Welcome from the Head

A Message from Sharon Schanschieff, Head of Abbot’s Hill School

Thank you for taking the time to learn about us. At Abbot’s Hill, we know every child well, from our youngest in Nursery (from 6 months) to our 16 year old Year 11 leavers. That’s why their strengths shape how we teach them, not just their results.

Before becoming Head at Abbot’s Hill, I led our Senior School. Before that, I held leadership roles in two other schools. So I’ve spent most of my career watching what actually helps a child thrive. And it’s rarely just the syllabus. Instead, it’s a teacher who notices when something’s off, or a curriculum that flexes to the pupil in front of it. That’s what we build here.

In 2026 we were named The Sunday Times Parent Power Independent 11–16 School of the Year. I’m proud of that — but what it represents matters more to me than the award itself. It reflects what I see every day: pupils who are genuinely happy, genuinely stretched, and genuinely known by the staff who teach and care for them.

Wellbeing isn’t a slogan for us. It’s the reason our Pastoral team works closely alongside teaching staff. As a result, academic stretch and personal support come from people who already know your child. High expectations and real support aren’t in tension at Abbot’s Hill. Instead, they run side by side. Our Year 11 leavers prove it: they leave confident, grounded, and ready for what’s next. In 2025, 65% of our GCSE grades were 9-7.

Learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door. We offer over fifty clubs every week, from Lego Engineering to Cheerleading, alongside music, sport, drama and community projects. So pupils get real room to find out what they’re good at, not just what’s on the timetable.

Sisters Alice, Katrine and Mary Baird founded Abbot’s Hill in 1912, and we still hold to their founding motto, Vita et Virtute — Strength and Power. Our 76-acre site sits on the outskirts of Hemel Hempstead, within easy reach of St Albans, Berkhamsted and Harpenden too.

We’re growing, too. Our first boys joined the Prep School in September 2025. Senior boys are joining Year 7 in September 2026, as we become fully co-educational.

We’ve taken this step carefully, because we believe every child deserves what Abbot’s Hill offers. Our partnership with the Mill Hill Education Group adds further depth, connecting us to a wider network of 14 schools, shared professional development, and the resources of one of the UK’s leading independent school groups.

So the best way to understand Abbot’s Hill is to see it for yourself. I’d love to welcome you to visit; join us for an Open Day, a School in Action Morning, or a private meeting with me, and feel it firsthand.

Sharon Schanschieff
Head, Abbot’s Hill School