Developing remarkable people
A family of leading independent schools based in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, offering high quality education and care for boys and girls aged 5 months to 18 years.
Welcome to Berkhamsted School
We are committed to the thriving of young people in our care – their development, their membership (with their parents) of our community, and their flourishing within a culture which is ambitious and accepting. I know that your time is precious so I recommend you start with the short film below which explains our ethos and aspirations for our pupils.
I hope this provides a useful launchpad for your exploration of our schools and helps you as you seek the best future for your child.
Martin Walker
Principal Berkhamsted Schools Group
Read moreSchool Journey
The perfect environment for very young children to take their first steps into the wider world.
Read moreDay Nursery
Age 0 – 3 Co-Ed
A supportive, family community which fosters a strong sense of belonging.
Read morePrep
Age 7 – 11 Co-Ed
Our role is to inspire, support and foster a love of learning.
Read moreHeatherton
Age 2 – 4 Co-Ed Nursery4 – 11 Girls
Exceptional single-sex classroom education with co-educational opportunities for boys.
Read moreBoys
Age 11 – 16Day & Boarding
Where girls flourish academically while allowing them to experience co-educational opportunities.
Read moreGirls
Age 11 – 16Day & Boarding
A dynamic and diverse community that offers a stimulating and supportive environment.
Read moreSixth
Age 16 – 18 Co-EdDay & Boarding
Single sex or co-ed?
Can you really ‘have it all’? At Berkhamsted we offer families the opportunity to join our community from 5 months in our Day Nursery providing a through educational journey to Sixth Form at 18. Often choices need to be made – but not at Berkhamsted – you can have it all!
Big or small?
Within our Group of Schools, we can offer all the facilities of a large School of 2,000 pupils – a sports centre with 25m pool and astro, an outdoor centre with high ropes, and a theatre. However, as each of our Schools are located on their own campus with the largest at 550 pupils, they are small enough to ensure that every individual pupil is known and can flourish within a secure, nurturing environment. Our campuses also change to be suitable for each curriculum stage, meaning that a pupil who starts at our Nursery will feel like they have been through a changing school journey without feeling that they have ‘outgrown’ their environment by the time they reach our Sixth Form.
Day or boarding?
Berkhamsted has a small boarding community of pupils from the UK and abroad. Many of our families enjoy the flexibility that our boarding facility provides for busy families, with the ability to offer early breakfast or supper or the possibility of emergency overnight care, if needed. Our boarding houses offer flexi opportunities from Year 7 with weekly and full boarding from Year 9.
Town or country?
The School is situated within the idyllic Chiltern Hills market town of Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire with a local community vibe similar to the ‘London village atmosphere’ that our London families enjoy; yet it is only 30minutes direct from London Euston and under 40minutes by car from both Heathrow and Luton airports – making it an easy commutable town. Our location has the benefits of being in a bustling town, with easy access to the countryside.
Old or new?
Berkhamsted’s history dates back to 1541 when it was founded by John Incent, Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, with our original Old Hall still at the heart of our community. But we are a forward-looking modern school. A dual focus on teaching IT skills alongside an immersive use of IT to enhances learning experiences from Pre-Prep through to Prep, where from Year 5 pupils are issued with their own personal Microsoft Surface Device. Our teaching staff have developed a curriculum that encourages pupils to understand how best to utilise technology as part of their learning. In 2025 we will open a new Sixth Form, focused on providing an environment which bridges the move between school and university or the workplace. Our classrooms will facilitate the ‘Harkness style’ of learning where the teacher will join the group at a boardroom table for a more discursive way of teaching, and the café will be a place where both staff and pupils can relax and develop working relationships as they would in any workplace.
All rounder or academic?
It is hard to tell when your child is young what type of young adult they will grow up to be. The earliest years are where the foundations for future success are cemented, meaning our children are nurtured to become independent, confident leaders of their own learning. Leadership opportunities are plentiful from 3 years old with an emphasis on personal and social development. As our children mature and move between our sites, Berkhamsted offers pupils the opportunity to become academically ambitious through various extension societies including leadership and debating. In addition, the school offers strong Oxbridge entry programmes. Pupils may decide that they wish to develop their creative side through Drama opportunities from their first performance in Reception through to A Level or put their energy into Sport – for which Berkhamsted is currently ranked 7th in the country. The School also offers an established Duke of Edinburgh programme led by our own Outdoor Education team. These opportunities allow your child to have an all-round and ambitious education which we believe is what develops remarkable people.
New Sixth Form
Our newly opened Sixth Form Centre offers state-of the-art education facilities for generations of Berkhamsted students.
Find out morePlease read more about our Anti-Modern Slavery policy in our 2025 statement:
News
Berkhamsted Group, Boys, Day Nursery, Girls, Heatherton, Pre-Prep, Prep, Sixth Form | 17.04.2026
Martin Walker begins role as Principal of Berkhamsted Schools Group
Read
Last term, pupils from Years 10, 11 and @berkhamstedsixth came together for our student-led Academic Gala, a celebration of research, ideas and scholarly ambition across @berkhamstedschools. ✨
From HPQ presentations and a lively Year 11 debate, to talks on entrepreneurship and real-world business experience, our pupils spoke with insight, confidence and passion. 💡
The evening’s theme was “Entrepreneurship and Innovation,” linking character development gained through academic study to the experience of starting and running a business.
Our keynote speaker, Julia Yule (co-founder of the wellness brand @bloomandblossom), inspired pupils with three key messages: confidence grows after you start, stay disciplined, and always be kind.
A huge well done to our Sixth Form academic committee for organising such a dynamic and thought-provoking event and to every pupil who presented, debated and contributed.
