Berkhamsted School

Berkhamsted School offers much to make it worthy of closer consideration: a long established reputation for excellent educational provision, high quality facilities and the extensive choice of co-educational experiences enjoyed by its pupils; an attractive location in a thriving market town with easy access to London; and a range of services that support the lives of busy families.

It is also one of only a small number of schools in the country to offer a 'diamond' structure that combines the best of both single-sex and co-educational teaching. Boys and girls are taught together until the age of 11 (Berkhamsted Pre-Prep and Berkhamsted Prep), separately from 11 - 16 (Berkhamsted Boys and Berkhamsted Girls), before coming back together again in a joint Sixth Form (Berkhamsted Sixth). In addition, the Group also has a satellite Prep School in the nearby town of Amersham, Buckinghamshire which offers a co-educational nursery and a single-sex girls Prep school through to 11 years.

Pupils across the School enjoy the benefits of being part of a small, caring community based in an environment appropriate to their specific educational needs, yet with access to the state-of-the-art facilities of a large school; a 550-seat theatre, a six-lane 25m swimming pool and sports centre with 3G astro plus a high ropes activity course through its woodland. In 2023, a new purpose built Sixth Form building will be opened on the Castle Campus site – designed with the intention of replicating a learning environment more akin to a university or workplace.

Another feature of Berkhamsted is the provision of a range of services that make life easier for parents who are juggling busy schedules; from flexible boarding options that include occasional, weekly or full boarding in high quality accommodation to a range of coach routes, 'extended day' support, day nursery provision (five months to three years) and wrap around care 50 weeks of the year. 

Academic results are consistently strong with over 88% at A*- B grade in 2021 with over 63% being at A*/A.  A strong performance at GCSE is also found with 30% achieving a Grade 9 in 2021 and 74% Grades 7-9.  Most students in recent years have been placed at either their first or second choice university.

The School prides itself on offering outstanding levels of pastoral care and, in another echo of its boarding roots, the House system is a key feature of Berkhamsted. Senior School pupils are allocated to Houses and the Head of House, supported by House Tutors, has the primary responsibility for the academic and pastoral progress of each student in their House. Over and above the close academic supervision and support, this structure provides an excellent social base for pupils, allowing them to mix and get to know others across the year groups.

At Berkhamsted, we develop remarkable people. A Berkhamsted education equips each pupil with the skills and experience they will need to succeed in the future. Our pupils leave us as resilient and ambitious young adults who have a sense of purpose and compassion, with the motivation to succeed in the next stage of their lives. We create an environment that encourages our pupils to flourish. We encourage them to be intellectually inquisitive, challenging themselves both academically and pastorally. We teach our pupils to do their best in their exams, yet we also teach them to develop a broad range of interests outside of the core curriculum. We understand that success is not always easy to achieve. We believe our pupils’ development comes through the struggle to achieve good results, whether in the classroom, on the sports pitch or on the stage.

Berkhamsted offers scholarships – academic, art, drama, music and sport – and means-tested bursaries to talented pupils on entry to the school. 

Parents are welcome to visit the School at any time: please call 01442 358001 for an appointment and a tour to appreciate what Berkhamsted can offer your child.