Celebrating 50 years
2026 marks a golden milestone in Herne Hill School’s history. For 50 years, we have focused exclusively on developing children to their best potential, launching them on a trajectory of happy, healthy and balanced lives. It’s time to say thank you and celebrate!Saturday 16 May 2026 – 12 noon until 4pm: Golden Anniversary Open Day for former pupils, parents and staff
For anyone connected with the School, past or present, our special Open Day on Saturday 16 May from 12 noon to 4pm offers a one-off opportunity to visit your past stomping grounds, bump into old friends and colleagues, and see how the School has evolved.
Please note that this is not an Open Day event for prospective parents, who are welcome to sign up for an in-action tour or our next Open Morning on 26 September.
Based on the large number of pre-registrations we have received, this promises to be a unique, happy affair. So many people from all five decades are planning to attend, including many former staff as well as parents and alumni. Even our beloved John, the lollipop man, who greeted so many of us, come rain or shine, over 14 years until a couple of years ago, is planning to come along!
It is no longer necessary to pre-register – simply come along, we so look forward to seeing you!
Exploring the school
You are welcome to (re-)visit the school on a “free flow, come and go as you please” basis, between 12 noon and 4.00pm (we must vacate by 4.00pm because there is a wedding in St. Paul’s Church at 4.30pm).
In order to spread the number of people on site at any one time and give everyone the greatest chance of bumping into “old” friends and colleagues, we suggest that people come in periods of a similar “anchor year”, which is pretty much the midpoint of anyone’s involvement with the School.
For example, if you attended Pre-Reception through Year 2 and graduated in 2023, your anchor year would be 2021; and if you were a staff member from 2005 to 2018, your anchor year would be around 2012.
The suggested anchor year brackets are:
12 noon – 1pm: From the earliest years to 2011
1 – 2pm: 2012 – 2017
2 – 3pm: 2020
3 – 4pm: 2025/current
In addition, we are aware of many people from the same graduating class or staff from the same era getting in touch with each other to arrange rendez-vous times.
Visiting Kindergarten first
When you come, we suggest you first go and explore the School’s wonderful dedicated Kindergarten at 99 Herne Hill. Some parents have suggested that it is “the Soho House of Kindergartens” and is well worth visiting briefly if you have not yet seen it. A coffee van will be parked up outside the mansion building should you require a refreshment to kickstart proceedings.
Visiting the main site next
When you then come to the main site at 127 Herne Hill, you’ll be able to (re-)visit all classrooms. Please look at the displays the current pupils have been putting together this term under the banner topic ‘golden threads’.
In the performing arts room on the ground floor of the Oak building, there will be an exhibition exploring our history. This will sit alongside archive footage from previous plays as well as a few selected classic Herne Hill School costumes.
The message tree
In the playground, every visitor will be able to write a short message on an extraordinary willow memory tree created for this purpose by the celebrated local artist and former parent Sam Barnett, with construction help from another former parent, Alex Miller. The traditional summer fair Pimms will, of course, be available, together with ice-cream.
A current parent who is a superb professional photographer will also be at hand to take photos if you like; these will subsequently be available for downloading and purchasing for a reasonable fee.
Join an Oak hall gathering
At 12.45pm, 1.45pm and 2.45pm, we will be holding a 15-20 minute gathering in our Oak hall at which many of the Herne Hill School “legendary” team will be present, including all Founders, Directors and Headteachers in the history of the School.
Together, we will watch a couple of videos of the current Key Stage 1 children singing a special 50th anniversary song composed by our former Director of Music Carles Jimenez with lyrics by former Teacher Claire Peters, a 50th anniversary rap written by Founder Phyll Bennett and, of course, our special Herne Hill School song.
We so look forward to seeing you and really hope you can make it. Please continue to spread the word – the more the merrier!
If you have any questions, please email [email protected], and the organising committee will do its best to get back to you.
1976—2026: Celebrating 50 years of Herne Hill School
To reminisce on the School’s 50-year journey, we invite you to watch two short videos featuring Phyll and Chris.
In the first, our Director Dominik Magyar reflects on the School’s foundational pillars and how these have informed the present. If you are inspired by the lines from Kahlil Gibran’s beautiful poem “On Children”, you can find it on our Aims, ethos and safeguarding page.
In the second film, Phyll and Chris return to the School and share how it all began.
Our foundations of 50 years
Our Director Dominik Magyar reflects on the School’s foundational values and ethos.
How it all started
Herne Hill School’s founders Phyll Bennett and Chris Ratsey return to the School and explore how it all began.
Thank you for our 50 years…
…to every pupil whose future we have had the privilege to shape!
…to their parents for working with us so collaboratively to that end and entrusting us with this huge responsibility.
… to all our current and former staff for your love, care and dedication. You have always been the School’s greatest asset, creating that special friendly, happy, family-feel environment in which young children thrive best.
… and to our founders, Phyll Bennett and Chris Ratsey, along with their husbands Garry and David, for having started it all in 1976! We are grateful for your enduring foundational gifts.
