Fees per term (2023–2024). Day (including lunch) £8,600, Full Boarding £14,530, Weekly Boarding £12,265. Fees include additional charges for curriculum expenses and additional contributions towards basic sports trips and visits.
Overview. With its aims of instilling values and inspiring minds, Mill Hill School offers education to boys and girls aged 13–18 and offers day places, weekly and full boarding. Mill Hill School seeks to equip pupils for life, both now and in the future. Its stimulating academic environment and numerous activities outside the classroom encourage learning and personal growth. They are committed to the development of every pupil and believe that their friendly and supportive community helps this to happen. Situated in Mill Hill, the school occupies a magnificent 115 acres of beautiful grounds, just 10 miles from Central London with easy access to underground and main line stations.
The grounds provide a spacious setting for the academic buildings and boarding and day houses and offer extensive facilities for sports and activities. A part of the Mill Hill Education Group, a charitable collection of independent schools.
Houses. There are 888 pupils in the school, of whom 115 are boarders. Weekly and Full boarding is available for entry at Year 9, Year 10 and Sixth Form. There are four Boarding Houses and eight Day Houses, all of which have been recently refurbished.
Boarding. Full boarders have a large range of activities and workshops on Saturday mornings. These sessions are also optional for day and weekly boarding pupils.
The boarding community is co-educational and multi-cultural. This allows pupils to gain a greater understanding and respect for people of any gender, all races, faiths and nationalities, enabling pupils to welcome diversity of opinions. Pupils are encouraged to develop moral integrity and the confidence to stand up for what they believe in, which enables them to make a positive influence in their lives at school and beyond.
Admission. The main entry point is at 13+, with the majority of pupils joining from Belmont Mill Hill Prep. External candidates are selected on the basis of assessments, a Head’s reference and interviews.
Pre-testing for external candidates is offered in Year 6 for unconditional places at Year 9 (13+) entry. For Year 6 Track candidates there are two assessment rounds. The first round involves computer-based assessments of aptitude in verbal, non-verbal reasoning and numerical skills. Results are age-standardised, enabling us to accurately compare candidates born at different times of the year. Round two sees the candidates complete group interviews, a team working task and a creative writing activity. Only chance vacancies apply to Year 8 Track prospective 13+ pupils, with candidates registering their interest in the Autumn Term and a waiting list being drawn up based on computer-based assessments, school reports, references and interviews.
Sixth Form (16+) Entry: Admission to the Sixth Form is based on an entry requirement of five GCSE passes, at least two at Grade 7 plus three at Grade 6, together with at least Grade 5 in Mathematics and English, or equivalent qualifications or written examinations for overseas pupils, as appropriate. More detailed entry requirements for specific A Level courses are given in the School’s Sixth Form Curriculum Guide. Candidates unable to offer the range or number of subjects required (e.g. some overseas candidates) will be considered on their individual academic merit. In 2023, the School introduce the Level 3 BTEC in sport. This pathway is designed to support pupils within elite sporting programmes and has an entry criteria of 5 level 5s.
Selection is made on the basis of predicted grades, a general interview with a senior member of the School, and a reference from the candidate’s present school. Offers made are conditional on meeting the entry requirements detailed above. International candidates are interviewed either in person or online. All pupils with English as a second language will be asked to sit an EAL paper and a spoken English interview. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of examinations and subsequent interviews in the Autumn Term.
Curriculum. The School’s academic curriculum is broad, flexible and forward-looking. It is designed to encourage pupils’ intellectual curiosity, sound learning and a spirit of inquiry in the pursuit of academic excellence. The curriculum seeks to enable pupils to acquire core knowledge and skills in English, Mathematics, Science and a Modern Language, and to develop their own particular academic interests. It also incorporates a full programme of Personal, Social and Health Education, appropriate guidance and information for pupils on subject choices, higher education and careers.
Music, Drama and Art. The Creative Arts have a long and successful tradition at Mill Hill School and are a key part of the academic curriculum. In addition to achieving excellent results in public examinations, relevant academic departments have a high success rate in preparing pupils for further study in the Arts.
