Welcome to the Senior School
Dear Parents, Guardians and all our new Year 7 students,
We are looking forward to welcoming you to the Senior School in September for what we know will be an exciting next step in your school careers.
The community at Habs is a diverse and inclusive one, with plenty of opportunities for students to get involved with lots of different activities both in and beyond the classroom. From our assemblies to our house competitions, from our drama productions to our sports fixtures, there is plenty for everyone at Habs.
We look to inspire curiosity and feed an unending desire to learn through our extensive curriculum and fantastic co- curricular provision, while encouraging students to set their sights high on what they want to achieve, whether that be academically, on the stage or on the sports field.
I hope you are as excited to get started as we are to welcoming you on campus in September.
DR HAZEL BAGWORTH-MANN HEADMISTRESS
Habs Girls Senior School
About the Senior School
There are approximately 800 students aged 11 to 18 in the Senior School.
Whenever students join, whether it is moving up from our Junior School, our Year 7, through an occasional place or at Sixth Form, there is a broad and challenging curriculum for them to enjoy.
As a school we believe in lessons that have both pace and rigour as defining characteristics. We believe that academic excellence is a product of our approach to active and independent learning, with practical tasks and problem solving, enabling our students to develop their understanding in the deepest sense.
Enthusiasm and excitement are key, as is providing the stimulus for discussion and debate.
Students love to be challenged and have an insatiable curiosity about the world around them. There will be an Induction Evening in September for parents and a curriculum booklet will be shared which outlines our approach to particular subject areas and how they can best support their children at home.
We firmly believe that students thrive when school and home are working in true partnership.
MR KEITH BROWN HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL
MISS GILL ALDCROFT HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL
Our
values
Our brand values are what we hold dear as a school, the core beliefs that we stand for. They should drive all decisions and actions.
Ambition
We are bold and ambitious – for ourselves, but also for others and for the world. This is underpinned by our altruistic and philanthropic foundation, which drives our values and behaviours. We expect everyone to give their best, to stretch boundaries, and to challenge the status quo. We believe that ambition can be limitless. When combined with courage, curiosity and community, ambition can be a selfless and powerful lever for change.
Curiosity
We create and use every opportunity to engage with the world around us; we ask questions, challenge assumptions and express our ideas. Alongside our academic interests and skills, we also love to exercise our imaginations, creativity and spirituality. Our broad and carefully curated curriculum leads us into experiences of awe and wonder – bringing a sense of magic and excitement to learning.
Courage
Exploring beyond our comfort zones enables us to become more self-aware, adventurous, resilient and independent. We aim high, following our dreams, but we cope well if we don’t always succeed. We understand how to balance humility and boldness when speaking out on behalf of ourselves and others. And we are unflinching problem-solvers, continually seeking to change the world for the better.
Community
Habs is one caring, respectful community on one fabulous campus. Our focus is on belonging and inclusivity: celebrating our differences, not in spite of our differences. Beyond our students and staff, this sense of collaborative togetherness extends to our families, alumni, partner schools, and even the world. We’re helping to learn from and empower wider communities – locally, nationally and globally. We bring the world to our door, but we also step through that door into the wider world.
11+ Induction Day
Friday 5 September 2025
8.35am to 2.30pm
Induction Day takes place the day before term officially starts for all students. During Induction Day, your child will take part in a series of fun activities to help them get to know others in their Form.
Staff will be in the coach and car park to welcome your child and guide them to Prevett Hall. Please arrive between 8.20am and 8.35am. Induction Day will end at around 2.30pm and your child will be shown back to the coach or car park.
WE ASK THAT YOUR CHILD:
- Wears their school uniform and brings their Habs PE kit including trainers, lacrosse stick, goggles and mouth guard
- Bring their school bag and a fully stocked pencil case which has their name marked clearly on the front
- Bring a packed lunch if they are not signed up for school lunches, ensuring they follow the schools policy of no nuts or seeds
INDUCTION DAY COACH SERVICE FOR ALL
Any student can use the coaches on Induction Day, whether or not they are registered as a regular user for the service. There is no charge, but you will need to book a ticket in advance to reserve a seat for your child. Information on how to reserve a seat on this service will be sent to you by the Transport Manager, Ms Emma Summers, during the summer break.
A bespoke timetable will be in operation for Induction Day covering the popular stops on our usual home-to-school service. The timetable for this service will be published in the
transport newsletter which will be sent to all parents. The return service will depart from school at approximately 2.45pm and follow the bespoke published timetable.
