Ages 
On the school crest is the martlet, a bird always on the wing – an apposite symbol for unremitting effort, so highly valued, whether in academic, sporting or co-curricular life. This, combined with new academic rigour and an ethos of developing confidence and leadership, equips pupils for life beyond the classroom. ‘There’s no ceiling on what you can achieve if you want to do well,’ says parent. ‘They find that thing which makes each child shine bright, then polish it.’
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Overview & data
- Pupil numbers
- 894 ·
- Sixth form numbers
- 353 ·
- Offers boarding
- Yes ·
- Religion
- None
- Fees
- Day: £30,450 pa; Boarding: £43,710 - £52,320 pa
- Local authority
- London Borough of Barnet
- Linked schools
Headteacher
Head
David Benson
Since 2023, David Benson. After graduating with a first in social and political sciences from St John’s College, Cambridge, taught English in the state sector through the Teach First scheme. It didn’t take long for the superlatives to unfold – the
Entrance
A ‘purple patch’ in terms of interest. Mill Hill Schools likes to think of itself as a ‘through journey’ from age 3 to 18, via its pre-prep Grimsdell and prep school Belmont. Parents appreciate stress-free rite of passage. Transfer from Belmont at
- Open days
- September and May
Exit
No-one left after GCSEs in 2023, but 30 per cent did in 2024. ‘Very thorough UCAS preparation,’ says sixth former, ‘with helpful conversations with heads of department, tutors and housemasters.’ Three-quarters of leavers to Russell Group in 2024.
Latest results
In 2024, 66 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 52 per cent A*/A at A level (84 per cent A*-B). In 2023, 58 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 37 per cent A*/A at A level (67 per cent A*-B).
A level - Average points score (2024)
What is this?
These figures tell you the average grade and average points that pupils achieved in their academic qualifications. A maximum of 60 points are available for a grade A* at A level.
Teaching & learning
‘Crunch evening’ at beginning of GCSE year heralds ‘a new tightness’ around academic expectations. One parent greeted the more work-orientated climate with enthusiasm: ‘Our kids are pushed to greater productivity and better grades, and it’s easier
- Qualifications taken in 2024
- A level
- EPQ
- GCSE
Learning support & SEN
Large team – head of learning support, two learning support assistants, four learning support teachers and three LSAs – based in well-resourced rooms in the heart of the school. Two specialist assessors among them. They liaise closely with teachers
Arts & extracurricular
Named after John McClure, headmaster for thirty years from 1891, the McClure music school, built in 1912, with recital hall and recording studio, remains true to his aims – McClure made music a key feature of boys’ education and encouraged regular
Sport
Long-standing reputation for sporting excellence shows no sign of diminishing, especially with energetic director of sport and enhanced partnerships with clubs. Coaches, including current and former rugby and hockey internationals, work closely with
Boarders
Currently around 80 full and 20 weekly boarders, and a further 100 or so boarders at self-contained Mill Hill International (these pupils study on their own campus but are fully integrated within the Mill Hill boarding house community). One boarder
Ethos & heritage
Original boarding school founded in 1807 by Christian non-conformist ministers and merchants – the intention, to provide a classical education for boys, equal to that of large public schools, ‘away from the moral turpitude of central London’. The end
Pastoral care, inclusivity & discipline
Sense of belonging is fostered by ‘massively important’ day-house system. Inter-house competitions – sport, music, drama or a show-stopping bake-off – are hotly contested and house identity is enduring: ‘Which house?’, the ice-breaker, is when
Mobile phone policy
A clear mobile phone policy is a really important part of modern schooling. This school has provided us with their policy.
Mobile phone policy
Provided by the school and not part of our review In Years 9-11, pupils are not allowed to use their mobile phones. Phones must be switched off and put away before pupils arrive at school and not turned on until the end of the day. If pupils are seen using their phone during school hours - even if it were at social times or between lessons - the phone would be confiscated, and the pupil would receive a detention. In the Sixth Form, the policy is slightly more liberal, although still outside of any academic time. The School proactively educates pupils about digital literacy and staying safe online, and the benefits of restricting their own screen time, through a full PSHE curriculum.
Pupils & parents
Wide catchment, with school bus service extending to Maida Vale in the south, Muswell Hill to the east, even outliers off the A-Z from Radlett, to the north. Good public transport links make it relatively easy for pupils to travel independently which
Money matters
Academic, art, drama, design technology, music, sport scholarships offered in years 9 and 12 in recognition of outstanding achievement or promise, though these don’t bring automatic fee remission. Means-tested bursaries available to new entrants
- Fee information
- Day: £30,450 pa; Boarding: £43,710 - £52,320 pa
The last word
On the school crest is the martlet, a bird always on the wing – an apposite symbol for unremitting effort, so highly valued, whether in academic, sporting or co-curricular life. This, combined with new academic rigour and an ethos of developing
