Welcome to Duncombe School
Duncombe School is an Independent Day School and Pre-School, nestled in the beautiful town of Hertford, for children aged 2-11 years.
As a school we pride ourselves in nurturing our children’s minds through an inspiring educational journey and we encourage every child to dream big!
We believe success and happiness are not simply defined by outstanding academic results, but by being treated and celebrated as an individual, who is encouraged to develop strength of character and explore fully their personal potential.
Visit Team Duncombe and discover a Duncombe education.
Welcome to Duncombe School. We are so proud to say that our school has achieved numerous accreditations and been awarded the highest grading across multiple inspections, including ‘Excellent in All Areas’ in our June 2022 ISI inspection. Find out more about what makes Duncombe so special.
"We each share a clear vision of what an excellent Prep school looks like; I believe it can be defined as the willingness to explore the new, along with the confidence to stand on the established. "
- Jeremy Phelan, Headmaster
Awards & Accreditations
Duncombe are delighted to have been recognised and endorsed by numerous regulatory bodies for our commitment to…
Best use of Educational Technology Independent School of the Year
We are delighted to have been named a Finalist for “Best Use of Education Technology” at the Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2025! This recognition reflects our bold commitment to innovation – especially through our cutting-edge approach to digital learning.Our digital curriculum equips pupils with the skills and mindset to thrive in an ever-evolving digital world. By blending computing, communication and design thinking, it empowers them to become confident, creative and responsible digital leaders.
Highly Commended Excellence in STEM
Duncombe School is delighted to announce that we have been recognised in the Muddy Stilettos Best Schools Awards 2024 for the second year in a row! This year, we received a High Commendation for Excellence in STEM! The judges were impressed with our innovative teaching methods and engaging learning opportunities, making STEM subjects come alive for our pupils. This award celebrates the dedication, innovation, and teamwork of the entire Team
Most Innovative Technology Led Teaching
We believe technology enhances learning and we've seen first-hand its positive impact on our children's engagement and preparation for the future. This Muddy Stilettos award is a testament to our children who have fully embraced the benefits of digital learning and our incredible teaching staff, who've worked tirelessly to incorporate technology-led practices.
School Partnerships Alliance
Duncombe School is proud to be part of the Schools Partnership Alliance (S.P.A.), a network dedicated to fostering strong, cross-sector collaborations that enhance education. Through S.P.A., Duncombe connects with other schools and organisations to share resources, expertise, and best practices. These partnerships support key areas such as digital innovation, STEM education, teacher development, well-being initiatives, and professional training. S.P.A. also provides expert guidance, ensuring partnerships are impactful and measurable. The goal is to create meaningful, productive collaborations that improve educational, social opportunities for all pupils across the network.
Team Duncombe is proud to announce they have achieved their Level 4 The RHS Gardening Award! This accomplishment was made extra special by combining gardening with the beauty of French. Under the inspiring leadership of our French teacher and Garden Club leader, Madam Barlow, Treetops and Year 1 children learnt French vocabulary while exploring our vibrant gardens. A perfect blend of nature, language, and enthusiasm! .
Through an ambitious eco-plan, designed and led by our pupil Eco Council to help tackle ongoing environmental issues, Duncombe has been awarded the Eco-School Green Flag Award. This award acknowledges our continued commitment and our Eco-School flag flies proudly in the school grounds.
Our catering team, Thomas Franks, works closely with the school to ensure all of Team Duncombe enjoy fresh, tasty and wholesome food, whatever their dietary needs. This commitment has been recognised through endorsements from both ‘Food for Life’ and Coeliac UK.
FACILITIES & LOCATION
Palladian-style mansion with acres of stunning woodland
Situated at the edge of Hertford town, in leafy Bengeo, Duncombe School benefits from a beautiful rural setting while being part of a vibrant and historic small town. Our Palladian-style mansion dates back to the 1860s and is surrounded by four and a half acres of stunning woodland and grounds.
Duncombe’s enriching facilities include a secluded Forest School, a multi-purpose covered Astro, a bright and vibrant library, and dedicated Parisian Style Art Loft and Science Laboratory. These facilities provide a stimulating and motivating learning environment for our children.
Inspection Report
Celebrating Excellence in Education!
“Pupils are enthusiastic, committed learners from an early age due to the creative and imaginative lessons.”
-ISI Report 2022.
We are thrilled to share that Duncombe School and Treetops Pre-School have been awarded "EXCELLENT IN ALL AREAS" by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, as highlighted in our recent report. This is just one of the many findings that celebrate our commitment to enriching children's learning and providing them with exciting experiences and opportunities to thrive.
Discover the full report to learn more about our exceptional educational journey and how we nurture young minds for a successful future.
Follow Team Duncombe on Social Media
The children have enjoyed a truly magical Christmas week at Holiday Club.
