Recommendations for smaller nurturing private schools in Hertfordshire

[fendti]

Can anyone recommend a private school in Hertfordshire, either a through school all the way up to 18, or a secondary school. Preferably a smaller, more nurturing type of school.

Planning to visit St Ed's, Sherrardswood and Haileybury but open to suggestions.

Are you definitely looking for co-ed? The three you list all have many positives but are quite different; Haileybury is much larger in feel and scope and has a majority boarding, with compulsory long days and some Saturday mornings, even for day pupils, but has more co-curricular opportunities as a consequence. St Edmund’s is Catholic. You could add Aldenham to the list; I’ve known people who have been very happy with the pastoral care there.

Girls / boys / co-ed? Westbrook Hay, Abbots hill ? Although to 16

Ideally co-ed I think. I have boys and girls, and my sons seem to get on better with girls. Aldenham is about 40 minutes away in good traffic so a bit far for now, at the moment not keen on boarding but eldest is 7 so that might change!

We are near Hertford/Ware, could consider Bishops Stortford college but not sure that's a particularly nurturing school? Also have Kingshott and St Chris near ish. Not sure of any others

Isn't there a Quaker run one near Letchworth? Its been some years but I remember that had a good reputation.

Would that be St Chris? I can't see any Quaker schools near me via Google search but they seem similar in terms of values to St Chris

Yes I think so. I thought it was Quaker but maybe not. I remember good things being said about it anyway

I have dc at St Chris. It has Quaker heritage because one of the former heads was Quaker but it is not a Quaker school. Very good nurturing school and I will pm you.

Westbrook Hay would be perfect but I guess too far away.

Not Herts nor co-ed but many parents from Watford send their boys to Buckingham Prep in Harrow. Lovely little school.

Definitely have a look at Kingshott. It’s small but not tiny and very nurturing. The Senior School
staff know every pupil by name. Your children won’t get ‘lost’.

Did you make a decision yet op?

Not yet, planning to attend lots of open days this autumn. Also considering moving to be in catchment of a more decent state secondary. So very much still in limbo and undecided what we will do

@fendti please do pm me if you think it would be helpful. It’s hard to choose and a big step to go private.