A whopping 138 pupils from Years 7 and 8 and 18 members of staff went on a Music Tour to Paris from…
School Life
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Heatherton is an exceptional school. They have cherished my daughter, providing her with support when she has needed it and always encouraging her to do her best. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
- Heatherton Parent
Wellbeing
Our girls’ wellbeing is of vital importance at Heatherton. Our Director of Wellbeing for the Berkhamsted family of schools supports our teaching staff in implementing a proactive strategy that focuses primarily on keeping pupils well and looking for any early signs of potential issues.
In addition, Heatherton pupils have access to a team of qualified counsellors available for confidential counselling five days a week. A full-time residential Chaplain and an Assistant Chaplain regularly visit Heatherton.
This focus on wellbeing provides our students with resilience. We listen and support them, while at the same time allowing them to learn from things they find to be a challenge and mistakes they make. This enhances the students’ ability to think clearly, positively and independently, equipping them with the skills and coping strategies they will need to succeed in the future.
Pastoral Care
Pastoral care is at the heart of everything we do at Heatherton.
Our pupils thrive within a family community, where they develop excellent moral and social awareness, a strong appreciation of their own traditions and compassion and respect for others.
Every student in the school has a Form Teacher whose primary role is to support their pupils’ development throughout the year.
The subject teaching staff provide feedback to the Form Teachers throughout the year to ensure that a holistic view of a child’s performance in school is obtained.
In addition to their form, our pupils are placed into one of three Houses. We believe that the House system is an important element of school life which supports each pupil’s development.
Our House system provides the opportunity for children of different ages to come together and support, encourage and celebrate each other’s achievements. It helps to develop a real understanding of our School aims and values and promote a healthy spirit of ambition and competition.
Each term, a variety of cups and shields are awarded at Heatherton. During our Fab Friday assembly each week we celebrate the girls’ achievements both in and out of the School.
Starting at Heatherton
Nursery
Heatherton Nursery is Co-Educational, providing for both boys and girls. Heatherton remains a girls’ school from Reception to Year 6.
Your child’s first day at Heatherton Nursery is an important moment. We understand that you may be feeling anxious as your son or daughter takes this step and so we aim to make their transition from home to school as positive an experience as possible.
We work in close partnership with you from the very beginning to ensure that we give your child the highest quality of care and education. This enables you to feel valued and supported as a parent and means that we can tailor your child’s education to their specific needs and personality.
The process begins when your child is invited to join us for two ‘Welcome – stay and play sessions’ at Heatherton with the other new pupils, during the term before entry. This initial contact paves the way for a smooth transfer to the School.
When a pupil joins our Nursery as a ‘rising three’ (the term they turn three), he or she may start on the current minimum of three morning sessions per week. Once a pupil is three years old, the minimum sessions required are currently either:
- Four morning sessions
- Two full days
- One full day and two morning sessions
Sessions are usually increased term by term to meet a child’s needs in preparation for their transition into Reception and can be regularly discussed with our staff. We do ask that the sessions are consecutive as this helps with the settling-in process.
Heatherton Nursery accepts childcare vouchers as payment from accredited companies for school fees. We are not registered for the Early Years Government Funding.
Reception
Many families choose to move their daughter from Heatherton Nursery into our Reception class in September. For those children starting directly in Reception class, we will invite them to visit Heatherton during the term before entry for their Settling-in session and to meet their teacher, to ensure a smooth transition into school. Parents are also invited to join us for a Welcome meeting at Heatherton and to meet other class parents.
For Reception girls, we offer a flexible programme until the October half-term break. On a Wednesday and Friday, any Reception girl who has not yet turned five may be collected before lunch at 12:00. For the avoidance of doubt, all girls aged five should be attending full-time school.
Years 1-6
Once you have accepted a place for your daughter at Heatherton, she will be invited to visit for a day before she joins, to enable her to meet her new classmates and teacher and experience a school day at Heatherton. This will help her transition to her new class.