We do encourage everyone to use the Induction Day coach service to give students the experience of arriving and departing school from the coach park and the opportunity to meet some of our expert hometo-school coach drivers. From Monday 9 September they will become part of a 1,700 student strong coach community and the orientation provided on Induction Day together with the information in the Home to School Coach Terms of Services will ensure your child is equipped for their journey.
STUDENTS TRAVELLING TO SCHOOL BY CAR
If you are driving your child to school on Induction Day, please enter via the main gate on Aldenham Road. You will be directed to the school drop off area just before our security barriers. There will be marshals to direct you into one of two lanes where you can drop off your child. They will then be supervised from the car park to the school entrance, using the correct and suitable walkways and paths.
Year Groups and Houses
The Senior School is formed of three sections. Each has a dedicated Head of Section supported by a Head of Year for each year group. The three sections are:
MIDDLE SCHOOL
YEAR 7 TO YEAR 8
In Year 7, students are allocated a place in one of the six Houses and they will remain in this House for the duration of their time at Habs. In the Girls’ School, Houses are named after former Headmistresses. To make good bonds within the House community and to create a family-like environment, Middle School Form (Tutor) groups are set in Houses.
In the Upper School, students remain as part of a House but Form (tutor) groups are mixed so that students have an opportunity to work with a wider variety of students and experience our diverse community.
UPPER SCHOOL
YEAR 9, YEAR 10 AND YEAR 11
Upper School students are supported by a tutor and a co-tutor.
Throughout the year, students in all year groups participate in a variety of Inter House competitions, fostering an atmosphere of team spirit and friendly rivalry. The emphasis is on sport, drama, music, dance, charities and having fun.
POWELL SPRULES
GILLILAND
HAROLD
MILLAR
GILLETT
Buddies
As well as Sixth Form House and Section Prefects who support Middle School students, each Year 7 student will be allocated a buddy from Year 12 who belongs to the same House, and that buddy can help with integration, general questions and to give help and advice about day-to-day matters. This is in addition to the support the students receive from their Form tutor.
Year 7 students also have the opportunity to pair up with students in Years 8 for a variety of activities across the year, and these buddies are known at Habs as Amigas.
Students who require more bespoke mentoring are matched with a trained Peer Mentor. These are students in older year groups who have been through similar experiences or are an ambassador for an academic subject area.
Wellbeing and PSHE
All students meet with their tutors each morning for registration, assemblies, and a combination of 1:1 and whole group tutoring.
They are the first port of call for parents and students if they have any issues at school.
Tutors are the first port of call for parents and students if they have any issues at school, and within Tutor-time there are also opportunities for students to meet in House communities across all year groups. Heads of Year and Heads of Section are all also fully trained pastoral leaders and can often support students who require tailored pastoral interventions. They also have academic oversight of the students in their care. Other members of the pastoral team include the nurses and counsellors, and the Deputy Head Pastoral.
As well as specialist PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) lessons within the curriculum, tutors also take a lead on the themed weeks and specialist topics.
We cover a rigorous curriculum of both PSHE and RSE in line with the government guidance, and we provide the students with workshops led by specialist speakers at different times throughout the year, focused on age-appropriate issues and current trends. Workshops are also provided for parents.
Our school is a ‘Tooled Up Education’ school. This means, in addition to all that we do at school to help pupils, we also care about supporting parents and families.
Please use the link to register your free account and gain access to the digital hub of evidence-based resources covering: mental health, digital life, aspiration, learning, family life and relationships.
Medical Centre information
The school's Medical Centre is situated in the ground level of the Senior School and is open during term time from 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. For home sports fixtures on Saturdays, we have external medical cover.
COLLECTION OF UNWELL CHILDREN FROM SCHOOL
It is important that a parent or guardian is always available to collect an unwell/injured child should they be unable to stay in school. Please let your child’s Tutor know as soon as possible if you will be unavailable for collection and provide an alternative contact number for a suitable guardian who can act on your behalf in case of an emergency.
SICKNESS
If your child is unwell, e.g. has a raised temperature, has episodes of diarrhoea or vomiting, please ensure that you wait 48 hours after the symptoms have stopped before they return to school.
GENERAL HEALTH INFORMATION
Please keep us updated, via your child’s Form Tutor, of any changes to your child’s wellbeing such as hospital admissions, illnesses or new medication. We also ask that you inform us of any significant events such as divorce or bereavement which may affect your child emotionally.
