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Our School

Insights and videos

Our collection of videos as well as in-depth articles exploring why and how we do things differently at Herne Hill School.

Food, Glorious Food!

Dominik Magyar, Director

In this personal account, Dominik, who has assumed an instrumental role developing Herne Hill School’s high-quality and age-appropriate food provision and education programme, shares the approach that has been taken as well as its underpinning science.
Read more…
Happy grandparents on a walk outside with their grandchild

Gift your grandchild the best possible legacy — a first-class Early Childhood Education can set them up for life

If you are a grandparent of a young child considering your estate planning and how to leave a legacy, there could be no higher impact than investing in their ECE at Herne Hill School. Government plans to reform inheritance tax can potentially also make this very tax efficient.
Read more…
EQ Reflections

“Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the best predictor for a child’s future success” (Inc. Magazine, Dec. 2024)

Ngaire Telford and Dominik Magyar

Herne Hill School’s Headteacher and Director reflect on the research that has proven the importance of building EQ in early childhood and how the School’s provision aims to maximise it.
Read more…

Video with Pete Moorhouse on “How to support your child to flourish in a changing world”

In this short video filmed during his recent visits conducting outdoor learning workshops for our Reception Cycle classes, Pete shares his thoughts for parents on the importance of creativity and how they can help to foster it.
Read more…

Into which educational cycle is it best to invest? A clear answer…

Ngaire Telford, Headteacher

In a recent feature published in Families South East London magazine, Ngaire unpacked the key long-term benefits of prioritising investment into Early Childhood Education.
Read more…

Video with Neil Griffiths on “Fostering a love of reading”

Neil is an author of 50 illustrated children’s books and an educational consultant with a strong focus on children’s reading. In this short video he explains the three key things parents can do to help their children develop a deep and lasting love of reading.
Read more…

Why outdoor learning is so important to us

Ngaire Telford, Headteacher

In this thought-piece, Ngaire explores what scholars have observed and empirically known for millennia: that there are immense benefits to humans’ physical and mental health by being in and engaging with nature.
Read more…

Overview videos

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A taste of Herne Hill School

Since our foundation in 1976, we have focused exclusively on co-educational Early Childhood Education, the period research has unequivocally established as the most formative in a child’s life and requiring a specialist pedagogical approach.

Headteacher with several children
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A welcome from Ngaire Telford, Headteacher

A welcome to our family-feel school specialising in expert Early Childhood Education for 2 to 7 year-old boys and girls.

Three young children enjoy outdoor learning
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Seamless continuity: The earliest years of a child’s education matter the most

Research has shown that seamless continuity throughout the Early Childhood Education period (ages 2+ to 7+) is crucial to optimising outcomes later on.

Child and a teacher looking at images of a brain
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The science behind our approach

The future success of your child is largely determined before he or she turns eight. Optimising early childhood development and education gives your child a phenomenal head-start.

Key stage videos

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Kindergarten (age 2-3)

Our dedicated site at 99 Herne Hill provides the perfect ‘home from home’ environment for our loving and caring expert staff to quickly settle your child and launch them onto a steep learning trajectory.

Kindergarten experience
Pre reception children having fun with a parachute
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Reception Cycle (age 3-5)

Our unique two-year Reception Cycle maximises your child’s continuous learning and development in what are recognised to be the most crucial years of their school life.

Reception Cycle experience
Year 2 children working in books
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Key Stage 1 (age 5-7)

In Years 1 and 2 we prepare your child for future success at their next school and beyond, laying the foundational skills and values in all domains of their academic and personal development.

Key Stage 1 experience

Specialism videos

Reception children enjoying marshmallows outdoors
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Outdoor Learning

One of our ultimate aims is to instill in our children a love of being outside, which we hope will last them for their lifetimes. We believe strongly in the benefits of taking the learning outside across all areas of the curriculum, for the children’s physical and emotional wellbeing. But also because children learn differently outdoors.

Specialisms
Our SENDCO reading with a child
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Learning Support

An important aspect of our tailored provision is to identify pupils’ individual needs in order to cater for them effectively. At our children’s young age, any such needs are often only just emerging, and early intervention and support can be crucial for optimal development. This includes ‘stretching’ those children who are able to progress faster than others/the average, either in groups or individually.

Specialisms
Enjoying an outdoor BBQ lunch
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Food

As with everything else at Herne Hill School, we aim for food to be educational, excellent and fun. All children attending for the day eat a hot lunch which is freshly cooked in our state-of-the-art kitchens.

More about our excellent food
Children playing outdoor sports
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PE/Sports

We are mindful of the children’s substantial physical development during their time with us and therefore put major emphasis on sports and physical education.

Specialisms
Children playing the recorder
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Music & Drama

Music and drama play an integral role in our curriculum, with our Director of Music providing specialist teaching from Pre-Reception. As voice is every child’s first instrument, singing is developed extensively, along with the theory and appreciation of music.

Specialisms
French class
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French

We firmly believe in the advantages of learning foreign languages, especially from an early age. We already introduce French from Pre-Reception because at this age children can pick up the basics of a foreign language effortlessly.

Specialisms
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Woodwork

Woodwork is unique in its ability to captivate young children’s interests and keep them engrossed for literally hours. It has huge benefits across all areas of their learning as it requires dexterity and strength, problem solving, mathematical and critical thinking skills, as well as, a can-do attitude.

Specialisms
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Art

We have a strong tradition of teaching fine art, with pupils from all year groups routinely winning prizes in the annual ISA competition.

Specialisms
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Dance

Dance helps children develop not only physically but in all other domain areas. It encourages them to express themselves in different ways and be more creative.

Specialisms
Film club
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IT

From the Reception Cycle, we bring technology into the classroom, making it a natural part of everyday life rather than teaching it separately in a computer lab.

Specialisms
Wellbeing Award for Schools 2025-2028
Independent Schools Association
Independent Schools of the Year: Pre Prep of the Year
Woodland Trust. Platinum Award
TFL Travel for Life Gold Award
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Open Mornings & Tours

Join us for an In-Action Tour, discover our Kindergarten or attend our next Open Morning

Holiday Provision

New from 2025-26: An exciting extension of our offering for our youngest children

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The Old Vicarage, 127 Herne Hill, London, SE24 9LY   |   [email protected]  |  020 7274 6336
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