The Parent Partnership
At Heatherton, the girls’ wellbeing is reliant on a strong partnership between our parents, teachers and students. In order to work together for the good of your child, we offer a Parent Talks and Courses programme to encourage effective communication between home and school.
The course also provides you with an opportunity to discuss the issues facing young people in today’s fast-changing world. Issues involving new technology can occur in school or at home and you can discuss them with our staff members.
The Parent Partnership enables our students to feel supported in every respect – through any disappointments or challenges they may face. This care and guidance enables them to grow into resilient young adults.
Moving onto Secondary School
At Heatherton, we know that choosing the right school is one of the most important decisions that you will have to make about your daughter’s future. We prepare the girls at Heatherton for a diverse range of Senior Schools, including Grammar and Independent Schools.
Heatherton pupils will stand out from others in their holistic preparation for moving up to Senior School. Our pupils are wholly supported in preparing for the transfer process for entry into any Senior School they may wish to apply for and also when preparing for Scholarships. We start the conversation about next steps in Year 4 and continue to work with parents in partnership to navigate the pathway to finding the right next step.
Entrance to Berkhamsted Girls
As we are part of the Berkhamsted Family of Schools, currently our Year 6 girls who choose to apply to Berkhamsted Girls, have the benefit of sitting the entrance assessment a week before external candidates, as well as receiving offers around 2 months ahead.
For further details on the current Year 7 entry assessments and the transfer process, please refer to our PROGRESSION POLICY.
Planned changes for our 2025 Year 7 entry. We will not require Heatherton pupils entering Berkhamsted Girls to take entrance exams for the Senior School, this affects pupils in Year 3 in September 2021, and following years, making their journey through to Berkhamsted Girls as smooth and seamless as possible.
Alternative Senior School options
Heatherton girls go on to a variety of Senior Schools, and we are proud to say that they get into their first choice of schools, whether that be a Grammar or Girls’ Day Independent School.
The stats below show the Year 6 leavers’ destinations schools from 2019-2021
| Destination | Number of Pupils | Scholarships & Exhibitions Awarded |
| Berkhamsted Girls’ School | 18 | Drama Exhibition
Drama Exhibition |
| Dr Challoner’s Grammar School | 21 | |
| Pipers Corner School | 1 | Sport Scholarship |
| The Amersham School | 5 | |
| Headington School | 1 | |
| Abbot’s Hill School | 1 | |
| St Clement Danes School | 1 | |
| Holmer Green Senior School | 1 | |
| Queen Anne’s School | 1 | Art & Sport Scholarship |
| St Mary’s School | 1 | |
| The Royal Masonic School for Girls | 1 | Art Scholarship |
| Wycombe Abbey School | 1 | |
| Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls | 1 | |
| Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School | 1 | |
| Beaconsfield High School | 2 |
If you have any questions regarding your daughter’s options, please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Nicola Nicoll, who would be happy to chat these through, at office@heatherton.com
"My daughter started in the Nursery at Heatherton and from day one it was a match made in heaven! Heatherton provided her with a solid foundation of confidence, a love of learning new things, and great social skills, which prepared her beautifully to move on to Secondary School. Heatherton strives to bring out the best in each individual and we can’t recommend this kind and caring school enough."
- Former Heatherton Parent
Chaplaincy
Spiritual development and a sense of meaning and purpose make a significant contribution to the mental strength and wellbeing of young people. Spirituality can provide an anchor in a storm, enabling students to manage stress and prevent any feeling of isolation. The values also encourage students to be compassionate towards each other.
At Heatherton, there are numerous opportunities for reflection, wonder and curiosity and pupils are encouraged to consider and contribute to the wider community.
Assemblies have a Christian focus, often with visits from Berkhamsted’s Chaplains and representatives from local churches. We ensure our assemblies are accessible, inclusive and beneficial of those from other faiths and beliefs.
The School Day
Nursery
While each day at Heatherton Nursery is a new and exciting adventure, there are some aspects of routine in the school day which are vital for engagement – providing the children with a sense of security and discipline and developing good habits.
