We are one of the UK’s leading independent schools for boys and girls aged 3 to 18 with a history spanning almost 500 years. Our values are at the centre of everything we do. Although the words from our school motto – ‘Virtue, Learning, Manners’ – were written in 1622, they are remarkably timeless. They guide our core purpose in helping young people discover and develop their talents with both self-assurance and humility. Our pupils are kind, ambitious, and seek to make a positive contribution in the present and the future: our role is to help them achieve their successes – in whatever shape they may come – without any sense of entitlement.To do this, we need to prepare our pupils for a fast-paced and ever-changing world. They will need to solve problems we don’t yet know about (in addition to those we do) and many will take on jobs that don’t yet exist. Our pupils are active participants in this journey and distinguish themselves as enterprising young people who always strive to be the best version of themselves. They excel in many areas – academically, in the visual and performing arts and in sports.
In an age of instant gratification and immediate rewards, our pupils understand the value of perseverance and the fact that patience is a virtue. They are willing to take managed risks and celebrate their own successes and those of their peers with equal enthusiasm, whilst having the courage to fail and learn from their mistakes. We cultivate this approach by modelling the behaviours we want to help our pupils develop, and by teaching with genuine passion and intelligence in a stimulating environment. The consequences of this culture of continuous learning are our excellent record of exam results and onward success of our pupils, but we are a School that offers much more than such measurable and finite outcomes: many schools promise to develop the whole person but few can claim to do so as well as Brentwood.

We are also a day and boarding school with a difference – our boys and girls are taught separately until the Sixth Form and this allows us to encourage freedom of expression and create space for individual identity within the classroom whilst maintaining and developing social integration beyond it. All our pupils enjoy access to our modern facilities, set in the heart of Brentwood yet surrounded by 75 acres of playing fields and gardens.

A Brentwood education presents learning as a lifelong pleasure, with many rewards for the curious and the diligent. Many of our pupils leave a trail of As and A*s in their wake, but all our pupils leave Brentwood understanding that acquiring knowledge is only part of what it means to learn. Learning at Brentwood is purposeful; it prepares pupils to make a positive contribution in whatever path they take.

From 11+ until the Sixth Form, boys and girls are taught separately. In the Sixth Form, classes are mixed to prepare young men and women for the world beyond school. We encourage our pupils to apply what they learn across subject areas: a lesson about number sequencing in Mathematics could well be applied to composing a score in Music lessons. The ability to think in a flexible way means that Brentwood pupils are always able to turn their hands to any task.

Our teaching staff present academic subjects in ways that relate them to the real world; we promote practical as well as intellectual engagement. Exceptional facilities enable us to give all our pupils the chance to participate in engaging practical lessons and there are a huge number of trips and visits, from the battlefields of Ypres and the volcanic splendour of Iceland to the illuminated streets of Tokyo and the picturesque scenery of Snowdonia.

We believe in developing broad horizons, so we keep a wide subject base for as long as possible. At Sixth Form level, we have virtually no restrictions on subject combinations. Alongside diverse and challenging A Level subjects, we offer the International Baccalaureate, which fosters internationalism as well as academic rigour. Brentwood School is a top 10 UK IB School.

We offer full and weekly boarding for 13 to 18-year-olds in comfortable houses where experienced husband and wife teams ensure the best possible care for all the boarders. The School benefits hugely from our boarders’ rich mixture of backgrounds - we are a truly international community.

Mill Hill and Hough House are our girls’ and boys’ boarding houses. They are set within Brentwood School’s site close to the town and some 40 minutes from central London. Both houses overlook our extensive playing fields, and the atmosphere is peaceful and friendly. The well-being of our boarders is paramount, so their environment is maintained to provide comfort and security.

The feeling that you belong: you cannot measure it, but you sense it. People remark when they visit us that although we are a large School, there is a hum of harmony here, a sense of togetherness that defies the size of the place. Pupils at Brentwood are on a journey through education, but they are also building relationships on many different levels.

The quality of these relationships is the key to the success of our community. We are keen to get to know you: what fires your imagination? What hidden talents can we uncover and grow? Our pupils have a strong sense that they are known and that they belong here: in many different ways to different kinds of people.

The School offers an exceptional programme of co-curricular and enrichment activities with a wide and diverse selection of clubs, societies and trips available. Some aim to stimulate and extend students with a particular subject passion whereas some are less subject-driven and more focused on broadening interests and knowledge. Pupils may elect to take part in competitive and recreational sport, musical activities, drama groups and productions, public speaking, art, technology and many others. Our co-curricular provision is inclusive in nature and we encourage all students to take part in activities and societies that they might find interesting. There is something for everyone.