#BerkhamstedSchool #AcademicGala
@berkhamstedgirls @berkhamstedboys
Another exemplary display from our @berkhamstedccf cadets in our annual Yates Drill.
📸Photo credit: Alex L in Year 13 @berkhamstedsixth
What’s Mr Walker’s favourite school lunch? His favourite animal? And the one superpower he’d choose? 👀
Our Berkhamsted pupils put these big questions to our new Principal…
Watch the video to hear his answers 🎥
🎙️ New Podcast Episode
As Martin Walker steps into his new role as Principal at the Berkhamsted Schools Group, we explore his journey into leadership, his passion for community, and his vision for the future of education.
From his early days as Head of Sixth to leading the School today, Martin reflects on the experiences that have shaped his approach to leadership, the importance of empowering others, and how innovation and tradition can work hand in hand.
Listen now via the link in our bio to hear Martin’s insights on inspiring students and staff, and what lies ahead for Berkhamsted.
#Berkhamsted #SchoolLeadership #EducationPodcast #BerkhamstedSchool
Did you know that Berkhamsted School offers an extensive coach service? 🚌
We cover the areas of Beaconsfield, Gerrards Cross, Amersham, Hemel Hempstead, St Albans, Harpenden and the Chalfonts. 📍
New routes are being added from Eastcote, Farnham Common, Northwood Hills, Pinner, Ruislip, Radlett and Stoke Poges. 🚍
We offer chaperoned routes for younger pupils from Amersham and St Albans and a late coach service, so pupils don`t miss out on after-school clubs. 👩👦
Contact our Admissions team on 01442 358001 to find out more. 📞
Our Year 12 students spent the day at the @williamsf1official Grove HQ, gaining first‑hand insight into the teamwork, precision and innovation behind elite engineering. A fantastic and inspiring visit!
Looking to explore STEM further? Williams are hosting a STEM event for 8–16 year olds at @silverstonemuseum on 8–9 April.
Happy Easter to everyone in the Berkhamsted community 🐣
This term, @berkhamstedprep pupils found their voice with support from @berkhamstedsixth 🎤
After training with public speaking expert @katehempsall , our Year 12 students led inspiring oracy workshops for Year 6, building their confidence through games, teamwork and public speaking challenges. From icebreakers to live speeches, pupils developed key communication skills to support their transition to Senior School.
Putting their new oracy skills into practice, Year 6 wrote and performed their own speeches and even took on a 30-second speaking challenge, thinking on their feet while keeping their audience engaged.
The training culminated with six Year 6 pupils bravely taking to the stage at the Sixth Form Assembly in the Centenary Theatre, sharing their speeches in front of 500 Sixth Formers. Parents were invited to watch, and our Year 12 oracy mentors sat in the very front row to cheer their mentees on. 👏
For Year 12, the Oracy workshop has been a powerful undertaking. Not only have students connected with the younger years and become Year 6’s personal cheerleaders, but they’ve also built valuable skills in preparing, practising and delivering a workshop session. This will be vital practise for our Sixth students’ university or working life. “It’s been useful for us to practise working within little pairs and teams, making a presentation and presenting with people. That’s not a skill that we do very often,” Theo reflected.
Aima U from Year 6 commented: “I think I did pretty well, and I was confident speaking. I used facial expressions to show different points. At first, I was nervous in front of the older children but once I went up, I was fine.”
The Oracy workshop was a fantastic example of collaboration across our Schools, with both year groups learning skills for life.
#BerkhamstedSchool #Oracy #BerkhamstedPrep #BerkhamstedSixth
A spectacular afternoon of music at our Orchestral, Concerto & Choral Concert in Deans’ Hall! 🎶
We were delighted to hear stunning performances from our Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra and Senior Choir, joined by @oldberkhamstedians , staff, parents, friends, and members of the @bridgewatersinfonia.
A huge congratulations to our soloists:
Emma (Oboe), Sean (Piano), Bea (Violin), Georgie (Soprano) and Oscar (Baritone).
Programme highlights included:
• Symphony No. 41 “Jupiter” — Mozart (arr. Isaac)
• Oboe Concerto in D minor — Marcello
• A Tribute to Rodgers & Hammerstein — arr. Moss
• Piano Concerto No. 2 in F major (Movement II) — Shostakovich
• An American in Paris Suite — Gershwin (arr. Whitney)
• Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor (Movement I) — Bruch
• March from Carmen — Bizet (arr. Woodhouse)
• Fauré Requiem — Senior Choir & Chamber Orchestra
A wonderful celebration of musical talent across our community. 🌟
What a remarkable decade!
Thank you to our outgoing Principal, Richard Backhouse, for ten years of dedicated service to Berkhamsted School. His leadership has been defined by integrity, innovation and a deep commitment to our community.
We wish him every success in his next chapter with RS Academics.
A cracking first! 🥚🏃♂️
Our inaugural Egg & Spoon Race did not disappoint… and it definitely wasn’t a cheep victory! 🐣
Mr. Mackay handed out red cards for sneaky thumbs‑on‑eggs cheats!
Loxwood, Swifts and Fry’s battled it out in an eggcellent final, with everyone coming out flying and no flapping about when it mattered most.
🥇 Fry’s took home the golden spoon trophy! A truly eggstra‑special effort from all involved.
We are incredibly proud of our three teams who competed in the recent Rotary Technology Tournament alongside many other schools. All of our students demonstrated outstanding problem-solving, creativity, and teamwork while designing and building their working solutions.
Special congratulations to our Year 8 boys’ team, who achieved second place in their category, and to our Year 10 mixed team, who won the overall Team Prize — a fantastic achievement for everyone involved!
@berkorotary
@berkodt
@rotarygbi
