Michael Hall School
Kidbrooke Park, Priory Road, Forest Row, RH18 5JAOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
Michael Hall School is an all-through school in Forest Row for ages 2 to 19. It is one of the 214 schools in East Sussex. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in September 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 24 September 2024, report published 17 October 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Sixth form provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 24 September 2024
Pupils are at ease and content at Michael Hall School. The broad and rich curriculum is ambitious. It leads to pupils achieving highly in public examinations. Through the Steiner Waldorf ethos, pupils love the opportunities for imagination, creativity and exploration. Pupils' character is a strength, with sixth-form students acting as impressive role models. There is a calm environment in lessons, where pupils are immersed in staff's storytelling and presentation of ideas. Pupils are respectful, work hard and eagerly contribute. In Kindergarten, children play happily together as staff skilfully nurture children's relationships and interactions with each other. The body, soul and spirit underpin pupils' education and personal development. Pupils treat the school's natural environment with great care and adore being outside. Pupils do gardening, make soup from homegrown vegetables and produce biodynamic compost. Festivals such as Michaelmas and a range of educational visits, including overseas, greatly enhance pupils' experiences. Pupils express themselves through the arts, for example, poetry, playing in an orchestra and acting on stage in theatre productions. The annual 'Olympic Games' involves pupils mixing with other Steiner Waldorf schools where they train, play and camp together. The school community is excited for its centenary year celebrations.
What the school should improve
- The school's checks on learning are not always pinpointing the precise knowledge gaps which pupils might have. This can lead to some pupils not learning new knowledge securely enough. The school should continue to work on supporting teachers' assessment and adaptations of the taught curriculum to enable all pupils to achieve the best possible outcomes.
- Some pupils are not attending regularly enough. The school does not have a clear enough analysis of the patterns and trends in absence to tackle this robustly. This means some pupils miss out on educational and valuable social opportunities. The school should firmly establish its processes to ensure that pupils attend regularly and punctually.
Exam results
GCSE results (key stage 4), 2024/25
32 pupils in the year group
A level results (key stage 5), 2024/25
28 students
Average A level grade B-, England average B-
Pupil numbers and mix
384 pupils on roll, with places for 583
Schools near Michael Hall School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenfields School | 0.5 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Attainment 8: 14.6 |
| Brambletye School | 1 mile | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Sackville School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 46.1 |
| Cumnor House School | 4 miles | No Ofsted inspection | Not published |
| Imberhorne School | 4 miles | Ofsted: Good | Attainment 8: 45.1 |
School details
- School type
- Other independent school
- Sector
- Independent
- Age range
- 2 to 19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Principal Stuart McWilliams
- Phone
- 01342822275
- Address
- Kidbrooke Park, Priory Road, Forest Row, RH18 5JA
- Local authority
- East Sussex
- URN
- 114625
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.