The School was founded in 1690, in 1898 it was transferred from Hoxton to Hampstead and in 1961 to Aldenham Park, Elstree, Hertfordshire.
The aim of the School is the fullest possible development of the varied talents of every boy within it, and to this end a broad curriculum is provided, together with extensive facilities for the development of each boy’s cultural, physical, personal and intellectual gifts. The School sets out to achieve high academic standards and sets equally high standards in cultural and other fields. In matters of behaviour a large degree of self-discipline is expected, and of mutual tolerance between members of the School community.
Organisation. The School, which is a day school, has 120 boys in the Pre-Prep (ages 5–7) and over 200 boys in the Preparatory School (ages 7–11), and over 1000 in the Senior School (ages 11–18). There are 6 Houses. The School regards pastoral care as important; all the Heads of House, Deputy Heads of House and Heads of Section have a large responsibility in this field but so also do House Tutors and the Chaplain, as well as other members of the staff.
Forms. In the Pre-Prep School there are two forms in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 with approximately 20 boys in each form. In the Preparatory School there are three forms in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 each with about 18 boys. In the Senior School there are six forms in Years 7 and 8 with approximately 25 boys in each form. There are twelve forms in Year 9 each with about 15 boys. Years 10 and 11 are divided amongst eighteen forms each with 14–16 boys. The usual size of teaching groups in the Sixth Form is about 10–15.
Facilities. The School and its sister School, Haberdashers’ Girls’ School, enjoy the use of a campus of over 140 acres with extensive woodlands. The playing fields surround the buildings, which in the Boys’ School include the following: Assembly Hall, Dining Hall, Sixth Form Common Room, Music Auditorium, special accommodation for Classics, English (including a Drama Room), History, Geography, Mathematics, Information Technology, Modern Languages including 2 Languages Laboratories, Music School, Science and Geography Centre with 19 laboratories and 8 classrooms, a Design Centre for Art, Craft and Technology, state-of-the-art Sports Centre, Gymnasium, Indoor Swimming Pool, Climbing Wall, Squash Courts, two Artificial Grass Pitches and much more.
The Prep School is situated on the same campus in a building of its own. (For further details, see Prep School entry in IAPS section.) As of January 2023, the Pre-Prep is also situated on the same campus in a newly purpose-built building. The Curriculum up to the age of 13 is common for all, with no streaming or setting except in Mathematics in Year 8. From the age of 11 in addition to the usual subjects it includes three separate Sciences and two foreign languages which are taught as a carousel to ensure all boys have sampled all languages before making informed choices. From the age of 13, subjects are taught in sets of mixed abilities. GCSE courses start in Year 10, when boys take ten subjects. In the Sixth Form students study four subjects to AS in the Lower Sixth, narrowing to three A2 subjects in the Upper Sixth. The School takes seriously its commitment to Enrichment and Enhancement; this non-examined part of the curriculum occupies 10% of the week in both Upper and Lower Sixth. Boys are entered for the GCE examination at A Level at the age of 18 and are prepared for entry to degree courses at Universities. The wide scope of the School’s curriculum gives ample opportunity for all its boys whether preparing for University (overwhelmingly their primary interest), for a profession, for the services, or for commerce or industry. The University Applications and Careers Departments have their own modern facilities, and careers advice is readily available to parents and to boys.
Religious Education. The School is by tradition a Church of England school, but there are no religious barriers to entry and no quotas. It is part of the ethos of the School that all its members respect the deeply-held beliefs and faith of other members. The School Chaplain is available to, and holds responsibility for, all boys in the School of whatever faith. He prepares for Confirmation those who wish it, and there are weekly celebrations of Holy Communion and an annual Carol Service in St Albans Abbey. The morning assembly and class teaching, however, are non-denominational in character. Faith assemblies are held on Thursday mornings, and comprise separate meetings for Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists and Humanists.
Physical Education. A wide variety of sports is available, including Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Cricket, Cross-Country Running, Fencing, Golf, Gymnastics, Hockey, Rugby, Football, Sailing, Squash, Shooting, Swimming, Tennis, Table Tennis and Water Polo. All boys are expected to take part in physical education unless exempt on medical grounds.
Out of School Activities. The extensive range includes a period of two hours on Friday afternoon when boys can choose one of a large variety of activities of a service nature. This includes Community Service, both on the School campus and among those who need help in the surrounding district. It also includes the Combined Cadet Force, which has Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force sections, and Adventure Training.
Music and Drama. Both have a prominent place in the School. The Music School has a Recital Hall and some twelve other rooms; 20 visiting instrumental teachers between them teach 500 instrumental pupils each week covering all the normal orchestral instruments together with Piano and Organ. There is a Choir of 250, and several orchestras. For Drama the facilities include a generously equipped stage and a separate Drama Room with its own lighting and stage equipment.
