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School profile Verified 17 July 2026

Hertfordshire Private schools

Abbot's Hill School

Bunkers Lane, Hemel Hempstead, HP3 8RP

Abbot's Hill School is a private secondary-stage school in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, with a published age range of 0-16.

Private school Co-ed Ages 0-16 No sixth form listed No boarders
Application ?
Apply direct to school
Age range
0-16
ISI ?
Likely to meet standards
Boarding ?
No boarders
Compare Official website Map

On this page

At a glance

Key facts

Sector
Private school
Gender
Mixed
Application ?
Apply direct to school
Age range
0-16
Boarding ?
No boarders
Route check
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
ISI ?
Likely to meet standards

Overview

Founded in 1912, Abbot's Hill retains the spacious character of a parkland day school on the edge of Hemel Hempstead. It runs from nursery to Year 11, and its most consequential current change is a phased move from girls' education to a fully co-educational Senior School: boys join Year 7 from September 2026.

Sport, music, drama, outdoor learning and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award make active use of the campus alongside the academic curriculum. This remains a day-school community, without boarding, and its pastoral and co-curricular life is developing alongside the transition to a mixed senior section.

There is no sixth form, so the decision includes a post-16 destination as well as secondary entry. The co-education timetable, assessment for the intended year and journey to Hemel Hempstead need to be read together. Abbot's Hill combines a long-established setting and age range with a clearly dated change to who joins its Senior School.

Key points
Assessment route
Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
Places and demand
Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
Catchment
Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
Results
97.6% grade 5+ in English and maths and 68.8 Attainment 8

GCSE benchmark

Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Hertfordshire and England.

School Local authority England
GCSE benchmark comparison Latest GCSE benchmark measures for Abbot's Hill School, Hertfordshire, and England. 0 50 100 Att. 8 5+ E&M EBacc APS EBacc %
Attainment 8
68.8
Grade 5+ English and maths
97.6%
EBacc APS
6.32
EBacc entry
57.1%

Attainment 8 trend

Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Hertfordshire and England.

School Local authority England
Attainment 8 trend line Attainment 8 over time for Abbot's Hill School, Hertfordshire, and England. 80 60 40 20 21/22 22/23 23/24 24/25

School details
Sector
Private school
School type
Other independent school
Funding
Independent fee-paying
Application
Apply direct to school
Gender
Mixed
Age range
0-16
Headmistress
Mrs Sharon Schanschieff
Pupil roll
380 pupils
Sixth form
No

Location and contact

Address

Address
Bunkers Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire
Postcode
HP3 8RP
Area
Hertfordshire

School leadership

Headmistress
Mrs Sharon Schanschieff

School contact

School phone
01442240333

Admissions contact

Admissions team
Marketing and Admissions
Admissions contact
Pippa Hopkins
Admissions email
admissions@abbotshill.herts.sch.uk
Admissions phone
01442 240333
Open in Map Open school website

Admissions
Application route
Apply direct to school
Age range
0-16
Gender
Mixed
Boarding
No boarders
Day fees
Years 7-11 tuition with compulsory lunch and VAT, 2026-27.
Scholarships and bursaries
Scholarships and bursaries
Entrance details
For September 2027 Year 7 entry, candidates take the adaptive online ISEB Common Pre-Test and may then be invited to an informal Senior Leadership interview. A candidate taking the test for multiple schools sits it only once and cannot resit for Abbot's Hill.
Admissions note
Apply directly to the school. Year 7 entry uses the ISEB Common Pre-Test and an interview, but there is no fixed pass or fail mark; each applicant is considered individually for curriculum access and likely contribution to school life.

Apply directly to the school. Year 7 entry uses the ISEB Common Pre-Test and an interview, but there is no fixed pass or fail mark; each applicant is considered individually for curriculum access and likely contribution to school life.

Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.

Oversubscription and eligibility

  1. 1

    Holistic assessment

    There is no pass or fail mark in the ISEB Pre-Test. Decisions consider whether each applicant can access the curriculum and their likely positive contribution to school life.

Admissions policy

Abbot's Hill Admissions Policy

Exam and test format

Entrance route and assessment

For September 2027 Year 7 entry, candidates take the adaptive online ISEB Common Pre-Test and may then be invited to an informal Senior Leadership interview. A candidate taking the test for multiple schools sits it only once and cannot resit for Abbot's Hill.

Assessment route
Apply direct to school
Papers and stages
2 stages
Format
Interview stages

Papers and rounds

  1. Round 1

    Maths, English, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning

    ISEB Common Pre-Test

    Adaptive online assessment covering Mathematics, English comprehension, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.

