Berkhamsted School (girls)

Since 2025, Jo Vila. Since joining the Berkhamsted group of schools in 2014, she has been director of sport and deputy head of co-curricular.

Head of co-ed sixth form since 2024 is Nick Cale. He joined Berkhamsted in 2008, where he has been head

School has diamond structure, so prep and sixth form are both co-ed, with single sex education in between. Eighty places up for grabs for girls in year 7, joining the 40 prep school girls moving up (no entrance exam for the prep pupils from 2025

Around 15 per cent head off after GCSEs. Vast majority of sixth formers to uni, half to Russell Group. Currently popular are Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Exeter and Durham. Wide range of courses, with economics, business studies, psychology and

In 2025, 75 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 57 per cent A*/A at A level (82 per cent A*-B).

‘School seeks good results but, more than that, the development of the whole child,’ summed up a parent. So, leadership training, enrichment, encouragement around extracurricular and one-to-one coaching all in a day’s work. Girls are shown how to

Lots of CPD for teachers ‘because we don’t want SEN support to be a bolt-on’. Every department, eg maths, has a SEN representative who is tasked with staying on top of the latest research and bringing in relevant questions for the SENCo (who is

New head of music reckoned to have given the department ‘a new lease of life’. Was needed, say parents. School wants to increase music scholarship applications: ‘Everyone knows it’s a sporty school but the perception lags when it comes to music.’

Lacrosse and netball bring home the most silverware – and we’re talking tons of it – plus, increasingly, cricket. Football on the up – ‘How could it not be after the success of the Euros?’ points out school (a few girls play high-level football

Current push on flexi and occasional boarding (available from year 7, and weekly from year 9) – school even encourages the girls to give it a go with a friend! As it is, three-quarters of boarders are full-time international students in sixth form.

Proactive pastoral approach includes the aforementioned coaching delivered by tutors and a solid vertical house system that gives a big-sister feel. Parents talk of a ‘family feel’ where ‘girls are known individually’. Lots of talks to keep eg eating

Quite a white (though ethnic diversity is steadily improving), affluent school – certainly no shortage of posh cars, though most travel in on foot, by bike or by the coach load from a 40-mile radius. But parents are friendly and, in the main,

Academic, drama, music and sports scholarships at 11+, 13+ and 16+. School has links with Chiltern Hills Academy and its five schools, taking on 11+ leavers into sixth form on full bursaries every year. Other means-tested bursaries available, but

Most choose Berko for its broader offering and value added, and we found a solid pastoral focus too. It’s all driven by a coaching mentality that’s really quite impressive in action. Diamond structure suits parents for whom single-sex education