56% of pupils achieved A*- A grades (9-7) at GCSE and 97% achieved A-C grades (9-4). This is particularly impressive given around half of pupils take a full quota of eleven GCSE options. Science is particularly strong: 100% of pupils passed their science GCSEs, with 67% achieving grades of 7 or above.

Every pupil is supported with career guidance to ensure they’re well-prepared for their chosen next step. As the girls leave at 16, many progress to well-regarded local sixth-form colleges such as Peter Symonds, Farnborough, and Queen Mary’s College Basingstoke, as well as independent schools like Wellington College, Charterhouse, Reading Blue Coat and Salesian.

PASTORAL CARE

Girls at St Nicholas' School Church Crookham Fleet Hampshire girls

Wellbeing is a top priority for the Head. It’s embedded in the curriculum at St Nicholas’ too, as pupils are taught essential strategies for managing emotions. Outside the classroom, the school offers dedicated pastoral spaces, including ‘Room Zero,’ where the school counsellor is based. Alongside Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs), St Nicholas’ also has Therapeutic Active Listening Assistants (TALAs) to offer additional support.

A beloved member of the pastoral team, Jasper the dog helps out by listening to pupils read, going for walks with pupils and enjoying plenty of cuddles. Pupils also benefit from the school’s ‘Big Sister’ program, which provides mentoring and support throughout the Seniors.

THE HEAD

Dr Olwyn Wright Head teacher at St Nicholas' School Church Crookham Fleet Hampshire girls

Dr Olwen Wright joined St Nicholas’ School in 2018 and is well-acquainted with the area. Before St Nicholas’, she worked at Sherfield School, where she held the roles of Head of Seniors and Head of Boarding.

Meeting her, it’s clear she’s passionate about the school and very committed when it comes to equipping pupils with skills to help them thrive in their future careers. Dr Wright’s focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) has played a key role in the school’s outstanding results, including a 100% pass rate (4 and above) in GCSE science. She also rightly proud of the new subjects introduced under her leadership, such as Business Studies and Statistics, both of which have flourished.

A strong advocate for single-sex education at senior level, Dr Wright observed that, in her experience, it removes the distinction between ‘boys’ subjects’ and ‘girls’ subjects’, boosts confidence in quieter pupils and provides more opportunities for leadership development.

QUIRKS

We’re a little way inland here so, for those that might be wondering, the boat in the school’s badge reflects St Nicholas, the Patron Saint of children, in his additional role as the Patron Saint of seafarers. In 1952 a motto was added to the badge of St Nicholas’ School “Confirma Domine Serviendo”, interpreted as Strengthen us Lord by our service.

True to its motto, St Nicholas’ is committed to community involvement. The school opens its brilliant facilities to local groups and encourages pupils to engage with the community through activities such as visiting local care homes or participating in events like the Fleet and District Carnival (where Headmistress Dr. Wright recently made an appearance as The Queen of Hearts).

WRAPAROUND CARE

The school day begins at 8.45am for Nursery to Year 2 pupils and at 8.30am for Juniors and Seniors. Breakfast club is available from 7.30am. School ends at 3.45pm for Infants and 4pm for Juniors and Seniors, with aftercare available for all pupils until 6pm. After School Clubs, including a dedicated Homework Club, run until 6pm, providing options for extended care.

REPORTS

The last ISI inspection was in 2022 and all standards were met. Read the report here.

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

Mobile phones are not permitted in school. Pupils may have them when travelling or walking to and from school and on the school minibus but they must be handed into the School Office and can’t be used during the school day.

TRANSPORT

Pupils travel from the local area, covering up to a 20-mile radius, including towns such as Aldershot, Alton, Basingstoke, Bordon, Camberley, Farnham, Farnborough, Fleet, Four Marks, Hook, Oakley, Reading and Tadley. About a quarter of pupils use the school bus, while most are dropped off between 7.30 and 8.30am. With staggered arrival and pick-up times, traffic is typically not an issue.

FEES & SCHOLARSHIPS

Good value. Nursery is £11.03 per hour. Infants’ fees start at £4,106.00 (excluding VAT), rising to £4,453.00 (excluding VAT) Junior fees start at £5,218.00 (excluding VAT) rising to £5,474.00 (excluding VAT) for Year 6 and Senior Year 7 – 11 is £6,252.00 (excluding VAT) in the Senior school. Academic, Art, Drama, Music and Sport scholarships are worth up to 20% of fees.

WORD ON THE GROUND

Parents speak of a supportive atmosphere at St Nicholas’ and welcome the plentiful opportunities. Senior pupils I meet with are overwhelmingly happy about the girls’ only environment, highlighting the caring teachers, culture of kindness, strong friendships and even spontaneous hugs in the corridors.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Those looking for a co-educational Nursery and Infant School and an inclusive Junior and Senior girls’ school that champions its academics and wellbeing in equal measure. Academic results show the focus is in the right place and girls continue to come out strong.

Not for: St Nicholas’ pupils have a very full timetable, especially in the seniors, which might not suit every child. Single-sex girls’ only education in the Juniors and Seniors means there are inevitably more girls than boys in the Infants.

Dare to disagree? Don’t take my word for it! Register for an open day event or contact the Admissions & Marketing Manager to arrange an individual visit on 01252 850121 or by emailing registrar@st-nicholas.school.

St Nicholas School, Redfields Ln, Church Crookham, Fleet, GU52 0RF. Tel. 01252 850121.

St Nicholas’ School, Church Crookham

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