The School originally opened as Hemel Hempstead Grammar School in 1931. It became comprehensive in 1970 following major secondary reorganisation in Hertfordshire and was re-named Hemel Hempstead School. The School is situated towards the south-west of the town in the village of Boxmoor, occupying a very pleasant site including our Elizabethan buildings which house the Music Department and the Dacorum Music School. The imposing façade with its stone pillars overlooking extensive playing fields leading to Heath Barn, The 17th century Music centre and thence to the village of Boxmoor, gives an impression of traditional values which underpin the school, whilst many newer buildings speak of the progressive aspects of daily work.

 

As with most schools, various extensions have been added to the original buildings as the School expanded. A new 11 classroom block opened in November 1999 and an additional Science laboratory and refurbishment of existing laboratories was completed in 2001. Early in 2005 the school received its first dedicated 6^th form block complete with teaching rooms, study area, computer suites and offices. In October 2008 a new Drama block was completed and we are expecting the addition of new Food Technology rooms in the near future.

 

The school is expanding due to an increase in intake from 160 to 180 each year and our membership of the Dacorum Strategic Area Partnership Group and currently we have a total of 1189 students including a 6^th form of 280. Our pupils are drawn from many parts of the town although predominantly the area immediately surrounding the School. The intake is comprehensive in breadth but contains rather more able children than local and national averages and we have parents who are extremely supportive of the School and keen to see their children do well. We are well known for our high standards and consistently achieve very good examination results. We expect the very best from everyone, regardless of their abilities and standards are important. Pupils are expected to be smartly turned out and uniform is worn to the end of Year 11. Our Sixth Formers have a free choice within the limits of business convention.

 

The pupils are divided in to six house groups, each named after local villages:

Ashridge, Chalfont, Flaunden. Latimer, Nettleden and Pendley. The houses compete against each other to win annual events such as sports day, house drama, house music, house dance and house Christmas decorations. House captains are chosen from the lower sixth-form (year 12) to organise their house events.

 

The school has many levels of student responsibility. There is a student council (2 students elected from each year group, elected each year). The student council attempts to take some responsibility in making decisions in how the school is run - for example they may interview new teachers. The most recent example is the appointment of the current headteacher.

The school holds both Sportsmark and Artsmark awards, reflecting the quality of curriculum provision in these areas, and from September 2002 we became the first Performing Arts School in Hertfordshire, under the Government’s Specialist Schools Programme. This specialism in Performing Arts enlightens and enlivens every aspect of school life and allowed us to develop new technologies to enhance all areas of the school. In 2008 we were awarded a second specialism in Science and Mathemarics.

Featuring in the top 100 Most Improved Schools this year as well as the Financial Times Top 1000 schools based on A Level results and named in the top 30 schools by the Specialist Schools Trust, the School is at the top of the game and in the top 25% of schools nationally on every indicator. The school has recently been identified as a High Performing Specialist school and is ready to embrace its additional specialism of Science and Mathematics.

We always seek to appoint well-qualified and enthusiastic teachers who are not only experts in their own field, but can also contribute to extra-curricular life in some way. There are many opportunities for professional development and the school prides itself in helping staff to further their careers in teaching and non-teaching. If you want to do something innovative for the benefit of the students you will be encouraged and supported in doing so.