We are always happy to talk about any existing medical conditions that your child might have and how this could influence our care of your child in school, e.g. food allergies/diabetes/asthma/any severe reactions your child has had which requires use of an AAI (Adrenaline Auto Injector).
Any relevant information will be shared with the appropriate staff members if it is essential to your child’s wellbeing. If they develop any contagious disease such as chicken pox, measles, etc. then please inform the Health Centre as soon as possible.
PRESCRIBED AND OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS FROM HOME
Students are not permitted to carry any medication (either prescribed or over the counter) on their person on the school site other than an emergency inhaler/AAI as agreed with the School Nurses.
If your child requires any prescription medicine to be taken at school then please complete the form on the Parent Portal (Request for School to Dispense Prescription Medicines).
They will need to bring the completed form to the Medical Centre along with the medication to be dispensed immediately upon arrival at school.
It is your child’s responsibility to attend the Health Centre to be given their medication.
MEDICAL CENTRE STAFF
JOY FOREMAN Lead Nurse
BECCY KNOX School Nurse
EMILIE RICHARDSON School Nurse
EMAIL ADDRESS seniornurse@habselstree.org.uk
LINDA PATEL
CAROLINE GREASBY HARRIET DOWARD School Counsellors
EMAIL ADDRESS counsellorgirls@habselstree.org.uk
Assemblies
Our school community begins the day with time together either as a Form, year group, Section, House or whole school, to share our values and explore ideas.
Each faith group presents a termly assembly, allowing a different group of students to share their experiences of their faith.
We encourage all students to attend with an open and enquiring mind as it is a brilliant way to see other points of view.
We also have a multi-faith room which students can request use for lunchtime prayers or other such needs.
Student Voice
The committee is made up of Student Voice Representatives from Year 7 to Lower Sixth in addition to our Senior Prefect Team who represent Upper Sixth and the whole school. The committee meet regularly, at least once a half term to discuss issues of importance to the students.
During these meetings, the leadership team feedback to students on previously raised issues, keeping open communication between students and staff.
Students are elected into the role of Student Voice Representatives who form the body of our Student Voice Committee alongside our Senior Prefect Team. Mobile phone usage
Academic support
Academic support at Habs is available to all our Senior School students and teachers regularly work with students beyond the confines of lessons, whether in drop-in sessions, specific 1:1s or in extension work.
If you would like to talk about any aspect of your child’s learning, your main point of contact is the form tutor, who maintains a close academic overview of their tutees’ progress and can signpost the other support available.
Click here for our mobile phone policy.
Communication
We are always happy to answer any queries that you have, big or small.
Parents and guardians can call Reception on 020 8266 2300, who can direct them to the relevant member of staff. The School Nurse can also be contacted through Reception.
If you have any pastoral or academic concerns please contact staff in the relevant order. Please note that the Heads of Section are Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads:
- Your child’s Form Tutor via the Habs App
- Head of Year
- Head of Section
- Head of Middle School
- Mr Keith Brown (kbrown@habselstree.org.uk)
- Head of Upper School
- Ms Gill Aldcroft (galdcroft@habselstree.org.uk)
- Deputy Head Pastoral and Designated Safeguarding Lead
LETTERS
We upload parent information letters to the Habs App every Friday.
EMAILS
We encourage an open dialogue but please note that Tutors and other members of the pastoral team are teachers and so unable to respond immediately to emails. In an emergency, please contact Reception who will direct your query to someone who can respond more quickly.
REPORTING
Parents’ Evenings take place in the Autumn and Spring terms so that parents and guardians have an opportunity to meet their child’s subject teachers and tutor. Progress Grades in each subject are issued to students and parents each term so that overall progress can be tracked and monitored. Form tutors and class teachers support students in setting their short-term targets, and the summer term assessments are always conducted as formal assessments under exam conditions. A written report for each student is written towards the end of the Summer Term.
INDIVIDUAL NEEDS
Our Individual Needs team ensures that every child at Habs enjoys personal and academic success. We believe in the importance of sustaining a close partnership with parents and guardians so we can provide the appropriate support. The Head of Individual Needs co-ordinates a team consisting of our specialist teachers, senior academic and senior pastoral staff.
Support can occur at various levels in school life, e.g. through the child’s form tutor, Head of Year, subject teachers, study support sessions and learning skills programmes. Our Individual Needs policy is available on the school website here.
It is important to make us aware if your child has any identified specific learning needs (e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, hypermobility, visual impairments and hearing impairments) so we can provide the best support for them.
The Individual Needs Department are also available to offer specialist support and advice. Your child can speak to Ms Alison Baker (abaker@habselstree.org.uk), for more information.
