A glimpse into boarding life at Berkhamsted Girls

Thank you for your interest in joining our boarding community at Berkhamsted Girls School.

We would like to share a few videos to provide a further insight into life at our School and in our Boarding House.

Boarding at Berkhamsted

Our valued and diverse boarding community benefit from flexi, weekly and full boarding in Houses which are based in the market town and extremely close to the School. These Houses allow the pupils to enjoy the full and rewarding experience of a UK Day School, while benefitting from a wonderful level of support and care from our dedicated boarding House Teams. Our boarders enjoy a real home away from home while developing independent skills in a nurturing and inspiring environment – the perfect bridge between School and University.

The boarding provision at Berkhamsted begins at aged 11+ for flexi-boarding (Year 7 upwards) and full and weekly boarding from ages 13+, 14+ and 16+ (from Year 9, Year 10 and Year 12 – into Sixth Form).

Please do contact us if you have any questions. Our Admissions Team will be happy to help.

Please call us on 01442 358001 or e-mail: (International pupils) internationaladmissions@berkhamsted.com; (UK boarding) admissions@berkhamsted.com 

 

Boarding life at Berkhamsted

As a boarder at Berkhamsted, you will experience life at a traditional English independent day school as a member of a small, diverse boarding community of around 100 pupils.

Boarding Admissions Information
Welcome from the Principal

Welcome from the Principal

To introduce the ethos and values of a Berkhamsted education, here is a welcome from our Principal, Martin Walker.

Martin Walker has been Principal of Berkhamsted Schools Group since April 2026.

Berkhamsted School Values

Welcome from the Principal

This video provides an insight into our School values through spoken word, both written and performed by pupils in Year 9 and 10. Our School values are:

Aim High with Integrity, Be Adventurous and Serve Others.

Hear from our Boarding Community

Our rich and diverse boarding student community is supported by our wonderful parents, who are partners in their child’s journey and an integral part of what makes our school so special. The spirit of our school also extends well beyond graduation. Our former pupils, who are cherished members of our Old Berkhamstedian network, continue to inspire and support current students. They offer guidance, share their success stories, and contribute to the continued growth of our school.

These videos are examples of our wider Boarding Community and what an impact boarding at Berkhamsted can have on all involved.

St John’s Boarding student
Old Berkhamstedian
Old Berkhamstedian
Hear from Ada – current St John’s House Captain
Hear from Amelia – one of our former students
Hear from Michelle, how boarding shaped her career

Meet our Co-Heads of St John’s Boarding House

Jessica Thackray - Co-Head of St John's Boarding House (Girls)

Jessica Thackray – Co-Head of St John’s Boarding House (Girls)

Jessica joined the School as a Drama teacher in 2016. Alongside being Co-Head of St John’s, she also holds the post of Head of Cox’s House at the Boys School, which she has done for five years.

Andrew Ottaway - Co-Head of St John's Boarding House (Girls)

Andrew Ottaway – Co-Head of St John’s Boarding House (Girls)

Andrew joined Berkhamsted in 2014 and was Head of St George’s House from 2016 – 2020, before taking over as Head of Economics and Business and Co-Head of St John’s.

Our Results

And, if you have not seen our results details on the website yet, please click here to read more about the remarkable achievements of our pupils.

 

Berkhamsted House System

Berkhamsted Girls is composed of Houses. In which every individual receives pastoral support and academic guidance. Houses are made up of pupils from different year groups from Year 7 to Year 11, and are the centre of pupils’ lives, providing a sense of belonging and encouraging self-confidence. Our Houses provide an environment for cooperation and competition, with Inter-House competitions, music, quizzes, debating and sport. Students regularly fundraise for charity within their House. Here is an example of House Performing Arts:

Berkhamsted House System

Creative Arts at Berkhamsted School

Berkhamsted School provides a rich and varied array of opportunities for pupils to explore and develop their talents in Music, Art and Drama. With a mix of ensembles, performances, productions, and competitions, students have the chance to engage in the arts in both structured and creative ways, whether they are looking to pursue these areas professionally or as a personal passion.

Music Opportunities at Berkhamsted
Drama Productions at Berkhamsted
Studying Art at Berkhamsted
Hear how music inspires and enriches our students
Behind the scenes at Shrek The Musical production
Exploring our outstanding Art provision

Sport at Berkhamsted

We are proud of the breadth of sport offering throughout the School and also the number of teams we are able to field each term offering the majority of our pupils the chance to play a competitive match.

In January 2025, School Sport Magazine ranked Berkhamsted as the 7th best UK Sports School of 2024. This prestigious publication celebrates excellence in school sports and annually releases a list of the 200 best UK state and independent sporting schools. Our recognition in the top ten places Berkhamsted in the top 1% of the country’s sporting schools, a remarkable feat that is a testament to the combination of highly skilled, specialist, and passionate sports staff working with and alongside our focused, motivated and talented pupils.

