Aldenham Foundation

The Aldenham Foundation comprises three schools in Hertfordshire - Aldenham Senior School (for boys and girls aged 11 to 18), Aldenham Prep School (boys and girls aged 5 to 11) and St Hilda’s Preparatory School for Girls (girls aged 4 to 11). Aldenham Prep incorporates a Nursery for boys and girls from 3 to 4 and St Hilda’s has the Bluebird Nursery for boys and girls aged 2 to 4. More information about the Foundation and links to the website of each school can be found here.

The original Aldenham School was established in 1597 by Richard Platt, a London brewer and Master of the Worshipful Company of Brewers. Queen Elizabeth I gave him official approval to open a ‘free grammar school and alms houses’ at Aldenham for local boys, based on a Christian ethos that endures to this day.

Located in a superb rural setting between Elstree and the village of Aldenham in Hertfordshire, yet only 13 miles from central London, Aldenham Senior School now shares its 110-acre site with Aldenham Prep. Thus, with the Nursery and Aldenham Prep offering education between the ages of 3 and 11, the Schools on this site offer a ‘through school’ experience from 3 to 18.

Aldenham Prep is Day only, but the Senior School offers Day, Boarding and Flexi-boarding options for boys and girls. About one third of the pupils are boarders. Girls were first admitted to the Senior School around 40 years ago and today make up around one third of the enrolment, with a higher proportion in the Sixth Form.

As noted above, the Foundation also includes St Hilda’s Preparatory School for Girls which is Day only and which, together with the Bluebird Nursery for boys and girls, is situated on its own site at Bushey, some 15 minutes’ drive away.

All the schools in the Foundation have good road and rail connections. They are close to M1 and M25 motorway junctions as well as local main roads serving North London and key towns in Hertfordshire and Middlesex. The Senior School operates coach services for pupils living in Hertfordshire and the North London suburbs. The main Aldenham site is a short taxi ride from the railway stations at Elstree & Borehamwood, Radlett and Watford, providing fast links to London and to the North. Stanmore Station, ten minutes’ drive away, gives access to the London Underground (Jubilee Line). St Hilda’s and the Bluebird Nursery are just five minutes from Bushey station with regular services into London Euston.

The Aldenham Foundation educates approximately 1,000 pupils and employs in the region of 270 staff.

Aldenham Senior School has excellent facilities including a Music School, which was extended and improved in 2012, modern art and classroom blocks, a superbly equipped theatre and extensive sports facilities including numerous pitches, a large indoor sports centre, artificial pitches and tennis courts. Sixth Form pupils have their own Sixth Form Centre, common room and coffee bar adjacent to the recently-built Wells Centre. There is a striking Chapel that accommodates Chapel Services and full School assemblies.

Aldenham Prep is accommodated in a brand new building known as Vincent House, which opened to the pupils in March 2021 and also houses the Nursery. The pupils enjoy large, well equipped classrooms in addition to purpose built Art & DT Rooms, an IT Suite, Library, Music & Drama Suite, comfortable modern changing facilities and extensive outside areas. Aldenham Prep has its own sports field, known as ‘Button Field’, and is also able to use many of the facilities of the Senior School such as the indoor sports centre and the Theatre.

The St Hilda’s site is smaller and in a more urban environment, but is very well-equipped with good classroom and other facilities for its pupils, including a swimming pool and Forest School. They also have use of the extensive facilities at the Aldenham site.