About Berkhamsted School

Our Inheritance
Since 1541 for boys and 1888 for girls, the School has provided education for children from Berkhamsted and the surrounding area. It has also been the School for children from all over the world. Famous former pupils such as Clementine Churchill, Graham Greene and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston are celebrated alongside Berkhamstedians who have been at the forefront of exploring the earth’s remotest places, advancing scientific and medical knowledge, decorated in the service of their country, nationally or internationally respected leaders in business, politics, finance and the law.

The Present
Berkhamsted achieves impressive examination results, ensuring that leavers have exciting university and career opportunities. This is only part of the Berkhamsted education which also embraces excellence in the creative arts, sport and the Duke of Edinburgh Award. This is achieved in a stimulating learning environment combining single-sex and co-education. Berkhamstedians leave as able, diverse and enterprising young people, eager to take on challenges and keen to contribute to their communities and the wider world.

The Future
The Vision – To be the first choice independent school in the area for families seeking educational excellence.
To achieve this vision requires continuous investment in new and up-to-date resources. Following the building of our new modern Sports Centre – named after Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, work has now started on a magnificent Design Centre – offering further opportunities for pupils in key areas.

Two elements are crucial to realise the vision – people and money. The commitment of the Governors, Senior Management Team, teaching and support staff, parents, friends and Old Berkhamstedians will provide the human resource. Berkhamsted is not however a school with a significant endowment income, Major developments in the past have been funded through fees, donations, appeals and good financial management, to secure funding to realise the vision has led to the exciting initiative to create The Berkhamstedian Foundation.

The Berkhamstedian Foundation
The Berkhamstedian Foundation has been established to secure the future of the School through the provision of resources for major capital projects and to widen the opportunity to enjoy a Berkhamsted education through scholarships and bursaries. The Berkhamstedian Foundation is a restricted fund within the charity where donations can be recognised and the wishes of the donor respected. It is guided by a Board representing all elements of the School community: current and past Governors and parents, Old Berkhamstedians successful in different walks of life and the School senior management team. The Berkhamstedian Foundation will seek to provide the resources for the School through the implementation of the Development Programme. The Development Programme seeks to involve the widest number of people in the School and its future. It focuses on communication between the School and the different elements of that community. It seeks to reach people who have left the School and perhaps lost touch with it. The Programme incorporates events, the dissemination of information about the School and The Berkhamstedian Foundation and the maintenance of InTouch the School’s dedicated online database. The Development Office manages the diverse fundraising activities of The Berkhamstedian Foundation.