  2. Round 2

    Interview

    Senior Leadership interview

    Candidates who perform well in the assessment are invited to an informal interview about their interests, hobbies and senior-school expectations.

Published assessment components

Maths, English, Verbal reasoning, Non-verbal reasoning and Interview are listed across the school's published assessment routes.

Published

  • Maths

  • English

  • Verbal reasoning

    Adaptive online assessment covering Mathematics, English comprehension, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.

  • Non-verbal reasoning

    Adaptive online assessment covering Mathematics, English comprehension, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning.

  • Interview

    Candidates who perform well in the assessment are invited to an informal interview about their interests, hobbies and senior-school expectations.

Application

Key dates

Get date reminders

  1. Year 7 application deadline

    Friday 6 November 2026

    For September 2027 entry.

  2. Year 7 assessment day

    Friday 13 November 2026, all day

    ISEB Common Pre-Test in the morning, followed by afternoon activities.

  3. Year 7 interviews

    Weeks commencing 16 and 23 November 2026

    Interview dates are sent after assessments are complete.

  4. Year 7 offers made

    Friday 4 December 2026

  5. Specialist scholarship application deadline

    Tuesday 8 December 2026

  6. Sports scholarship assessment

    Tuesday 5 January 2027

  7. Music scholarship assessment

    Wednesday 6 January 2027

  8. Drama and art scholarship assessments

    Thursday 7 January 2027

How to apply

  1. 1

    Register with Abbot's Hill

    Complete the school Registration Form and pay the non-refundable GBP 120 registration fee by 6 November 2026 for September 2027 Year 7 entry.

    Open registration form
  2. 2

    Register for the ISEB assessment

    Parents must also register their child directly with ISEB for the Common Pre-Test.

    View assessment instructions
  3. 3

    Complete the assessment day

    Candidates sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test on 13 November 2026; the school day also includes afternoon activities with potential classmates.

    Check Year 7 dates
  4. 4

    Attend an interview if invited

    Candidates who perform well in the assessment are invited to an informal interview with a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

    Read the interview process

Official admissions documents

Admissions policy

Abbot's Hill Admissions Policy

Results

Attainment snapshot

Attainment 8 ?
68.8 Attainment 8
GCSE results
97.6% grade 4+ in English and maths
Grade 5+ English and maths ?
97.6% grade 5+ in English and maths
EBacc average point score ?
6.32 EBacc APS

Inspection
View report
Likely to meet standards

Latest inspection: 23 June 2025

Use the latest ISI report for inspection detail.

Quick summary

  • Latest ISI outcome: The June 2025 material-change inspection considered the school's move to full co-education. ISI concluded that the school was likely to meet the relevant standards if the change was implemented and recommended approval.
  • Inspection scope: This was a focused material-change inspection rather than a routine whole-school inspection; the previous routine inspection took place in November 2023.

Similar schools and comparisons

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Local rivals appear first, followed by nearby alternatives where the journey and admissions route are still comparable.

Nearby schools with similar results

Closest comparable alternatives with a similar academic profile, so parents can weigh local fit and results together.

Shortlist comparisons

Compare Abbot's Hill School with Westbrook Hay Compare Abbot's Hill School with The King's School Compare Abbot's Hill School with Heartwood House

Explore this school in context

Private schools near Hertfordshire

Independent secondary-stage school profiles with direct-application, age range and boarding context.

Related pages and guides

Guides and related reading

Related guides are still being added.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How does Abbot's Hill School handle admissions?

Abbot's Hill School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.

How do I apply to Abbot's Hill School?

1. Register with Abbot's Hill: Complete the school Registration Form and pay the non-refundable GBP 120 registration fee by 6 November 2026 for September 2027 Year 7 entry. 2. Register for the ISEB assessment: Parents must also register their child directly with ISEB for the Common Pre-Test. 3. Complete the assessment day: Candidates sit the ISEB Common Pre-Test on 13 November 2026; the school day also includes afternoon activities with potential classmates. 4. Attend an interview if invited: Candidates who perform well in the assessment are invited to an informal interview with a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

When are the key dates for Abbot's Hill School?

Year 7 application deadline: Friday 6 November 2026. Year 7 assessment day: Friday 13 November 2026, all day. Year 7 interviews: Weeks commencing 16 and 23 November 2026. Year 7 offers made: Friday 4 December 2026. Specialist scholarship application deadline: Tuesday 8 December 2026. Sports scholarship assessment: Tuesday 5 January 2027. Music scholarship assessment: Wednesday 6 January 2027. Drama and art scholarship assessments: Thursday 7 January 2027

What does the latest inspection picture look like for Abbot's Hill School?

Abbot's Hill School is currently rated Likely to meet standards following the latest published inspection dated 23 June 2025.