Important websites
Habs App:
The Habs App contains a host of important information and is where you can email the school or form tutors regarding absences or any other matters. The portal holds all school reports, progress grades, letters, school timetable, school calendar and coach service bookings. It is also the place to fill out the form regarding your childs medical information.
Parent Pay:
PARENTPAY.COM
This is where you pay for your child’s school lunches by signing up to parent pay. Should you wish to switch to a pay as you go lunch option for your child, a terms notice is required.
Students can of course use their parent pay account at break time to purchase items.
Sports Fixture website:
SPORTS.HABSELSTREE.ORG.UK
This website is where you will find out about upcoming sports fixtures, times and locations.
SOCS:
SOCSCMS.COM/LOGIN/129
This is the website where students sign up for co-curricular activities. Logins will be provided to students during the Freshers Fair.
Your child will be given an email account which teachers can email them on. They will receive login details and further information once they start at Habs. They will also have a Microsoft Teams account.
Evolve: PAYING EVENTS
This website is used for all trip bookings, paid for events and for parents to give consent.
Tooled Up parent resource
TOOLEDUPEDUCATION.COM
Our school is a ‘Tooled Up Education’ school. This means, in addition to all that we do at school to help pupils, we also care about supporting parents and families.
Attendance
The school must be informed of absence for any reason, either planned or unplanned. If your child is absent for any reason, work will not be provided. We request that absences are kept to a minimum.
When your child is ill or will be absent from school, please follow this procedure:
- Contact their Form Tutor and Absences (AbsencesGirls@ habselstree.org.uk) on the day your child is ill.
- Call the Absence Line 020 8266 2300 and selecting option 1
- Completing the Absence Information form on the Habs App
- If your child arrives late or leaves early, they must sign in or out of the Girls' School reception
- If you wish to request absence for religious observance please write to us, giving at least seven days’ notice
- If possible, doctor and dental appointments should be made during the holidays. If this is not possible, please write to your child’s Form Tutor, asking permission for them to be absent. This is known as an ‘exeat’
- If the planned absence is for more than half a day, please write to Head of Year; Mr Brown at kbrown@ habselstree.org.uk (Year 7 and 8) or Miss Aldcroft at galdcroft@habselstree.org.uk (Year 9, 10 and 11)
- If the planned absence is for more than one day, please write to the Headmistress at hmgirls@habselstree.org.uk
- We request that absences are kept to a minimum
SPORTS FIXTURE ATTENDANCE
If you are unable to attend a fixture then please let the Sports Centre Administrator (SportsAdminGirls@habselstree. org.uk) know with at least seven days’ notice. If your child is ill on the day of the game parents should email the Director of Sport or the team coach directly. You are warmly invited to watch as many fixtures as possible.
Term dates
All our dates have been agreed and co-ordinated with the Boys’ School.
Click here to view term dates on our website.
Curriculum
Your child will study a full range of subjects covering English, Maths and the Sciences, along with Art, Computing, Design and Technology, Drama, Geography, History, Music, Physical Education, PSHE and Religion and Philosophy.
Students also study Latin and a choice of modern foreign languages; French, German or Spanish. After a survey, students will study a modern language that is a new to them in Year 7. They can then choose an additional modern language to study in Year 8. This allows them to take a broad range of languages during the course of their education before specialising at GCSE.
At the start of the Autumn Term, students are given a personal timetable for the academic year.
We are also keen to support students in their preparation for the world beyond Habs so we are enthusastic to support students in considering a wide range of possible routes for their future. To enable this, we offer individual advice and also hold a number of events and initiatives to support students; for more information and how to contribute, read here.
All Year 7 students will receive a device in the Autumn Term to help them with their learning. The Acceptable Use Policy will be explained to them, together with the sanctions for any infringement of the school rules related to the use of mobile devices in school.
The school day
The school day runs from 8:35am to 4pm each day, with the grounds opening from 8am.
The school is still open after 4pm for those taking part in a supervised activity or for those using the library for study. If students arrive at 8am, they must enter the school through the dining hall door and remain there where they will be supervised until 8.20am.
At the end of the day, we have coaches that depart at 4.15pm and 5.30pm for those attending after school activities. The 4.15pm and 5.30pm coach routes often differ so it is important to look up the route in advance to check that the required stops are available.
Parents can pick up students from the Girls’ School visitor car park. We kindly ask that parents or guardians not to drive through the main Girls’ School site.
