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Welcome

I am delighted to have this opportunity to introduce Haberdashers’ Adams to you and thank you for expressing an interest in our school.

 

I firmly believe that any school should be the sum of the parts. This is especially true of Adams. On the pages of this site you will hopefully get a glimpse of what we have to offer and appreciate our values and what we stand for. Our philosophy is simple and hasn’t changed much for many years: we want to develop confident, articulate young men and women who are interesting, balanced and who care for each other.

 

We think we offer an outstanding learning experience but we are so much more than just our examination results. Although we do pride ourselves on our academic success, the outcome of a school should never be measured only in statistical summaries, but rather it is the journey as well as the destination of our pupils that is key to our success. This means we focus on many aspects of the development of our young people – we recognise the importance of developing a strong sense of belonging and believe in educating the whole person and teaching traditional values. By encouraging pupils to take part in the wide variety of activities available, we can nurture their leadership qualities, promote high moral values and encourage excellent communication skills. We want our pupils to be simultaneously competitive, co-operative and caring, as this will ultimately prepare them for life.

 

At Adams we have high standards and we expect the same of our pupils; we want them to be ambitious for their own development, and apply themselves to their studies with intellectual curiosity and academic endeavour. The celebration of success is important to us and we take every opportunity to commend our pupils for their achievements, whether they be at house, school, regional or national level. Our pupils are an inspiration to others around them.

 

Education is a lifelong journey, and we have the privilege of being able to prepare young men and women for the next part of that journey. If you share our values and aims and are interested in learning more about Adams then I invite you to pay us a visit, meet some of our inspirational pupils and spend some time with us in school.

Daniel Biggins
Headteacher
Daniel Biggins

Joining as a boarder

Boarders climbing a tree

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More about life as a boarder.

Taking the decision to board is a big step and we recognise there will be lots of important considerations. If you are thinking of joining us in Year 7 we recommend first coming to see the school during Year 5 by taking part in one of our Boarding Open Evenings. This will enable you to see Longford Hall in action, to talk to the pupils and the staff and to find out more about life as a boarder. Ideally the next step would be to book a place on one of our taster weekends. During the weekend your son will spend 24 hours in the House, taking part in a typical boarding weekend and discovering more about whether it is something they would like

to do. Parents and family members are invited to join us for lunch on the Sunday and will have the chance to talk further with the staff as well as meeting current boarding parents. Whilst most boarders join us at the start of Year 7 it is not unusual for pupils to join part way through Year 7, at the start or during Years 8 and 9 or at the start of Year 10 if spaces are available. We do not arrange specific events for these different age groups but we can organise tours and taster weekends as required.

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Testimonial

Boarder

“I love boarding at Adams. It feels like one big family with us all looking out for one another. It is a really great supportive environment.”

Applying to boarding in Year 7

Pupils wishing to join as a boarder need to apply in the same way as day pupils and are required to sit and pass the 11+ entrance test. Boarding places are awarded on a merit basis according to results in the examination as well as suitability for boarding and boarding need.

The entrance test will take place at the start of Year 6 and you will need to register for the test while your son is in Year 5.

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Applying to boarding in Year 8-10

Pupils interested in joining Years 8-10 will be required to sit an entrance test to ensure they are of grammar school ability and to attend an informal interview with the Junior Boarding Housemaster.

Limited spaces are available in each year group and will be filled on a first come first served basis. The test itself will consist of English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics papers. Successful applicants are very welcome to have an overnight stay before joining the school to give them the chance to experience what it is like to be a boarder at Adams.

If you are interested in finding out more or applying for a boarding place in Years 8-10 please fill in the form below.

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Applying to boarding in Sixth Form

Choosing to board for the Sixth Form is an ideal way of encouraging independence before the greater freedoms of university life. Sixth Form boarders live in Beaumaris Hall, a modern boarding house metres from the rear entrance to the school. Sixth Form boarders have additional time for studying and extra-curricular activities without the daily commute.

Tours of the school and Beaumaris Hall can be arranged and applicants are welcome to stay a night to help you to get a real feel for senior boarding life. If you are interested in applying for a Sixth Form boarding place, please complete the expression of interest in boarding form below.

More details can be found on our Boarding Life page which includes a video on boarding made by our Sixth Form boarders!

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students playing guitar

Fees

Since no charge is made for education at Haberdashers’ Adams, boarders pay only for the provision associated with boarding. This makes boarding an attractive and affordable option for many families. As a state school we are unable to offer sibling discounts, scholarships or bursaries.

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Boarders playing Monopoly

Boarding Life

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Boarders playing table football

International

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