Seniors
Coopersale Hall children will be able to move automatically into the seniors. There will then be external exams for pupils looking to join us into the seniors from other local schools.
Our classes are deliberately small to enable more personalised teaching and learning. Pupils of all abilities are able to make good progress and receive regular feedback with more individual attention and tailor-made targets for progression.
Senior Experience within the
Oak-Tree Group
There is considerable experience within the Oak-Tree Group working with senior students at Normanhurst since 1996 and then Braeside since 2015. GCSE results at both schools have been consistently high and our students have an excellent track record moving to a range of first choice sixth form schools and colleges to study a variety of A-Levels before moving to their universities.
Claire Osborn, our Group Education Principal, and Mr Hagger, Group Managing Principal, have worked together for many years putting together senior teaching teams, developing senior curricula with high levels of resourcing, working with GCSE exam boards and monitoring the progression of the students against a range of assessments.
With such additional expertise at our disposal, the move towards senior education seems more natural now than ever.
Development of Facilities
In 2023, the neighbouring Bakers Cottage was opened as Phase 1 of the new senior accommodation and we introduced our first Year 7 class. Phase 2 of the senior school project started in August 2024, adding 4 new classrooms and changing rooms. The new accommodation means that, as of September 2025, Coopersale Hall has become a ‘through school’ with pupils from ages 2½ to 16.
Senior School Life
The same ethos of excellent relationships between teachers and pupils continues into the Seniors, with a disciplined but happy environment.
Senior pupils contribute to the life of the school in many ways: taking assemblies, representing their forms in School Council, being charity representatives, acting as reading buddies or mentors to younger children. We value the contributions our senior pupils make to the school and we are keen to develop their leadership and team building skills.
Parents and inspectors praise our outstanding pastoral care regularly. We know each and every child in the school, their strengths and talents, their personality and where they need to be encouraged and challenged.
Senior FAQs
As the children move from year group to year group their experiences change as we pack more into the school day. Please do not hesitate to contact us directly if you need any further information about any aspect of the education we provide. We are always on hand to support parents as their child progresses through each stage of his/her education with us.
Our senior model will see one class of around 20-22 pupils, with the capacity for sets and smaller groups in many areas. As pupils move through the school to GCSE lessons, Option subject classes will be smaller.
The Oak-Tree Group has extensive experience working with seniors, with all-through school Normanhurst in North Chingford already in the group. Matthew Hagger and Claire Osborn the two key people behind the development of the senior department, have a wealth of senior experience on which to draw.
Pupils will be prepared in a number of ways, including taking part in mock A Level interviews with the Head and senior team, have careers guidance and discussions with industry leaders, have the opportunity to take a week long work experience placement and aptitude tests in Year 10.
There will be external exams for pupils looking to join us in the seniors from other local schools. Pupils will go through an academic selection process with the same entrance exams and interviews as we have in place at our other all-through schools to ensure that we maintain a high academic standard.
We are fortunate to have a well-resourced Learning Support team, coordinated by our SENDCo Mrs Doherty. We have a large number of Learning Support Assistants who work in a variety of classes. All work is routinely differentiated to meet the range of abilities of our children so that they are all able to access the curriculum.
Our specialist staff give one-to-one targeted support to pupils to help them make progress. We also have a specialist dyslexia teacher who provides lessons for some of our pupils and undertakes assessments if necessary.
Parents have the opportunity each day to talk to the class teacher either in the morning or in the afternoon. We are very happy for parents to contact us to make a longer appointment if they need a more detailed conversation with the form teacher or a member of the senior team. The Head is readily available to see parents about a variety of matters.
We have at least one formal communication with home each term, which takes the form of a short report, full report or parent’s meeting. There are regular newsletters and the website is always updated with information and news. We have a text messaging service and we email letters and news home.
We have a wide range of food on offer at lunchtime freshly prepared by our Chef and her team. There is a daily choice of a hot main meal with a hot vegetarian alternative, together with a cold buffet that includes filled baguettes and a wide variety of salads. A daily pudding choice is available or plenty of fresh fruit and yoghurts.
There are many members of staff on duty to help children with their choice of food and to ensure that they eat a balanced meal. We always encourage children to try new food. Our team is used to catering for all dietary needs.