School Societies. School Societies and expeditionary activities in term time and holidays include Amnesty, Archery, Art, Badminton, Bridge, Canoeing, Chess, Choral, Classical, Crosstalk, Debating, Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, Dramatics, English, Football, History, Jazz, Jewish Society, Life-saving, Life Drawing, Modern Languages, Mountaineering, Philosophical, Photography, Politics, Puzzles and Games, Rifle, Sailing, Science, Squash, Stamp Club, Windsurfing and many more.
Transport. There is a joint schools coach service providing an extensive network of routes and some 110 pick-up points, to enable boys and girls to attend the School from a wide area, and to remain for after-school activities.
Admission. Boys are admitted only at the beginning of the school year in September. They may be admitted at the age of 4 and may remain in the School until the end of the academic year in which the age of 19 is attained, subject to satisfactory progress at each stage of the course and to compliance with the School Rules currently in force. Each year approximately 36 boys are admitted at age 4, a further 18 boys at age 7, approximately 100 at age 11 and approximately 25 at age 13. There are competitive examinations including written and oral tests of intelligence, literacy and numeracy at the ages of 7 and 11, held in December for admission in the following September. Applicants aged 13 also take examinations at the beginning of January and are interviewed later in the month for entry in September. Registration Fee: £150.
An Open Day for prospective parents is held each year early in October.
Scholarships and Bursaries. A number of Academic Scholarships are awarded annually to pupils entering the Senior School. A smaller number of Creative Writing, Music, Art, Drama and Sports Scholarships are awarded each year to students who show additional special promise in these specific areas.
A significant number of means-tested Governors’ Bursaries are awarded at age 11+, valued from a few hundred pounds to full fees, depending upon financial need. Open equally to boys progressing from the Prep School and to those applying from other Schools.
Full details of all these awards are included in the prospectus available from the School Registrar who is happy to answer enquiries.
Fees per term (2023-2024). Main School £8,183 exc. lunch; Prep School (Years 3–6) £7,747 exc. lunch; Pre-Prep (Reception–Year 2) £6,384 inc. lunch.
Instrumental lessons (individual tuition) £245 per instrument; Group classes £150; Aural & Theory classes £75; Instrument hire £35.
Charitable status. The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Charity is a Registered Charity, number 313996. It exists to promote education.
Governors & Staff:
Chair of the Board of Governors: S Cartmell, OBE
Executive Principal: Mr A R Lock, MA
Headmaster: R Sykes, BA
Head of the Prep School: K Umpleby, BSc Hons
Senior Deputy Head: N Hamshaw, MA
Deputy Head Pastoral: C E Shooter, BA
Acting Deputy Head Academic: M Brennan, BA
Chief Operating Officer: R Dunn, MA
Director of Co-curricular: A J Simm, BA
Director of Teaching: J S Bown, BA
Head of the Sixth Form: G Noble, MEd
Head of the Middle School: A M Lawrence, MA
Head of the Lower School: T B Hardman, BEd
Director of Admissions: R Shaw, BA Hons
Joint Schools Director of Development: W Friar, MS
Director of Foundation: R de H Llewellyn, MA
Joint Schools Director of Marketing and Communications: A Tooley, BA
Director of People: Dr R McKenzie-Young, PhD
Director of Outreach & Partnership: J Plotkin, MA
Director of Finance and Resources. L Karfoot, BA
Heads of Department:
Academic Support: F McEwan-Cox, MEd
Art: K Barron, BA Hons
Classics: C Joyce, PhD
Computing & ICT: C Ovia, MA
Design & Technology: S Vincent, MA
Economics: J Wolfson, BSc Econ Hons
English & Drama: I D Wheeler, BA Hons
Examinations: A Thakar, BSc Hons
Geography: S C Edwards, BSc Hons
History: S P Clark, BA Hons
Libraries & Archives: T Chan, BSc Hons, MA MHLA
Mathematics: K Harrison, BSc Hons
Modern Languages: R J Thompson, BA Hons
Music: D O'Hare, BA Hons
Performance Music: T Taylor, MMus
Director of Sport: R J McIntosh, MEd
Politics: S P Clark, BA Hons
Science: G R Hobbs, PhD
Theology & Philosophy: R Davis, MA
Heads of House:
Calverts: K Barron, BA Hons
Hendersons: T Jones, BSc
Joblings: G Chapmen, PhD
Meadows: D C Taberner, MSc
Russells: M Broadwith, MSc
Strouts: A F Metcalfe, BSc
Prep School:
Head: K Umpleby, BSc Hons
Deputy Head (Academic): M Best, BA Hons
Deputy Head (Pastoral): P Swindell, BA
Pre-Prep School:
Head: V Huggett, BSc