Mission and Ethos
New Hall, a Catholic boarding and day school, provides
the best start in life, enabling students
to meet confidently the challenges of the wider world.
Here academic excellence is achieved in surroundings
where relationships are based on
care, trust and respect.
We welcome students from many traditions,
building a Christian community that has at its heart
prayer and service to others.
Catholic Foundation
Our Catholic foundation and ethos is central to all that we do, supported by the work of our lively Chaplaincy Team. At New Hall, a special value is placed on love and forgiveness, which encourage relationships based on trust, kindness, self-respect and care for those in need.
Students meet every week in our historic and beautiful Chapel, which has been a place for daily prayer for over 200 years. It is a peaceful place where those of all faiths and none can find stillness and calm. It provides a sanctuary from a busy world.
Students participate in the planning of liturgies and take an active role in various ministries as servers, readers and musicians. The acoustics of the Chapel enhance the fine liturgical music that enriches the worship.
All students participate in our award-winning New Hall Voluntary Service (NHVS), where they gain confidence, leadership and team-working skills and a desire to serve others. They will develop a sense of charity and community that will remain with them beyond their years at New Hall.
Catholic Provision
New Hall is the one of the largest Catholic independent boarding and day school in the UK. New Hall also provides the only Catholic independent senior school provision in the Diocese of Brentwood, which covers all of Essex and five East London boroughs.
New Hall has a flourishing Chaplaincy, which organises a wide range of activities. The school organises sacramental preparation for its students, in particular Confirmation, and participates in an annual Pilgrimage to Lourdes every year.
New Hall is a member of the Catholic Independent Schools’ Conference (CISC), which was founded by a former Headmistress of New Hall, Sister Margaret Mary Horton CRSS. The Principal was formerly a member of the CISC committee. New Hall works closely with organisations within the Diocese of Brentwood. The Principal is a member of the Brentwood Diocese Secondary Heads’ Association (BDSHA) and the Heads of the Preparatory Divisions are involved in the work of the Brentwood Religious Education Service (BRES).
New Hall opens its Chapel for public worship throughout the year for the Catholic Parish of Springfield; Mass is celebrated on Wednesdays and Sundays during term time. The school trains students and adults in various ministries, including musicians, altar servers and readers.
A Message from Rt Rev Alan Williams, Bishop of Brentwood
Over the years, Catholic schools have made a significant contribution not just to the life of the Catholic Church, but also to the life of the nation as a whole. Catholic schools are places of great ethnic richness, they are characterised by tolerance, respect, a genuine spirit of enquiry and the search for truth. The education and formation that takes place in our Catholic schools is part of our contribution to the Common Good of society as a whole. Perhaps for these reasons and for the way children are cared for and valued, so many parents choose to send their children to a Catholic school.
Education is one of the most powerful weapons in combating poverty and in helping children to reach their full potential as human beings. So Catholic education is part of the Church’s effort to realise Christ’s desire for us all that we might “have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:9) This is achieved not just in the teaching of RE, but by a whole system of gospel-based values encompassing the way everyone relates to each other in all that we do and in extracurricular activities, in other words by the whole Catholic ethos of the school. Here we find a genuine means of exposing young people to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and of helping them to respond to Christ’s invitation to “follow me”.
I am particularly grateful for those who participate in Catholic education and who craft this great treasure. Parents who choose a Catholic school and often go the extra mile to contribute to its life and help in practical ways with the running of a school. Over the years our forefathers fought hard to establish and maintain Catholic Education in these lands. Now it is our turn to work together to ensure that Catholic Education is maintained, supported and enabled to grow and develop for the future generations of children across the Diocese of Brentwood.
Next Steps...
For any enquiries regarding admissions at New Hall School,
please contact our Admissions Team:
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01245 236 098
Alternatively, to book your place on our next Open Morning click the link below.