Independent Sixth Form Boarding School for Girls & Boys
Boarding at Berkhamsted offers the experience of being part of a friendly, close-knit school community at a traditional English independent day school, as well as access to outstanding facilities and resources.
As a boarder at Berkhamsted Sixth Form, you will experience life at a traditional English independent day school as a member of a small, diverse boarding community of around 100 students.
Our boarding community is a mixture of full boarders (termly), weekly boarders (Sunday – Thursday nights) and local pupils who enjoy flexi-boarding, on one or two nights a week.
Entry for flexi, weekly or full boarding is at aged 16+ (Year 12 – into Sixth Form).
The Berkhamsted Podcast
The Berkhamsted Spotlight is Berkhamsted School’s podcast channel. Our episodes feature guests from inside the classroom to behind-the-scenes of our day-to-day activities through to life beyond Berkhamsted.
Discover more about boarding life at Berkhamsted by clicking on the episode below.
Academic Excellence
We provide inspirational teaching, outstanding support with university applications and effective careers advice so that a Berkhamsted education serves as a stepping stone between school and university or the professional world.
52.7% of Berkhamsted pupils achieved an A*- A at A Level in 2024, with 81.7% achieving grades A*- B.
Read moreHome from Home
Our Boarding Houses provide a warm, friendly and secure atmosphere in which students are valued, supported, encouraged and challenged so that they can be themselves and realise their potential.
Each of our Boarding Houses is managed by a Head of House who acts ‘in loco parentis’. The Heads of House are supported by matrons and two residential tutors in providing a caring environment in which pupils can work and develop both as individuals and as part of a community.
To find out more about joining Berkhamsted as a boarder, please click on the button below.
Boarding AdmissionsBoarding Houses
The School has two boarding houses: St John’s for girls and Incents for boys. Both are located in Chesham Road within a few minutes’ walk of both Senior and Sixth Form campuses and the town centre. All bedrooms are furnished and decorated to a high standard and many are en-suite. Each House has a common room and kitchen facilities. There are large gardens shared by both Houses.
Dining facilities allow boys and girls to meet together and joint house outings are arranged on a regular basis. Boarders can also use their free private membership at the Knox-Johnston Sports Centre, which offers a fitness suite, sports hall and 25m swimming pool. Here, boarders can take part in any of the classes run in the evenings or at weekends ranging from aqua aerobics to pilates.
Boarding Options
Full boarding
This enables students to focus on academic studies while participating fully in all that the School has to offer. Boarding also offers an ideal preparation for university. At Berkhamsted, we offer a number of full-time boarding places to overseas students.
Weekly or Flexi boarding
These options offer families the added benefit of being able to fulfil work commitments during term-time knowing that their children are being cared for. It can also offer last-minute accommodation for pupils who may need support during unexpected family difficulties or to help pupils who have a long daily journey to school to spend a few nights at the boarding house to minimise the amount of time involved travelling to and from school each day.
LEAP INTO ACTION
Open Event
Ambitious go-getters who are always looking for ways to make themselves stand out from the crowd, and want to get the absolute utmost from the education and opportunities available to them.
Pupils show pronounced and highly effective study skills, appropriate to their age. Strong research skills are evident in many examples of project work, and older pupils, in particular, show excellent ability to assimilate and analyse a wide range of sources.
Clearly an academically driven department, it’s refreshing to meet the Head of Sixth and hear that the students get the support and encouragement to find and follow their own path whatever that may be – from setting up their own business or doing an apprenticeship.
I definitely recommend Berkhamsted to everybody. I personally really loved the school and hope that my children can come back as well.
A fantastic day in London today for our boarding students! Chinatown, Oxford Street and an afternoon tea onboard a London bus ✅
#brigitsbakery #london #berkhamsted #iloveboarding #bsa
A fantastic day in London today for our boarding students! Chinatown, Oxford Street and an afternoon tea onboard a London bus ✅
#brigitsbakery #london #berkhamsted #iloveboarding #bsa
A warm welcome to all the new boarders and parents to Berkhamsted School this evening. The boarding community looks forward to supporting you settle in and begin your Berkhamsted journey. #iloveboarding #berkoboarding
A warm welcome to all the new boarders and parents to Berkhamsted School this evening. The boarding community looks forward to supporting you settle in and begin your Berkhamsted journey. #iloveboarding #berkoboarding
It was a pleasure to welcome Nicole back to St. John’s today.
Nicole was at Berkhamsted from 2017 – 2019 and is now an Economic Affairs Intern at UN ESCAP (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.)
It was wonderful to catch up with Nicole and hear about her many successes since leaving the school.
It was a pleasure to welcome Nicole back to St. John’s today.
Nicole was at Berkhamsted from 2017 – 2019 and is now an Economic Affairs Intern at UN ESCAP (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.)
It was wonderful to catch up with Nicole and hear about her many successes since leaving the school.
Berko Boarding Week finishes with a BANG! A great afternoon zorbing with stunning Hertfordshire countryside views. It’s been a great week celebrating boarding at Berkhamsted as part of National Boarding Week. #nationalboardingweek #iloveboarding #berkoboarding
Berko Boarding Week finishes with a BANG! A great afternoon zorbing with stunning Hertfordshire countryside views. It’s been a great week celebrating boarding at Berkhamsted as part of National Boarding Week. #nationalboardingweek #iloveboarding #berkoboarding
Thank you to Berko Bowls Club for an excellent evening as part of Berko Boarding Week. The hosting, coaching and weather were perfect! #iloveboarding #berkoboarding
Thank you to Berko Bowls Club for an excellent evening as part of Berko Boarding Week. The hosting, coaching and weather were perfect! #iloveboarding #berkoboarding
Garden games, campfire and s’mores for the boarding community this evening! #iloveboarding #nationalboardingweek
Garden games, campfire and s’mores for the boarding community this evening! #iloveboarding #nationalboardingweek
Thoroughly enjoyed our evening at the Art, DT and Photography event last night. A special well done to Ting, Ada, Melissa, Amber and Tiffany for all of your hard work. It was incredible to see all of the incredible projects on display! @berkoart @berkodt ⭐️ 🎨 📷 🖼️ ⭐️
Thoroughly enjoyed our evening at the Art, DT and Photography event last night. A special well done to Ting, Ada, Melissa, Amber and Tiffany for all of your hard work. It was incredible to see all of the incredible projects on display! @berkoart @berkodt ⭐️ 🎨 📷 🖼️ ⭐️
A fun afternoon on the high ropes as part of National Boarding Week.
National Boarding Week – Picnic and bubble tea!
We enjoyed a spot of painting in the garden to celebrate #nationalboardingweek last night! Picasso, watch out! 🖼️
We enjoyed a spot of painting in the garden to celebrate #nationalboardingweek last night! Picasso, watch out! 🖼️
Final Year 13 pizza night to help the revise for the final A Level exams this week!
Last night, we invited teaching staff up to the boarding houses to mark the start of #nationalboardingweek ⭐️ Boarding is such a special part of life at Berkhamsted and it was great to see so many staff coming up celebrate with us! ⭐️
Last night, we invited teaching staff up to the boarding houses to mark the start of #nationalboardingweek ⭐️ Boarding is such a special part of life at Berkhamsted and it was great to see so many staff coming up celebrate with us! ⭐️
