WHAT / WHERE

King’s St Alban’s is a small, nurturing Prep school and nursery boasting a prestigious city centre location, set in a surprisingly quiet location off a main road sandwiched between Worcester Cathedral and the River Severn.

A co-ed junior school for ages 2 to 11, it has 203 pupils on register, an average class size coming in at a pitch-perfect 15, with a Christian ethos at its core. The KSA (as it’s more snappily known) site dates back to 1750 so there’s tons of historical prestige here, with past incarnations as an orphanage, then a Prep school up until 2009 when the school bought up a neighbouring pub and an adjacent house, extending itself further into what is today’s Pre-prep.

A strong USP of this school is that it really feels like it has its own fully-formed identity, yet it is seconds away from King’s Senior school – its sister school – with which it shares some flashy facilities. The two schools are dissected by a road but don’t worry it’s super quiet, the walk between the two arguably instilling early road sense in pupils, which can’t be a bad thing.

Firmly nestled under the powerhouse parasol of The King’s Foundation, this connection will be a big ticket attraction for some parents, making the transition from Year 6 to 7 a smooth one if you choose to stay on. Like many schools KSA champions a ‘growth mindset’ attitude in pupils throughout every year group, with mental wellbeing and pastoral care being high on the agenda here.

FACILITIES

Rather good we think! The ‘2-for-the-price-of-1’ set up means pupils make use of an outstanding range of facilities, including the senior school’s 25m indoor swimming pool, playing fields and an Astroturf, the Prep also has a good ICT suite and big science laboratory. It’s a city centre school so not enormous by any standards, but every bit of space is imaginatively used, and that goes for the outdoor activity areas too.

The school has its own chapel and an inviting, brightly coloured library, and not day goes by without at least one class using some of ‘Big King’s’ facilities whether it’s the theatre, the sports hall or dance studio. Juniors also share the senior school dining hall on some days.

The school also boasts an outdoor education centre, The Old Chapel in the Welsh Black Mountains, where gaggles of very excited kids get to go and stay and explore every year.

SPORT

Don’t be put off by the fact the school lacks the rolling countryside a rural prep might offer. The rather special city centre location really does not impact on its sportiness. King’s is infact a healthily competitive place for the sporty, with stellar facilities on tap. As well as the enormous pool, it has two huge sports halls and a fantastic climbing wall, along with extensive playing fields and an Astroturf just a short walk away down a towpath.

There is also a fully sprung dance studio and a viewing gallery above the sports hall so you can watch your mini-champs get their PBs. KSA has had impressive national successes in swimming and netball, with cricket also a forte and played by both boys and girls. Prep pupils also get taught by senior school sports coaches which must definitely help standards. Accolades include being APS U11 National champions in swimming in 2022 and regional netball champions 2019, pretty good slam dunks for a small, city school.

The emphasis is on inclusivity here too, with almost every pupil in the Prep school involved in fixtures – including rugby, football, cricket, cross country and more – during the week.

ARTS / MUSIC / DRAMA

The Arts are really strong here, so much so KSA was recently awarded the Arts Mark Gold Awards in 2022 for achievements in art, music, poetry and drama. There’s a well equipped drama studio and a 350-seat theatre and termly music concerts are held in the historic College Hall where everyone gets involved. The annual carol service held in Worcester Cathedral is a highlight for parents and pupils alike. And for two nights in March a big showcase of the arts is put on (Creative ConneXions festival) to eager parents, with each class from Year 3 to 6 putting together the show themselves around a theme.

Junior and Pre-Prep pupils have the benefit of a dedicated art studio, when I visited the walls were colourfully emblazoned with an Egyptian Art and Totem Pole themes, and a rainbow array of trips and workshops are organised regularly for pupils, with a pottery and ceramics expert having been in recently doing demos.

The Music dept felt welcoming, with a fun, animated world music drumming class taking place when I visited. Many pupils play musical instruments, performing regularly in concerts as soloists and as part of regularly rehearsing school ensembles. Large numbers of pupils achieve success each term in practical music exams. Music Theory is taught as a co-curricular subject free-of-charge to all Prep School pupils who want it.

Pupils get to sing at the prestigious Worcester Cathedral

An impressive ratio of 1 in 2 pupils has music lessons here and pupils frequently go on to achieve music scholarships at 11+ at King’s Worcester, or specialist music schools, a number of these each year going on to make music their career. Concerts are a regular feature of school life and all pupils take part as members of the choirs or ensembles.

LITTLIES

The Nursery is a bright, modern space that has been expanded into an adjacent house bought by the school, and is organised into Cygnets (2 and 3 year olds) and Swans (3 and 4 year olds). Nursery was only added ito KSA’s offering in 2019 so it’s a very recent addition to the school.

Learning here feels relaxed and fun, centered around child-led topics and the staff believe in lots of play. The children regularly immerse themselves in real life experiences (think Kidzania in a school!) where they get hands on with everything from hatching chicks and trying on firefighters’ helmets to meeting police on special visits.

There were some vibrant displays on the walls, a charming little Early Years library, and whilst I was there children were bagging up biscuits they’d baked for their mums. Other plus points are specialist teaching in French, Music and PE and there is a dedicated TA for each year in Prep-Prep.