They loved decorating Christmas trees, creating festive wreaths, and finished the week by making their very own Christmas crackers and delicious mince pies, perfect treats for Father Christmas on Christmas Eve! 🎄✨
#Duncombe #DuncombeSchool #DuncombePrepSchool #prepschools #privateschool #independentschools #Hertford #HolidayClub #ChristmasHolidayClub
💡Are you worried about moving your child mid-year due to academic needs, relocation, or simply the need for a fresh start? Don`t be, at Duncombe, we nurture young minds and encourage every child to dream big, thrive, and reach their full potential.
You don’t have to wait until September. We welcome new pupils throughout the year (space permitting) ✨
Every child deserves to feel happy, supported, and confident at school, and we work hard to make sure that happens.
For more information, contact our Admissions team:
📩 admissions@duncombe-school.co.uk
📲 01992 414109
#Duncombe #visitus #privateschool #independenteducation #stayandplay #DuncombeSchool #DuncombePrepSchool #prepschools #privateschool #independentschools #independenteducation #Hertford
Christmas Magic for our Nursery and Kindergarten Stars! 🎄✨
At the beginning of the week, we had a special visit from Mel the Magician.
The children were amazed by Mel`s talent, bringing giggles, gasps, and lots of wide-eyed wonder! 🎩
Later that day our little ones had an absolute blast at their Christmas party🎉🎶
We played lots of party games including, musical statues, frozen islands and musical chairs. Seeing their happy faces truly filled the room with festive joy. ❤️
Throughout the week, we`ve been busy crafting. Making salt dough ornaments, decorating Christmas trees and baking Mince pies!🎄
What a wonderful festive week 🎅🎁
#Duncombe #DuncombeSchool #DuncombePrepSchool #FestiveFun
✨🎄 Last week was a truly Christmassy week over in Treetops! 🎄✨
We kicked things off with our wonderful Reception and Nursery children performing their spectacular Christmas Nativities to EKG, KG and Main School, and they were absolutely superb! To top it all off, EKG & KG had a fantastic turnout for their Jingle and Mingle, filling the week with festive spirit and community cheer.
What a magical start to the season! 🎅❤️💫
The Duncombe Christmas Write is in Full Swing! 🎄✏️
Our annual whole-school writing competition has had classrooms buzzing with festive excitement! 🏫✨
This year Treetops, Year 1 & Year 2 have been inspired by Clement C. Moore’s classic ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’, and Year 3–Year 6 have been creating entries based on Tony Mitton’s abridged version of `A Christmas Carol` by Charles Dickens
Pupils have produced a wonderful range of written outcomes, from poems to descriptions to re-imaginings! We’re thrilled that our new Patron of Reading, Abiola Bello, will be judging the final entries 📚⭐
Good luck to all our talented writers – we can’t wait to see the results!
#TeamDuncombe #ChristmasWrite #LoveReading #FestiveFun
💡Considering a mid-year school move for academic reasons, a relocation, or simply a fresh start, here at Duncombe we nurture young minds, and encourage every child to dream big
You don’t have to wait until September. We welcome new pupils throughout the year (space permitting) ✨
Every child deserves to feel happy, supported, and confident at school, and we work hard to make sure that happens.
For more information, contact our Admissions team:
📩 admissions@duncombe-school.co.uk
📲 01992 414109
#Duncombe #visitus #privateschool #independenteducation #stayandplay #DuncombeSchool #DuncombePrepSchool #prepschools #privateschool #independentschools #independenteducation #Hertford
✨ Duncombe Levels Up in Coding! ✨
Our Year 6 Coding Competition showcased imaginative themes, brilliant game design and some seriously fun game play. From polished Scratch builds to professional-style presentations, pupils impressed us with their teamwork, problem-solving and innovative flair. A fantastic celebration of curiosity, collaboration and digital creativity in action. 🎮🌟💡
#Duncombe #DuncombeSchool #DuncombePrepSchool
🎉 Congratulations to our U11 Netball Team! 🎉
We’re so proud of our players who won the East Herts Prep School Partnership Netball Tournament at Stormont. What an incredible achievement and a fantastic afternoon of sport! 🏐✨
A huge thank you to Stormont School for hosting such a brilliant event.
Well done everyone! 👏
#TeamDuncombe #U11Netball #Duncombe #SchoolSport #NetballSuccess #PrepSchoolSport #Teamwork
Headmasters Weekly Review
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03/10/2025
This week we have continued our focus on British Values, exploring the importance of respect and tolerance. The pupils shared some excellent reflections on how we can...
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29/09/2025
It has been another purposeful week here at Duncombe, and it’s hard to believe that we will be stepping into October next week! September has flown by,...
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19/09/2025
It has been another busy and purposeful week here at Duncombe, full of energy and learning both in and out of the classroom. It’s also been another...
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10/03/2024
Congratulations to these pupils, for their remarkable achievements at the IAPS Swimming Regionals this week! One pupil displayed exceptional skill and determination in her race, once again,...
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08/03/2024
In homage to World Book Day and the courageous BFG, it has been a splendiferous week all-round! Thank you to everyone for being so fully engaged in...
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08/03/2024
We’re proud to announce the triumph of our U11 Duncombe Cross Country squad in a local event this week. Congratulations not only to the winners, but to...
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