A typical day begins with the children arriving between 8:00 and 8:40 in the Early Years Department home base room.
A small healthy snack such as fresh fruit, breadsticks or raisins is provided during the morning session and water or milk are available for pupils to drink.
Children are collected from the main Early Years Department door in the foyer at 12:00. Those staying all day are collected from the foyer at 15:30 (from September 2021).
Reception
Reception girls can be dropped off from 08:00 and are encouraged to join the older girls outside on the playground until 08:20. The member of staff on duty in the playground will then ensure that the Reception girls are safely escorted back to the Early Years Department by 08:25.
A small healthy snack such as fresh fruit, breadsticks or raisins is provided during the morning session and water is available at all times for pupils to drink.
The girls participate in regular mid-morning assemblies and the weekly assembly themes are followed up in the classroom. Lunch is at midday in the dining room and is followed by playtime. The afternoon session resumes at 13:10 and ends at 15:15.
Reception parents collect their daughters from the Early Years Department home base side door located within the Early Years Department courtyard.
On a Wednesday and Friday, any Reception girl who has not yet turned five may be collected either before lunch at midday or after lunch at 13:00. They can follow this timetable until the end of the term in which they turn five. For the avoidance of doubt, all girls aged five should be attending full-time school.
Lunchtime collection will always be from the main Early Years Department door in the foyer.
Years 1-6
All girls can be dropped off in the playground between 08:00 and 08:20, when school starts and registers are taken. They are encouraged to bring in a healthy snack to eat at morning break to keep up their stamina and energy levels.
All the girls from Years 1-6 participate in regular mid-morning assemblies and the weekly assembly themes are followed up in form times and Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) lessons.
Lunch is eaten in the dining room and the sessions are staggered with the younger children eating first. During the lunch break, all children will have lunchtime play or may attend a club.
Collection times
Unless the girls are participating in extra-curricular activities or attending after-school care, collection times are:
- Years 1 and 2: the school day finishes at 15:20, when the girls are collected from the back door
- Years 3 to 6: the school day finishes at 15:40, when the girls are collected from the back door
Our Facilities
Heatherton is situated in Amersham and, as part of the Berkhamsted family of schools, benefits from access to the School’s extensive facilities including the fully-equipped 500-seat Centenary Theatre and the modern Knox-Johnston Sports Centre, with a 25m indoor heated swimming pool and sports hall.
Heatherton’s facilities include a dedicated Early Years learning environment and specialist areas for teaching Music, Science, ICT, Food Technology and Art and Design Technology.
Heatherton students also have access to extensive playing fields covering over 40 acres, an athletics track and all-weather tennis courts.
The House System
The House system is at the heart of life at Heatherton. Our Houses provide our pupils with a sense of belonging, helping to develop their self-confidence.
We believe the House system is an important element of school life which supports each pupil’s development. Our Houses provides the opportunity for children of different ages to come together and celebrate each other’s achievements, helping to develop a real understanding of our School’s aims and objectives and promote a healthy spirit of competition.
Pupils at Heatherton are allocated to one of three School Houses, comprising of students from different age groups.
The Heatherton Houses are:
- Mars – whose members wear red
- Saturn – whose members wear yellow
- Venus – whose members wear blue
Each House has a Head of House, who has the primary responsibility for the academic and pastoral support and progress of each student in their House.
The main channel of communication between each pupil’s school and home life, the Head of House takes responsibility for the social and academic development of each pupil, alongside House tutors. Each House also has a number of teachers attached to it who help lead the House in a variety of activities.
At Heatherton, our Houses also provide an environment for cooperation and competition. House Points are given for positive work and behaviour and there is a competition to see which is the most successful House is at the end of each term, with awards made to its members.
Every child at Heatherton has a Form Teacher whose primary role is to support their pupils’ development. These teachers are supported by the Headteacher, the Deputy Head and the Head of Pastoral Care who monitor the day-to-day academic and pastoral progress of each child.
Our specialist teaching staff provide feedback to the Form Teachers throughout the year to ensure that a holistic view of each child’s performance at school is being obtained.
