Admissions Enquiries: 01992 414109
General Enquiries: 01992 414100

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.

The heart of...

ENRICHMENT

At Duncombe, we believe that children's learning is not confined to the four walls of a classroom or only the pages of a textbook. Instead, our talented and dedicated teachers create individualised lessons that are designed to inspire and engage our children through real-life experiences.

The heart of...

OPPORTUNITY

From the School Council and buddying to prefects and co-curricular activities, there is an abundance of opportunities to develop the skills of empathy and responsibility in every child. These skills are invaluable to a child’s character development, wellbeing and sense of self.

The heart of...

SCHOOL SPIRIT

Duncombe is a home from home for our children. A culture of kindness can be felt as soon as you enter our school - a sense of community, friendship and warmth. Our mantra is Team Duncombe, as a school we recognise we are part of something truly special.

Hello from Team Duncombe

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

3 min watch
Our children are happy to go into school every day and have developed a real sense of learning and exploration of the world around them.

 – Voice of the Parent, 2023

Awards & Accreditations

Duncombe are delighted to have been recognised and endorsed by numerous regulatory bodies for our commitment to…

Co-educational Independent School of the Year

We are delighted to have been shortlisted for Co-educational Independent Prep School of the Year 2024, which is a testament to our unwavering commitment to fostering an inspiring educational journey through enrichment learning and a nurturing environment. This recognition acknowledges that all our children are treated as individuals, encouraged to develop strength of character, and prepared for life beyond Duncombe with an open, confident, and inquisitive mind.

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.

NACE

As an accredited NACE school, we have been recognised to provide a high-quality education that challenges and engages all learners. Our teachers foster collaboration, cultivate good learning habits, and support individual growth. We value each student's unique talents, creating an inclusive environment where strengths are celebrated and developed further.

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Pupil Safety

We are extremely proud to have been endorsed by Millie’s Mark, acknowledging that all our Early Years staff are paediatric first aid trained. All other members of staff are first aid trained ensuring we are confident, ready and capable.

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Wellbeing & environmental issues

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.

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Food for Life

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

We shall be continuing our support of the Thomas Franks Charity Foundation again this year working with their homeless charity partners, Under One Sky. We shall be collecting good quality hats, gloves, scarves and coats for adults.

If you would like to support this please bring your donations to the Music Room at drop off and pick up on the following dates:

• Friday 29th November
• Monday 2nd December

Under One Sky will be collecting the donations to take and distribute at their street feed event thefollowing day.

Raj Singh the Managing Director of the Charity shared how thrilled he is that Duncombe and Feeding Communities' relationship continues to go from 'strength to strength.'

Thank you in advance for your support

#TeamDuncombe @underonesky_london @_thomasfranks @cognitaschools
Throwback Friday to #TeamDuncombe's spectacular lightshow event last Friday evening. ✨ 

A huge thank you to our amazing PA for organising such a dazzling evening. 

Instead of traditional fireworks, #TeamDuncombe lit up the night with a stunning laser show. It's always one of the highlights of our school calendar, bringing our school community together for a truly magical experience. Watching our school grounds transform into an enchanting light display is something we look forward to every year!

Thanks to @bg_drone_shots, we also discovered that our lightshow didn't just dazzle Duncombe's grounds, but also painted the sky over Hertford, creating breathtaking views across Bengeo. 

A big thank you to @bg_drone_shots for beautifully capturing and sharing the magic! 

Here’s to more unforgettable nights like this! 

#DuncombeLightshow #CommunitySpirit #PTTeamDuncombe
#WeAreCognita #Education #CognitaWay #prepschools #privateschool #independentschools #independenteducation #inspiringeducation #primaryeducation #education #hertford #hertfordshire #hertfordshiremums #easthertfordshire #hertfordshireschools @cognitaschools @muddyhertsbeds @goodschoolsguide @iapsuk
Have you booked your children’s Christmas club camp yet? If not, book a spot at SuperCamps and enjoy 15% off. 

Offer ends at midnight!

#TeamDuncombe #WeAreCognita #Education #CognitaWay #prepschools #privateschool #independentschools #independenteducation #inspiringeducation #primaryeducation #education #hertford #hertfordshire #hertfordshiremums #easthertfordshire #hertfordshireschools @cognitaschools @officialsupercamps
Today #TeamDuncombe celebrated Anti-Bullying Week with Odd Socks Day! 

Children and teachers alike wore their brightest, most unique sock combinations to celebrate individuality and spread the message that it's great to be different. Odd Socks Day reminds us to stand together against bullying and discrimination. 

We’re proud to foster a supportive, inclusive community at Duncombe. 

#TeamDuncombe #WeAreCognita #Education #CognitaWay #prepschools #privateschool #independentschools #independenteducation #inspiringeducation #primaryeducation #education #hertford #hertfordshire #hertfordshiremums #easthertfordshire #hertfordshireschools @cognitaschools @antibullyingalliance
Today, we pause to reflect, remember, and show our gratitude. 

Let us remember their legacy and continue to teach future generations the importance of peace, respect, and remembrance.

To all those who serve and have served, we thank you. Lest we forget. ❤️🌺

#TeamDuncombe #WeAreCognita #Education #CognitaWay #prepschools #privateschool #independentschools #independenteducation #inspiringeducation #primaryeducation #education #hertford #hertfordshire #hertfordshiremums #easthertfordshire #hertfordshireschools @cognitaschools
🚨 **BIG NEWS!** 🚨

We’ve done it AGAIN on home turf! 🏆 The U11 Prep 5-a-side Football Shield is ours after a 3-0 victory against St Joseph's in the Park in the final! ⚽🔥

That’s 7 games unbeaten, with 19 goals scored and only 2 conceded. What a team!

Here’s the incredible list of these #TeamDuncombe members achievements so far this term:

🏅 Qualified for the U11 ISFA National Finals
🏅 Qualified for the U11 IAPS National Finals 
🏅 Winners of the U11 East Herts Prep Partnership Football Cup 
🏅 And now…winners of the U11 5-a-side Herts Football Shield!

Oh, and did we mention our new kits from our wonderful PA Committee? They made their debut in style today! 

What a season so far!! 🌟 

#TeamDuncombe #FootballChampions #NextStopNationals #WeAreCognita #Education #CognitaWay #prepschools #privateschool #independentschools #independenteducation #inspiringeducation #primaryeducation #education #hertford #hertfordshire #hertfordshiremums #easthertfordshire #hertfordshireschools @cognitaschools @goodschoolsguide @iapsuk @muddyhertsbeds
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    June 21, 2024

    Breaking News!- Duncombe achieves ‘Highly Commended’ for Excellence in STEM in Muddy Stiletto’s School Awards 2024       Duncombe School is delighted to share that is...

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    March 10, 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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    March 8, 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...

Begin an unforgettable adventure.

Duncombe School cultivates a love for learning, laying a strong foundation for future success. Our school is divided into three stages: Early Years (ages 2-5), which includes pre-school and Reception, Lower School (ages 5-8), and Upper School (ages 8-11). 
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3 - 4 yrs old

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4 - 5 yrs old

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5 - 8 yrs old

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8 - 11 yrs old

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Duncombe School

Admissions Enquiries: 01992 414109

General Enquiries: 01992 414100