About us

From September 2025, Aldwickbury School will begin transitioning to a co-educational setting. We will offer future Prep school girls the same exceptional level of education and opportunities that Aldwickbury boys have enjoyed for generations.

For 2025/26 entry, we will be welcoming girls into the Pre-Prep (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) and girls will then progress through the school year by year. The school will be fully co-educational by September 2031. 

Aldwickbury is a day and flexi-boarding school for boys set in 20 acres on the outskirts of Harpenden in Hertfordshire. 

At the heart of the Aldwickbury community lies our belief that pastoral care should form the bedrock for academic success. Every boy is nurtured and encouraged to try their best, embrace challenge and most importantly; be kind. 

We allow them to flourish as individuals in an environment that challenges and stimulates them whatever their interests, passions or talents. Our teaching mixes traditional approaches together with modern ideas and methods. We aim to equip all the boys with the skills to be happy and confident, build relationships with their peers and staff and develop strategies for coping with the challenges life presents.

The breadth of opportunities on offer at Aldwickbury is something we are incredibly proud of. The boys are challenged and engaged academically but also benefit from a wide-ranging co-curricular programme making full use of our extensive grounds and facilities. The school offers boys of all abilities a myriad of exciting opportunities to develop their confidence and unearth their talents in the arts, STEM, on stage, in music and on the sports field. 

The journey through the school prepares the boys to leave at 13 when we believe they are truly ready for senior school education. The boys move onto a wide range of senior schools, both day and boarding. The recent results at Common Entrance, entry tests and scholarships have been a reflection on the excellent teaching that the boys receive.

Maximum class size for Pre-Prep is 16 and 20 for Years 3-8. Wrap-around care is available in the form of breakfast and after-school clubs and flexi-boarding is also available from Year 5 upwards.

The school has excellent facilities based around a large Victorian House. Purpose-built teaching blocks, including a modern self-contained Pre-Prep department, ensure that the education is of a high standard. Other facilities include an indoor swimming pool, tennis courts and playing fields. Over the last ten years there has been extensive redevelopment of the school’s facilities, including a new hall complex, a new music department, refurbishment of the science labs and a total renovation of the Coach House providing a new Art and DT department. A new £3.8m sports centre was completed in 2022.

In 2022 the Independent Schools Inspectorate Inspection gave Aldwickbury School the highest grade of Excellent for both (ISI) quality categories – ‘pupils’ academic and other achievements’ and ‘pupils’ personal development’.

Latest news

01 Oct 2025

Aldwickbury School in Harpenden to open Nursery in September 2026

Aldwickbury Pre-Prep and Prep School for children aged 4–13 in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, is set to expand its Early Years provision. The school will be opening a Nursery for children aged 3–4 in September 2026.

01 Oct 2025

Aldwickbury School in Harpenden to open Nursery in September 2026

Aldwickbury Pre-Prep and Prep School for children aged 4–13 in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, is set to expand its Early Years provision. The school will be opening a Nursery for children aged 3–4 in September 2026.

This development comes at an exciting time for Aldwickbury School, which was named the UK’s ‘Independent Boys’ School of the Year’ in 2024. Aldwickbury is also embracing a new chapter as it moves to co-education, having welcomed girls into its Pre-Prep (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) this year.

The Nursery will be part of Aldwickbury School, giving boys and girls the opportunity to begin their Aldwickbury journey a year earlier, helping them to develop confidence, curiosity and a love of learning from the very start. Children will also benefit from Aldwickbury’s exceptional facilities including a swimming pool, state-of-the-art Sports Hall and dedicated STEM Hub, all set within 20 acres of beautiful grounds.

Aldwickbury is located within Harpenden, just a short drive from St Albans, Welwyn and Redbourn, making the Nursery well-placed to meet the growing demand for nursery spaces within the local area. Jeremy Bromfield, Chair of Governors at Aldwickbury, says: “The Governors are delighted to support the opening of a nursery at Aldwickbury from September 2026. This new facility will further enhance the excellent all round education already on offer at the School. The Nursery represents an exciting new chapter for the school, and the Governors are confident it will flourish under the leadership of the new Head of Pre-Prep, Joanne Turner, who will join the Staff in January 2026.”

Opening in September 2026, the Nursery will feature two purpose-built classrooms within a dedicated Early Years space, thoughtfully designed to support learning, exploration and wellbeing for young children.

