About us

Hanford Prep is a day and boarding school for girls aged 7 – 13 years set in beautiful, rolling Dorset countryside where childhood is cherished and celebrated in a warm, inclusive community. Pupils develop lifelong skills and interests alongside being free to play, climb trees, ride ponies and form friendships for life.    

Hanford is a small school where everyone is known and valued. Dedicated teaching staff bring out the best in every girl and small class sizes ensure each pupil is supported to achieve, with many gaining scholarships to senior schools year on year.     

Boarding is at the heart of the Hanford experience, with most pupils choosing to board at some stage, developing confidence, independence and learning to live alongside each other happily in a supportive environment. Day girls blend seamlessly with their boarding peers, very much part of the close-knit community. 

Hanford is a truly creative school with a strong tradition of drama, music and art; girls make their own clothes, write their own plays and stories, and dream up their own games. 

Girls enjoy pony rides across the surrounding hills, catching ponies from the fields before breakfast and like nothing more than spending time helping in the stables in their free time.   

Part of Sherborne Schools Group, the education we offer shapes girls for the 21st century while enabling them to enjoy a carefree, adventurous childhood.