Address: Overton House, 133 High Street, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire HP4 2DJ
Website: www.berkhamsted.com
Founded: 1541
Number of Pupils: approx. 2,000
Ages: 3-18
Fees: Day Pupils (Reception–Sixth Form) £4,334-£9,938; Boarding Pupils £16,391 (full), £13,715 (weekly). Please refer to our website for the full fee breakdown, including information on VAT.
Head Teacher: Richard Backhouse (Principal), Karen O’Connor (Day Nursery and Pre-Prep, Interim Head of Prep), Emma Watson (Berkhamsted Girls), Tom Hadcroft (Berkhamsted Boys), Nick Cale (Berkhamsted Sixth)
Religious Affiliation: Church of England
Contact: Louise Aspell, Admissions; 01442 358001
Email: admissions@berkhamstedschool.
School Visits: Prospective parents and their children are warmly invited to visit Berkhamsted.
Open Events: Spring and Autumn.
Discover more: www.berkhamsted.com/open-events/
Watch the video…
Curriculum
All pupils are supported and encouraged to reach their full potential, with appropriate teaching environments for each age group and a structure that offers the best of both co-educational and single-sex tuition. Up to eleven subjects may be taken for GCSE. In Sixth Form, courses are offered in 28 subjects, alongside an Enrichment Programme with the option to complete an Extended Project Qualification. Pupils are prepared for university entrance, including Oxbridge. Careers guidance and personal tutoring are offered throughout.
Games & The Arts
Key sports for Girls are Lacrosse, Netball and Tennis, and for Boys, Rugby, Football and Cricket. Athletics, Badminton, Cross-Country, Equestrian, Eton Fives, Golf, Hockey, Judo, Rowing, Shooting, Squash and Swimming are also pursued with team games and regional and national squads.
Duke of Edinburgh Awards, CCF, community service, work experience and Young Enterprise are all offered, alongside a wide range of clubs, societies, or courses. Regular school theatre productions, orchestral and choral concerts achieve high standards of performance. The Girls and Boys School come together for a range of these activities.
Pastoral Care
The main social and pastoral units are within the Houses, from the Head of House and House Tutors, providing continuity of support and advice, whilst monitoring each individual pupil’s progress. The Deputy Heads, alongside the Pupil Wellbeing and Personal Development team, support teaching staff across the whole school in implementing a proactive strategy that focuses primarily on keeping pupils well and looking for early signs of potential issues. There is a Medical Centre with qualified staff. The School Medical Officer has special responsibility for boarders. Qualified Counsellors are available to all pupils for confidential counselling. The School also has a full-time Chaplain.
University Places
In 2024, leavers secured themselves places at some of the world’s leading Universities with 8 students going on to Oxbridge. Other destinations included, St Andrews, Imperial College London, Durham and Bath.
Head Teacher’s Philosophy
Outstanding Characteristics
- A family of Schools with a long history and proud traditions, yet with a firm eye on current best educational practice and offering leading-edge teaching technology
- Excellent academic standards without being academic hothouses
- Extensive co-curricular programme
- House system placing academic progress and pastoral care at the centre of each child’s education
- Offering a ‘Diamond model’ of teaching, with co-educational and single-sex tuition for boys and girls providing the best of both worlds in one family of Schools
- The Berkhamsted family of Schools has all the advantages of access to large school resources with a small school sense of community and individual care
- Wrap Around Care and the option of flexible, weekly, or full boarding, coach routes and holiday camps on offer during the school holidays
- Within easy reach of London by road or public transport