Alongside academic successes, there is a substantial and varied programme of co-curricular activities in these subjects. The Art Department offers multiple facilities and a teaching staff with knowledge and expertise in many disciplines. Pupils are encouraged to develop their interest and skills in painting and drawing, moving image, photography, printmaking, sculpture and textiles.
In addition to the extensive range and number of Drama performances relating to examination courses, there are multiple school productions each year, ranging from Shakespeare to musicals. A highlight is the biennial Inter-House Drama Festival, which attracts hundreds of pupil participants, including actors, directors, and playwrights.
The School’s Music Department arranges an extensive programme of concerts, competitions, and recitals throughout the year, some of which include recitals by professional performers. Individual tuition in most instruments and singing is available from high-quality specialist teachers. There are also a large number of musical ensembles, these include several orchestras and bands, two jazz ensembles, four choirs and numerous ad hoc pupil bands and chamber ensembles.
Sport. Mill Hill School is renowned for its sporting excellence, aiming to equip Millhillians for a healthy life now and in the future. Achieved through the dual stream approach; ‘Fit for Performance’ and ‘Fit for Life’. Every pupil, regardless of physical ability or experience, is encouraged to participate in both competitive and non-competitive sports and activities. The core sports for boys are rugby, hockey, football and cricket, and for girls are hockey, netball, and cricket. Elective sport opportunities include athletics, badminton, basketball, climbing, cross country, dance, Eton Fives, golf, rugby 7s, swimming, table tennis, tennis, triathlon volleyball and yoga. For most able pupils, there is an innovative Sports Scholarship programme where pupils have access to the Performance Department, which includes a full-time Physiotherapist, Nutritionist, Mental Skills Coach and two Strength & Conditioning Coaches. Junior Sports Scholars work alongside the Performance Department during their time-tabled sessions in the week, whilst the Senior Sports Scholars have their own individual mentors who work with them on a one-to-one basis, designing individual programmes and workshops.
There are a range of awards and Bursaries available for talented sporting pupils, designed to supplement the home-grown talent. Through the continued commitment to delivering an outstanding coaching provision and drive for pupil progression, there has been a unique portfolio developed of partnerships with professional clubs and coaches across many sports. The impressive list of full-time coaches includes an England & Mavericks netball player, Saracens Premiership rugby player, Middlesex County Cricket Coach, Tottenham Hotspur Premiership Academy Coaches, Great Britain Hockey Coach, Great Britain athlete, and PGA Advanced Golf Pro, alongside club partnerships, which include Saracens Rugby, Middlesex Cricket, Hampstead & Westminster Hockey Club and Tottenham Hotspur FC. The links pupils have with professional players and coaches ensures that they receive the highest level of support, driving innovation and collaboration.
The School’s facilities are both extensive and impressive; they include: a modern sports complex incorporating a recently refurbished indoor sports hall; indoor cricket nets; a fully-equipped fitness suite and conditioning centre. There is also a newly laid floodlit AstroTurf; 25 metre swimming pool; three fives courts; six outdoor tennis courts; four netball courts; an indoor golf teaching suite incorporating a golf simulator and an outdoor golf centre; and numerous cricket, football and rugby pitches across the 115-acre site.
Scholarships and Bursaries. Scholarships and Bursaries. Scholarships are available to pupils entering the Fourth and Sixth Forms (Years 9 and 12) at both 13+ and 16+. Awards are allocated to pupils showing exceptional talent in a variety of areas, both in the classroom and on the sports field. Academic, Music, Drama, Art, Design Technology and Sports Awards are available.
Academic Scholarship candidates are identified through sitting exams in English, Mathematics, Science, French and Latin (optional). Candidates are called back for interviews on the strength of their scores. A Full Academic Award may be given, or single-subject awards may be made. It is important to highlight that there is no fee remission associated with Scholarships, the primary benefit being the increased level of support, challenge and provision that is offered to successful applicants.
Means-tested bursaries are available to new entrants to the School. These are intended to extend the benefits of a Mill Hill education to pupils whose families would not otherwise be able to afford the School’s fees. Bursary awards are made by the Court of Governors upon the recommendation of the Foundation Bursary Committee.
Further information can be found on the School website.
Charitable status. Mill Hill Education Group is the brand name for The Mill Hill School Foundation, a Registered Charity, number 1064758.