Wrap Around Care
At Heatherton we understand that you may need childcare flexibility and support out of standard school hours. We offer Wrap Around Care from 07:30 until 18:00 for all Heatherton pupils from Nursery (age three years and above) to Year 6.
Wrap Around Care gives you the peace of mind that your child is being well cared for, whilst your child will benefit from ensured continuity of care and a routine which helps to prepare them for longer hours spent away from home in the future.
We aim to create a family experience before and after the standard school day with Wrap Around Care, which is very much enjoyed by each pupil that attends.
Activities are chosen by the children, with some doing their homework and others playing games, drawing or working on a creative activity. If they prefer, they can simply watch television during their session.
The Wrap Around Care facility is charged separately to school fees and sessions are booked and paid for in advance via our online booking system, where further details about the cost and length of sessions for both Breakfast Care and After-School Care can be found.
Parents have the option to book their child into Breakfast Club from 07:30 before school and/or After School Care at the end of the school day up until 18:00 if they wish. Due to current government guidelines our extra-curricular activities are changing, therefore, we recommend contacting your school office for the latest information and booking process for WAC. Charges for WAC can be found on the FEES’ SHEET.
Holiday Clubs
At Heatherton we understand that parents are busy and often lead demanding lives, which does not stop during the school holidays.
We also understand that you will be looking for holiday care to be as good as if you were alongside your child, but with the added benefit of opportunities and fun, stimulating activities that couldn’t be provided in the home.
Camp Beaumont at Berkhamsted
We are delighted to be partnering with Camp Beaumont who will be running holiday camps at Berkhamsted Prep each holiday.
Camp Beaumont have been running their award winning multi-activity day camp experiences for over 40 years and we are pleased to be able to offer this opportunity for children at Berkhamsted Schools Group and from the local area to enjoy exhilarating, confidence boosting adventures over the summer break at our Prep site.
Activity programmes are available for 3 to 11 year olds and are tailored by age group in a COVID safe setting. There is something for everyone: craft a new creation in clay, take part in sports and games, relax and unwind with mindfulness and yoga, or have lots of fun with water-based games including aqua Olympics and Wet, Wild and Wacky.
For more information or to book a camp, please visit:
Activate Camps at Berkhamsted
In partnership with Activate Camps, Berkhamsted is pleased to be able to offer specialist sports camps on site during the main holidays for children aged 5 – 14 years. For more information or to book a camp, please visit:
Alumni: The Heatherton Society
It is a credit to our School that Old Girls (and Old Boys) enjoy staying in touch, networking and reminiscing about the happy times they spent at Heatherton.
The Heatherton Society is a great way for former Heatherton students and members of staff to keep in close contact with their classmates and former colleagues after they leave our School.
The Society is totally free to join and open to all leavers, regardless of when they left the School.
Members will receive termly newsletters and be sent invites to school events and special Heatherton Society occasions.
If you would like to join or you are already a member and would like to update your contact details or let us know your news, then please email our Marketing Team – hhmarketing@heatherton.com.
The Friends of Heatherton
At Heatherton we consider ourselves very fortunate to have an active Parents’ Association, with many parent volunteers who wish to contribute in a more personal way to their child’s education.
The Friends of Heatherton is at the heart of the Heatherton community and plays a vital role in bringing everyone in the Heatherton family together.
Whilst running fun-filled social events for everyone throughout the year, The Friends also raise significant amounts of money for the School.
Amongst the many successful events organised for pupils and parents are the Family Fun Day, Mothers’ and Fathers’ Day Sales, discos for the pupils and a fabulous Christmas Fair, which is one of the highlights of the year for the whole family.
Due to The Friends’ efforts over the years, everyone at Heatherton has benefitted from the purchase of a new school minibus, state-of-the-art lighting, sound and projection equipment for the hall, wonderful outdoor playhouses and our incredible Eco-Cabin.
We are looking forward to welcoming new parents to The Friends of Heatherton. If you would like to join, please contact the school office for details.