And ***hot off the press*** as we published Muddy learnt that the King’s Worcester Nurseries Group as a whole has been recognised as one of the Top 20 nursery groups in the UK (by Daynurseries.co.uk) for the third consecutive year – an impressive accolade.

There is a fairly small but welcoming courtyard garden which the kids seemed to love running around in. Younger years also have the chance to spend time in the Forest School here, the only purpose-built one in Worcester, where a healthy dose of risk taking is encouraged. There’s no cotton-wool balling at KSA, children are expected to bung on their wellies and go out whatever the weather.

ACADEMICS

KSA has a robust academic reputation, with dedicated specialist teachers and a strong focus on getting the best academically out of kids. In terms of admissions there is gently selective ethos however, with an entrance test from Year 3. The school makes a point of looking for work ethic and a willingness to try, not just academic prowess. The vast majority of children here do go on to King’s Worcester Senior School, with occasionally one or two moving to local free grammar schools.

Looking for a scholarship? Scholarships of up to 20% of the fees are available on application when joining Years 4 or 5.

HEAD

Head Nick Hawker took over from previous incumbent Richard Chapman in 2023, who had been at the school for 8 years. Previously acting head of the prestigious Salisbury Cathedral School he lives on site and is married with two small children.

He brings a strong love of music and the arts to King’s St Alban’s, holding a Music degree from Birmingham, much of his earlier career took place in Cornwall, where he was a choral lay clerk at Truro Cathedral.

Hawker puts an emphasis on the importance of challenging the children to be their best selves, but also champions the need to nurture happy children, keen that King’s St Alban’s remains a really inclusive place for all abilities, from the sports field to the stage.

PASTORAL

Strong provision, as mentioned above. Years 3, 5 and 6 all take part in Mindfulness lessons where they learn coping strategies for life with two fully qualified staff. The school is also currently working towards The Wellbeing Award for Schools, as well as having a nattily named ‘Wellbeing Wednesday’ every week, so it seems really committed to building on its current, good offering. A Counsellor based in the Senior School is also made available for older pupils.

SEN PROVISION

The school offers specialist SEN provision to pupils who need it, at the time of our visit there were 34 SEN registered pupils. There is in-class and small group support for those children who have additional learning needs. This support is decided by a process of regular assessment with teachers and other agencies. There is no charge for this provision.

TECH / MOBILE PHONES

Although pupils are strongly discouraged from bringing mobile phones to school, as a lot of children travel in it is left down to the individual family to decide, but phones must be kept with the child and switched off whilst at school. If a child is caught using a mobile phone during the school day, it is taken seriously and parents are contacted.

In terms of school tech, all children in Years 5 and 6 have access to a school provided iPad which is dedicated to them and they can take between lessons, Years 3 and 4 have a shared bank of iPads each and Pre-Prep have a bank of iPads with keyboards for shared use. Classrooms appear to have a good standard of tech at initial glance, with interactive whiteboards, and a green screen and VR are even used to support lessons.

All children have one dedicated lesson in computing per week as well as easy access to online resources in lessons.

QUIRKS

There is a delightfully little Hogwarts-y chapel here where pupils can get stuck into hymn and chamber choir practice before heading over the road to do it for real at the grand Worcester Cathedral. Every Friday there is a Celebration Assembly in to applaud pupils who have excelled at something.

ISIS REPORT

The King’s Foundation ISI Report can be found here.

TRANSPORT

KSA offers a minibus/coach service to the school from surrounding towns and villages, including Kempsey, Claines, Lower Broadheath, Pershore and Evesham, so getting here is a cinch. But do be aware that this service is only for Year 3 upwards.

WRAPAROUND CARE

There is good wraparound care here, with parents able to drop off from 7.45am and return until 6pm, at no extra cost.

FEES

Fees in reception start at £2,659, Year 1 £2,956, Year 2 £3,057, Year 3 £3,278, Year 4 £4,379, Year 5 £4,578 and Year 6 £4,811.

WORD ON THE GROUND

A common theme for praise at the school is the kindness of teachers and the overall feeling that staff really make an effort to get to know the children as individuals here. Parents describe it as a ‘happy, nurturing place’ suited to an academic child but also one that will build up an individual child’s confidence if they need a bit of help.

MUDDY VERDICT

GOOD FOR:

The vibe is informal and friendly, but academically strong – not an easy mix to pull off. Good for well-rounded kids – KSA fosters a can-do attitude and won’t pigeon-hole your child as just sporty or arty. If you want a Prep-with-benefits education you’re in luck, the school shares all the facilities of a top Senior School. Anyone wanting a supportive school with a strong pastoral scene.

NOT FOR:

Obsessively outdoorsy types really wanting a ‘Famous Five’ flavour rural experience, ultimately it is a city centre school. Anyone needing the added flexibility of boarding, KSA is a day school.

Want to know more?

Don’t just take our word for it, join teachers and pupils for the Open Day on Friday 4 October 2024. Meet Head Richard Chapman and staff, and get a tour of the whole school campus. Find out more here.

King’s St Alban’s, Mill Street, Worcester, WR1 2NJ.

King’s St Alban’s, Worcester

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