WHAT? WHERE?

St Albans High School (STAHS) Prep was founded in 1889 by the Church Schools Company to provide a local facility for the education of girls, which was lacking at the time. It’s an independent and selective day school for 330 girls aged 4-11 on the edge of the village of Wheathampstead, just 3 miles from Harpenden and 5 miles from St Albans.

It’s part of STAHS which also includes a Senior school and Sixth Form, based on a separate site, in St Albans itself (the Prep was originally there too but moved to the Wheathampstead site in 2003 and celebrated its 20th anniversary last year). The majority of girls who start here go on to the Senior School, making it a brilliant all-through education option. There’s a lot of overlap between the two schools, with Prep girls benefitting from the brilliant facilities in St Albans to the transitional teaching that really creates a seamless educational journey.

Most STAHS pupils come from Harpenden, St Albans and the surrounding villages, with some travelling from North London and the school offers coach routes covering all of those areas.

FACILITIES

The elegant and spacious mock Victorian villa is where most of the teaching happens, with lovely light classrooms, colourful corridors and a lively buzz that makes it feel like a warm and welcoming environment to learn in.

There are 18 acres of grounds for the girls to go wild in (within reason, of course!) including its own forest area with den building and an outdoor classroom, which they all use for a term of outdoor learning, and it also hosts local nurseries and private toddler groups. The girls love the freedom to play in the forest during break and lunch times all year round – under supervision of course.

There’s also an adventure playground, with two separate areas – one for Pre-prep and one for Prep and it’s so popular that the girls have a rota to make sure everyone has a chance to play and to maximise the fun. Behind the playground there are three Tennis and Netball courts, playing fields, a cross-country course which runs through the meadow and forest, as well as an orienteering course

There’s no swimming pool on site, but no problem, the girls just jump on a bus and whizz over to the Senior school for their swimming lessons, as well as having the chance to use the Senior playing fields, pavilion and sports hall for fixtures and events.

Back indoors and there’s a spacious hall which is used for PE, Gymnastics and assemblies and a new and improved Art and DT room (as of September 2024) – a super flexible space, with raised desks and more materials than you can shake a paintbrush at.

The Library is just lovely, with a cosy reading corner and even a high up tree-house style nook which must be a favourite spot for the girls to snuggle up with a good story. And the ICT suite is pretty impressive, too, where the girls can do everything from Lego robotics to 3D printing (they loved telling me how they made their own keyrings and phone holders!), as well as taking part in the Bebras Challenge – a worldwide computing competition.

As for Music and Performing Arts, these take place in a self-contained building, The Lodge, which has been impressively modernised with glass doors, multiple practice rooms for private lessons and ensembles, as well as a fabulous performing space with specialist accoustics, a projector and stage.

MUSIC & THE ARTS

Music is very strong here with over 80% of girls playing an instrument or singing in a choir. Many of those achieve Grade 6 or above by the time they leave Prep and are playing in National orchestras or bands, or performing as choristers at St Albans Abbey.

There are also loads of orchestras and ensembles to join at school including Junior Orchestra, Lower Strings, Woodwind, New String, Guitar, Brass, Trumpet, Jazz, Beginner Strings, and Beginner Brass. Plus, there are not one, but four different choirs. The most advanced musicians join the Senior School Orchestra from Year 4 playing and performing alongside pupils up to Year 13.

Pupils have weekly Drama lessons from Reception. There’s a Pre-prep Nativity, Year 3 – 5 class performances and a whole year production in Year 6, as well as class assemblies. Year 6 deliver their own school assemblies with the Senior Leaders. There’s a big emphasis on public speaking here and the Head, Mr Mike Bryant, is an advocate of being able to speak confidently to an audience without notes. Perhaps a big ask for such young girls, but one that will stand them in very good stead for the future.