Curriculum Overview
Netball Champions
Curriculum Overview
Netball 1st XII – Double National Champions

Preparing our students for a remarkable future

We encourage all our students to take advantage of the wide range of academic enrichment and extension opportunities on offer at Berkhamsted Girls. These include additional research projects, participating in worldwide academic competitions, joining debating societies and leadership programs.

The videos below share a taste of the exceptional support we provide our students to prepare them for their GCSE studies and looking ahead to their Sixth Form experience and life beyond Berkhamsted.

Higher Project Qualification
Digital Device Provision
STEM Networking Event
Women in Tech
Year 10 can complete an HPQ for academic stretch
The impact of Digital Devices in the classroom
An inspiring Women in STEM Event at School
Berkhamsted Girl’s recent Women in Tech Talk

“Choosing Berkhamsted was the best decision in my life.”

Hear from Kate, a former Berkhamsted boarder, on how joining Berkhamsted was one of the best decisions of her life.

Berkhamsted Girls Prospectus

Berkhamsted Sixth Prospectus

Berkhamsted Boarding Prospectus

Berkhamsted Boarding Information Prospectus

International Admissions Team

Chris Sutton - Head of Boarding and Director of International Admissions

Chris Sutton – Head of Boarding and Director of International Admissions

Please visit our Boarding Admissions page for more information.

Boarding Admissions
Jennie Peachey - International Admissions Officer

Jennie Peachey – International Admissions Officer

Please visit our Boarding Admissions page for more information.

Boarding Admissions

Discover our schools by clicking on the links below

Berkhamsted Girls

Kings Campus
Kings Rd
Berkhamsted
HP4 3BG

Berkhamsted Sixth

Sixth Form Centre
Castle Street
Berkhamsted
HP4 2BB

Berkhamsted Boys

Castle Campus
Castle St
Berkhamsted
HP4 2BB

Heatherton

10 Copperkins Ln
Amersham
HP6 5QB

Berkhamsted Prep

Doctor’s Commons Rd
Berkhamsted
HP4 3DW

Berkhamsted Pre-Prep

Chesham Rd
Berkhamsted
HP4 2SZ

Why do we love Incents? Because when the school day is over and revision is complete, we can come together and let off steam as one big (remarkably competitive) family! #boarding

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Why do we love Incents? Because when the school day is over and revision is complete, we can come together and let off steam as one big (remarkably competitive) family! #boarding

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A fantastic assembly to celebrate Chinese New Year! 🧧✨

We hope everyone enjoyed a joyful and restful break celebrating with friends and family. We’re delighted to welcome Y13s back today and look forward to seeing Y12 return tomorrow!

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A fantastic assembly to celebrate Chinese New Year! 🧧✨ We hope everyone enjoyed a joyful and restful break celebrating with friends and family. We’re delighted to welcome Y13s back today and look forward to seeing Y12 return tomorrow!

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Final day of school and what a lovely way to finish the term ✨ Last week we celebrated an early Chinese New Year ahead of half term – fantastic entertainment, delicious food, and such a lovely time spent together in Dean’s Hall. A wonderful send-off to the break! 🏮🐉

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Final day of school and what a lovely way to finish the term ✨ Last week we celebrated an early Chinese New Year ahead of half term - fantastic entertainment, delicious food, and such a lovely time spent together in Dean’s Hall. A wonderful send-off to the break! 🏮🐉

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Just a standard Saturday night at St John’s… featuring a chocolate fountain… DELICIOUS! 🍫🍓

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Just a standard Saturday night at St John’s… featuring a chocolate fountain… DELICIOUS! 🍫🍓

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🎄 Merry Christmas from St. Johns and Incents! Wishing everyone a joyful holiday season and we can’t wait to welcome all our students back in 2026 for even more boarding adventures! ✨

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🎄 Merry Christmas from St. Johns and Incents! Wishing everyone a joyful holiday season and we can’t wait to welcome all our students back in 2026 for even more boarding adventures! ✨

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Well done to Maisha and Gary for teaming up to take on their Crawford Talk! Their presentation, ‘The Existence of Free Will: What is the science behind your next choice?’, was a fantastic exploration of a really thought-provoking topic.

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Open post by berkoboarders with ID 18394627078133870
Well done to Maisha and Gary for teaming up to take on their Crawford Talk! Their presentation, ‘The Existence of Free Will: What is the science behind your next choice?’, was a fantastic exploration of a really thought-provoking topic.

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Thank you for taking a glimpse into boarding life at Berkhamsted – we hope to welcome you to visit us very soon.

If you have any questions, please contact us on 01442 358001 or email: internationaladmissions@berkhamsted.com.