Headmaster, Paul Symes, says:

“ Aldwickbury is delighted to open its doors to children aged 3 to 4. This is an exciting addition to an Aldwickbury education. In two thoughtfully designed classrooms, our youngest learners will enjoy a safe and nurturing environment built on our school values and led by qualified teaching staff. This will further be enriched by access to our swimming pool, sports hall, and extensive grounds, giving each child the space to explore, play, and grow. "

Joanne Turner, incoming Head of Pre Prep at Aldwickbury School, says:

“I am delighted that nursery aged children will be part of the Aldwickbury family from September 2026. The Nursery will provide our youngest learners the very best start and strengthen the sense of continuity and care across our whole school. With its nurturing and inspiring environment, curiosity will be encouraged, individuality celebrated, and strong foundations for lifelong learning developed. We look forward to welcoming our new children and their families and sharing in the joy of these precious early years together.”

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16 Sep 2025

Aldwickbury School Announces New Head of Pre-Prep

Aldwickbury School, an independent school for ages 4-13 in Harpenden, is delighted to announce the appointment of Joanne Turner as its new Head of Pre-Prep who will join in January 2026.

16 Sep 2025

Aldwickbury School Announces New Head of Pre-Prep

Aldwickbury School, an independent school for ages 4-13 in Harpenden, is delighted to announce the appointment of Joanne Turner as its new Head of Pre-Prep. Joanne will join Aldwickbury in January 2026 to allow for a handover period with the current Head of Pre-Prep, Ann Baxter, who will retire at February half-term after many years of exceptional service.

Ann has made an outstanding contribution to Aldwickbury over the past 17 years, playing a pivotal role in the school’s transition to co-education and leaving a lasting legacy for pupils, staff and the wider school community.

Joanne brings 25 years of teaching experience and is currently Deputy Head of a co-educational primary school. She has extensive expertise in key curriculum areas, including the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), reading, and mathematics. Headmaster, Paul Symes, says:

“This appointment comes at a very exciting time for Aldwickbury School, having welcomed girls into Pre-Prep (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2) this September as we begin our move to a co-educational school. Joanne will build on the exceptional work of Ann Baxter, bringing strong leadership to the school and will provide boys and girls with an outstanding Pre-Prep curriculum and preparation for some of London’s highly competitive 11+ schools. We are truly delighted to welcome Joanne to Aldwickbury and are excited for all she will bring to our Pre-Prep.”

At Aldwickbury, children are free to find their greatness. Through a holistic education, pupils achieve academic success while becoming happy, confident and ready for the ever-changing world.

Watch their new video, which offers a captivating insight into life at Aldwickbury School for boys and girls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1gzPHSqL6o

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04 Sep 2025

Aldwickbury School Welcomes Girls in Brand-New Film

Aldwickbury School, an award-winning Pre-Prep and Prep School for children ages 4-13 in Harpenden, has launched a brand-new video capturing the essence of its ethos and their new inspiring tagline: Free To Find Your Greatness.

04 Sep 2025

Aldwickbury School Welcomes Girls in Brand-New Film

Aldwickbury School, an award-winning Pre-Prep and Prep School for children ages 4-13 in Harpenden, has launched a brand-new video capturing the essence of its ethos and their new inspiring tagline: Free To Find Your Greatness. This launch comes as the school begins an exciting new chapter as a co-educational school.

In 2024, Aldwickbury School was named the UK's Independent Boys' School of the Year, highlighting its outstanding future thinking curriculum which is as ambitious as it is nurturing, with a proven track record of academic success.

Now, the school is excited to offer this brilliant educational offer to both girls and boys, while maintaining its reputation as one of the leading prep schools in the country. Aldwickbury welcomes girls this September into its Pre-Prep (Reception, Year 1 and Year 2). From September 2026, girls will also join Year 3, as the school continues its journey towards full co-education by 2031.

At Aldwickbury, children are free to find their greatness. Through a holistic education, pupils achieve academic success while becoming happy, confident and ready for the ever-changing world.

Headmaster, Paul Symes, says:

“We are excited to enter this new chapter in the school’s history, welcoming girls for the start of the new academic year. I am extremely proud of our highly skilled and passionate teaching staff, who deliver a curriculum that makes children happy and excited about their learning. Our pupils experience an offer that is forward thinking and provides them a wide range of subjects and co-curricular activities that allows them to find their very own greatness. I look forward to another successful academic year and celebrating the achievements of the girls and boys in and outside the classroom.”

Watch their new video, which offers a captivating insight into life at Aldwickbury School for boys and girls.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1gzPHSqL6o

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