SPORT

There’s a dedicated Sports Department and the girls have more than two hours of PE per week, which incorporates Gymnastics, fitness and Swimming. They all have one term a year of Swimming lessons and take part in swimming galas, plus they do Netball, Lacrosse, Football and Cricket in Games lessons, with the chance to play competitive fixtures against others schools and take part in interhouse sports competitions at the Senior school. The U11 Netball team are the current IAPS Champions and the Gymnastics squad has achieved individual and team successes at IAPS and ISGA competitions.

Even if girls are not convinced by the more traditional sports, there’s an ‘activity for all’ ethos here, and there are lots of opportunities to get involved in other phyical activities to find something they enjoy, with co-curricular clubs ranging from Archery and Fencing to Karate and Yoga.

WHAT ELSE?

STAHS (which they pronounce here as ‘stars’ – a lovely reflection of the positive and encouraging ethos here) is selective at all entry points with familiarisation sessions and assessment mornings for a place in Reception, which is two-form entry. In Year 3 it expands to three forms and there’s more formal testing in Maths, English and reasoning, as well as interactive team games and an interview. Places are offered in other year groups subject to availability, so it’s worth contacting the school if you’re interested.

Class sizes start small with up to 20 in Reception, and increase gradually in Years 1 and 2, with up to 24 per class in Years 3-6. Classes are also mixed every year to ensure that the girls get to know everyone in their cohort and develop a range of relationships across the school community.

I’ve mentioned the sports clubs available here, but that’s just the tip of the co-curricular club iceberg. There are more than 80 options from Art and Drama to Robotics, Watercolour Painting and Disco Dancing. Wild Woodland Adventure is particularly popular with more than 80 pupils signed up, and involves exploring and learning in the forest and cooking crumpets and smores around the campfire (hmm… I wonder why so many sign up for that!).

ACADEMICS

This is an ambitious and high performing school that sees excellent results up to A-level in the Senior school – but that doesn’t come without putting in the work at Prep. Around 80% of the Prep pupils move up and 20% received scholarships this year – 12 Academic; 3 Music; 1 Sport. Scholarship applications are assessed on an individual basis by the Senior school alongside candidates from other schools. And there’s no scholarship prep here as such, just really strong teaching, which sets the girls on the right path for continuation in to the Senior school.

There’s automatic transition from STAHS Prep to the Senior school and whilst those from other schools have to do an exam, STAHS girls are continually assessesed using the schools own markers throughout the year. The benefit for girls already at STAHS Prep is that the school will have an overview of their progress, as opposed to a just small snapshot of their capabilities which an exam provides.

THE HEAD

Mike Bryant became Head in September 2023, having joined the school from his previous role as Deputy Head Academic at Newton Prep in London. I meet him just as he’s completed his first full year in the role.

Bryant is relaxed yet enthusiastic – eager to share his pride in the school, pupils and staff, but also to let them speak for themselves. He moved to Wheathampstead with his wife and two young sons and when he’s not at school you may well find him on the cricket pitch (he plays for the local village team). On that note, he’s big on community, with plans for the school to play a far more active role in local events, such as the Remembrance service and Christmas and Summer fairs, to shed its old reputation as ‘the school on the hill’ and to help the girls to find their place in the world, stay grounded, make a difference and give back.

Bryant strongly believes in all-through education and the opportunity to be more forward thinking with the curriculum for Years 5 and 6 (thanks to not having to worry about the 11+). He’s also passionate about pupil voice and wants to give the girls a chance to sit round the table with the Senior Leadership Team sharing their ideas.

One of the major philosophies that Bryant is implementing is Teach to 25. The idea is to prepare the girls for their long-term goals from a young age. It’s about embracing challenges head on, experiencing consequences and developing resilience through understanding how to fail, as well as learning how to manage relationships and fix problems independently, in order to achieve life-long success.

Whilst he’s enjoyed his ‘watching brief’, Bryant is keen to raise the bar, to embed that Teach to 25 philosophy as early as possible and, perhaps most importantly, to foster a deep sense of enjoyment and love of coming to school.

