Hurtwood House was founded in 1970 with the clear vision that the needs of the modern sixth-former have changed, and that after GCSE many students are ready for the challenge and the fresh impetus which can best be provided by a more mature community specialising exclusively in their own age range.  To this end, everything we do at Hurtwood is specifically geared to the academic, personal and cultural needs of the sixth-former.

One of the main characteristics of Hurtwood is its strong boarding ethos (95% boarding).  We believe strongly that sixth-form students need the care and attention that we provide in our well-supervised, closely-knit boarding community.  Hurtwood House is structured and safe, but less formal and institutional than the traditional public schools.  We believe that by being smaller and friendlier and more personal we are more capable of responding to the needs of each individual.

Hurtwood House has a strong work ethic.  Its 300 students comprise one of the largest and strongest sixth-forms in England - top of the independent boarding schools’ league table for two of the last five years.  Uniquely, all the staff are specialist A-level teachers and Hurtwood provides a very broad range of academic, creative and vocational subjects to choose from.  It provides closer monitoring and support than is usually found in public schools through an exceptionally rigorous weekly system of assessment, grading and feedback.  We are committed to teaching students all the skills they need to realise their true academic potential, to stimulating their intellectual curiosity, and to helping them to achieve the best possible examination results and, often, to succeed beyond their dreams.  This is a community of young people who know what they want to achieve and who are working with confidence and enthusiasm towards it.

The defining feature of the school is its creativity.  Hurtwood House is a  centre of excellence for the Performing and Creative Arts.  We aim to provide outstanding opportunities for the aspiring actor, singer, artist, fashion designer, composer, and film-maker both in the A-level courses we provide and more importantly in specially-arranged and professionally organised activities such as our Film Academy and our concerts and our drama productions.  A culture of creativity and originality and professionalism permeates the school, and about half the students are taking one or more creative subjects at A-level.

It is important to us that we provide a “complete” and “broad” education and we put a great deal of emphasis on personal development.  We encourage students to develop their talents and skills in a wide range of extra-curricular activities, and we encourage them to respond to challenge, to think for themselves, and to find the right balance between work and play.  The Enigma programme provides access to a rich variety of stimulating experiences and all of this helps to provide a realistic preparation for life beyond school.  Major sports are encouraged on a voluntary basis and there is a full range of different activities organised for every weekday afternoon.

Hurtwood House is a non-denominational, multi-cultural society.  Although the majority of our students are from the United Kingdom, we have a number of overseas students, usually from twenty to thirty other countries.  This offers the exciting prospect of learning more about other religions and cultures in a free and tolerant community.  Students are able to practise the religion of their choice.  We ensure that the necessary dietary and other arrangements are part of the school structure.

Hurtwood House is one of England’s most exciting and successful schools and we are very proud of what we have achieved.  We have retained traditional values, but have broken new ground educationally and we have filled a need by creating a stepping-stone between public school and university.