Notable Academic Facilities

Their academic facilities are designed to support specialist teaching and structured preparation throughout the school. They have a dedicated science laboratory where Biology, Chemistry and Physics are taught separately, a specialist art room, and an IT suite used for digital learning and ISEB-style assessment preparation.

These facilities underpin a clearly structured senior school entrance pathway. From early reasoning work in Year 3 through to specialist subject teaching in Years 5–8, boys are carefully prepared for 11+ and 13+, including ISEB pre-tests, interviews and school-specific examinations. Small class sizes and close academic tracking allow them to provide genuinely individual guidance as boys move towards their chosen senior schools.

Alongside a traditional academically rigorous prep school curriculum, they offer separate specialist teaching in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Chess is taught as part of the formal timetable (Years 2 and 3), and they offer Mandarin from the early years onwards. Creative Movement and Yoga are timetabled within the Junior School. As boys move up the school, Debating and Careers & Leadership are delivered as formal timetabled subjects. Their approach is structured but deliberately measured in the early years, with increasing academic specialisation and exam preparation as pupils move through the school.

Wellbeing & Pastoral Care

Pastoral care is central to the life of the school. Because they are relatively small, every boy is well known by his form teacher and by the wider staff team. That familiarity allows them to notice quickly if something isn’t quite right and to support boys in a way that feels personal rather than procedural.

They aim to create a warm, structured and safe environment where boys feel secure and valued. Kindness, respect and self-discipline are actively encouraged, with clear and consistent expectations. Their approach to behaviour is thoughtful and proportionate, with an emphasis on reflection, responsibility and learning from mistakes. They are also mindful that some boys need different levels of support, and adjustments are made where appropriate.

Wellbeing is supported through weekly PSHE and RSHE lessons covering relationships, online safety, resilience and emotional awareness in an age-appropriate way. Beyond the curriculum, there is a strong sense of community — boys are encouraged to look out for one another and to take pride in their role within the school.

Above all, they want boys to leave them not only well prepared for senior school, but confident, considerate and emotionally grounded.

Advice For Parents

They are always happy to hear from families early. As a general guide, parents tend to get in touch by the time their son is around 18 months old, and they invite families to visit the school and meet the Head during the calendar year before entry.

That said, they understand every family’s journey is different. If you’re considering Hereward House, their advice would simply be to contact them sooner rather than later.

Typical Child

They don’t have a single “type” of child in mind, and they are not looking for a particular mould. What tends to matter more is that a boy is curious, willing to engage and comes from a family who values education in the broadest sense.

Their relatively small size means boys are very well known, which particularly suits those who benefit from individual attention and steady encouragement. Some boys arrive quietly confident, others take a little longer to find their stride, the structure of the school allows them to support both.

They are academically serious, but not pressurised in the early years. Boys who respond well to being stretched over time, rather than pushed too early, tend to thrive here.

Financial Assistance

They do not operate a formal bursary or scholarship programme. However, they recognise that family circumstances can change, and they do have a structured process in place to consider fee assistance for existing families facing unexpected financial difficulty. Any such support is considered confidentially and on a case-by-case basis.

Highly Regarded For

They are particularly well regarded for their strong senior school exit routes and the individual attention each boy receives. They deliberately use their small size to know pupils exceptionally well, allowing them to tailor support and challenge carefully so that each child is both fully supported and ambitiously prepared for leading senior schools.

Notable Points

They have a dedicated SENDCo and a specialist Learning Support teacher, and the department is closely integrated into the wider life of the school rather than operating separately. Because of their size, communication between class teachers, the SENDCo and senior leadership is very direct, and concerns are picked up early.

Support follows a graduated approach of assess, plan, do, review, with high-quality differentiated teaching as the starting point. Where additional support is needed, this may involve in-class support, small group intervention or more targeted withdrawal sessions. Individual Support Plans are reviewed termly, and parents are kept closely involved throughout.

The Head is personally involved in SEND matters, particularly where more significant support or external assessment is required, and works alongside the SENDCo in planning provision. They also work with external professionals where appropriate, including educational psychologists, occupational therapists and speech and language therapists, and host visiting specialists in school.

Ultimately, their approach is practical and collaborative. They aim to ensure that boys with SEND are fully included in school life, supported to make strong academic progress, and equipped with the strategies they will need for senior school and beyond.

Leavers' Destinations

Their boys regularly move on at 11+ and 13+ to leading schools including City of London, Westminster, UCS, St Paul’s, Highgate and Eton. Many are successful in highly competitive entrance processes, with a number securing academic and music scholarships. These outcomes are underpinned by their structured Senior School Entrance Pathway, which combines specialist teaching, close academic tracking and careful preparation from an early stage. As a non-selective school, they are particularly proud of the value added, not simply in examination success, but in the confidence, intellectual independence and academic resilience their boys develop during their time with them, leaving them ready to thrive in some of the most demanding senior school environments.

Sports

Sport is embedded in the weekly timetable at Hereward House. PE lessons take place on site in the playground, and boys have two games afternoons each week at external facilities, one within walking distance and one at a local cricket club. They run regular fixtures, with a particular focus on football, cricket, athletics and cross country, alongside their annual Sports Day, Swimming Gala and Cross-Country Competition. Boys also take part in residential sports trips, including visits to venues such as St George’s Park, the England training ground. The emphasis throughout is on participation, teamwork and developing confidence, while providing opportunities to compete and represent the school.

Art

Art is taught in a dedicated specialist art room, allowing boys to work across a wide range of media. Facilities include a kiln for ceramics, a printmaking press, and a photography space, enabling pupils to explore clay, printing and digital imagery as part of the curriculum.

The focus is on developing technical skill, creativity and individual expression, with boys building a strong foundation in drawing, painting, sculpture and mixed media as they move up the school.

Drama

Drama is delivered as a timetabled subject and takes place in their main hall, which is adapted for rehearsals and performances. Boys from Reception to Year 6 each perform in a class production for parents annually, giving every pupil regular experience of being on stage. In addition, the school stages a major whole-school production at the end of the Summer Term every two years.

Music

Music is a central part of school life at Hereward House and is embedded within the formal timetable. Boys receive class music lessons each week, covering theory, composition, listening and performance. They have a large team of visiting music teachers, and almost all boys learn at least one instrument. There is a school choir and orchestra, along with a range of ensembles and small groups, and each year group hosts its own termly concert, giving every boy regular performance experience.

Major performances include their Christmas Carol Service and Grand Biennial Concert, with larger events held in a marquee in the playground. The emphasis is on participation, confidence and performance, while ensuring strong musical foundations for those who wish to pursue it further.