PASTORAL

There are a number of ports of call for girls who need support at school, including a Chaplain, School Nurse and Wellbeing Ambassadors, plus the House system is really strong here, particularly for a Prep. The girls have buddy families consisting of one or two girls from each year group within their houses, giving them a vertical support network and the chance to enjoy activities together with older pupils acting as mentors.

During my visit, the school is taking part in the NSPCC’s Kindness Week to raise money and awareness for Childline. The girls chose the cause themselves and Head Girls have been awarding rosettes to pupils who have demonstrated kindness at school. It’s really humbling to read their names and ‘acts of kindness’ on the board for all to see.

The school has a part-time SENDCO and a full-time Learning Support Assistant who provide in-class and 1-1 booster support. There are currently 13% of pupils on the SEND register.

WRAPAROUND CARE

Breakfast Club starts from 7.15am, where the girls can choose from cold or cooked options, followed by a breath of fresh air outside, before the school day begins at 8.30am. Many children take part in after after-school clubs, but after-school care is also available until 6pm, where younger girls go to classrooms for arts and crafts and stories, and older girls do supervised homework until the family tea at 4.30pm, which is followed by board games, art activities or outdoor play.

QUIRKS

How many Prep schools (and girls’ ones at that) do you know that kids can design, build and drive a real race car at race tracks around the country? Year 6 pupils can do just that here in Car Club. STEM is clearly being taken seriously at STAHS Prep by making it cool and fun from a young age. Clever stuff!

In a similar vein, although with a more outdoorsy vibe, every year group (Years 5 and 6 team up with the boys from Aldwickbury School) has their own outdoor teambuilding day, where the girls have the chance to work together and complete a mission. My Year 6 guides have great delight telling me all about it, and it’s clearly a popular and highly anticipated day in the school calendar.

STAHS has hosted its own annual Children’s book festival every summer since 2019, which welcomed 1000 visitors this year! It hosts some really high profile children’s authors and celebrities for readings and signings, plus there are also food stalls and children’s activities such as literary trails, magic shows and forest yoga, and, in past years, have even included a Spitfire fly-past and a life-sized Tardis!

In the summer term, the girls are invited to take part in a marathon, not all in one go, but in stages, by way of a daily run through the meadow for which they can collect stamps. It’s a total of around 48 runs I’m told, and girls receive a medal on completion, which sounds like a great incentive for keeping active.

FEES

Reception fees start at £5,865 per term; Years 1 – 2 pay £6,190 per term; and for Years 3 – 6 it’s £6,560. There’s an initial registration fee of £100 and an acceptance deposit of £1,000 on being offered a place.

WORD ON THE GROUND

There’s a really warm and inviting feel about this school which is palpable as soon as you walk through the door. Parents like the fact that they can relax once their daughters have a place here, in the confidence that they will receive a good and seamless all-through education. With no need for 11+ tutoring or exam prep – just the chance to get the most out of the exciting and fulfilling Prep offering – the girls can embrace childhood a little longer, before moving up to the Senior School, which is a strong selling point for parents.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

GOOD FOR: Those who relish the idea of all-through education that fills girls with wonder and a love of learning that will last a lifetime. Plus those who like the idea of access to Senior facilities and opportunities, but may have concerns about sharing a single site with pupils aged up to 18. STAHS offers the best of both.

NOT FOR: You’d struggle to find anything not to like about this Prep. Parents with mixed siblings might find a Co-ed a more practical solution, but many girls here have brothers at other nearby schools and the extensive coach routes make drop off and pick up more manageable.

DARE TO DISAGREE?! There’s a STAHS In Action day on Fri 7 March 2025 and private tours are available on various dates, too. Book here.

St Albans High School Prep Codicote Road, Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, AL4 8DJ 01582 839270

St Albans High School Prep, Wheathampstead

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