Students are encouraged to be ‘car aware’ in all circumstances, ensuring they are safe when navigating our busy site. During the winter months, reflective strips on bags and coats are recommended.
HOMEWORK EXPECTATIONS
Homework is an important part of students’ study at Habs and can help them to progress in their understanding. As they move through the school, the balance will shift to a greater emphasis on independent work, with Year 7 being an important step on that journey. Many students will find the transition in homework from Year 6 very straightforward but others may initially find this challenging. We would always encourage students to talk to their form tutor if they are finding any aspect of their work tough and we will do all we can to support them in this.
Homework timetables are issued at the start of the academic year and most subjects are allocated about 20 minutes of homework a week. English and Maths have two slots of 20 minutes a week. Homework is not set during the first two weeks of Year 7.
If you have concerns about the time your child is spending on homework (either too little or too much), please get in touch with your child’s Tutor. We do not want them to spend all evening working, as it is important, they should have time to relax.
School timetable
Timetable
REGISTRATION 8.35AM TO 8.45AM
PERIOD 0 8.45AM TO 9.15AM
PERIOD 1 9.15AM TO 10.15AM
BREAK 10.15AM TO 10.35AM
PERIOD 2 10.35AM TO 11.35AM
TRAVEL TIME 11.35AM TO 11.40AM
PERIOD 3 11.40AM TO 12.40PM
LUNCH 12.40PM TO 1.55PM
PERIOD 4 1.55PM TO 2.55PM
TRAVEL TIME 2.55PM TO 3PM
PERIOD 5 3PM TO 4PM
PERIOD 6 (CO-CURRICULAR) 4.10PM TO 5.15PM
Rewards
We have three different level of rewards here at Habs with the aim to foster respect, kindness, inclusion, responsibility, endeavour and encourage students to step outside their comfort zones.
House points is the first stage awarded to individuals who show behaviour, actions in line with our values or exemplary work. These are tallied individually and added to the student's House tally.
Cornflower Awards are a higher level of reward system, used to recognise particular behaviours or achievements such as volunteering or notable level of participation in Drama, Music, Sports, etc. Cornflowers can also acknowledge marked improvement in effort/ engagement, achieving personal targets or independent research or exploration beyond the curriculum. Cornflower Awards are worth three House points.
Finally, we have our Excellence Book. This is for outstanding achievements, usually consisting of participation, contribution or achievement beyond school, including those outside of school. Staff nominate pupils to sign the Excellence Book and they will then visit the Headmistress’ office to write their name and the reason for their award in the book.
New entries are announced in the next whole school assembly. A nomination is worth 10 House points.
Locker land
Year 7, 8 and 9 students are provided with a large 'long' locker at the beginning of the year and is located in Locker land. These lockers can fit their school bag, sports bag, lacrosse stick and other items. The lockers are fitted with a combination padlock and students must not share their code with others.
Students are encouraged to store possessions at the start of the each day so that students carry the few items they needed for each lesson. They can return to lockers at break and lunchtime to swap items and avoid having to carry a heavy bag all day.
Catering
The Dining Room is open at the following times:
BREAKFAST 8AM TO 8.35AM
BREAK 10.15AM TO 10.35AM
LUNCHTIME 12.40PM TO 1.55PM
Students will have a variety of food options available to them at breakfast, break and lunchtime in our Dining Room, all provided by our catering services, Holroyd Howe. The catering team are experienced in handling all dietary and allergy needs.
For those students with specific food allergies or intolerances, we ask that you fill in the allergen and food intolerance forms by Friday 5 July and encourage your child to identify themselves personally to our catering team to ensure that our team can provide the appropriate and necessary assistance.
Catering Allergen Champions, who can be recognised by their pink ‘Ask about allergens’ badge, are specially trained team members. They are available to answer any questions or concerns students may have about allergens in our food.
Holroyd Howe encourages students to embark on a culinary adventure, trying new things and enjoying a balanced diet. Our menu offers a plethora of different ingredients, cuisines, and culinary styles, promising an exciting and diverse dining experience.
Diversity of different types of food from around the World is at the centre of Holroyd Howe hearts.
Habs is now offering a Kosher sandwich range for pupils daily. This range includes a variety of fillings and bread types, all prepared in accordance with Kosher dietary laws. It is available from 12:30pm to 1:30pm in our Grab and Go area.
Halal food options are also available in daily recipes too.
The school Dining Room offers four hot options to eat-in as well as a selection of cold take-away sandwiches, baguettes, salads, fruit pots and dessert pots, found in our Grab and Go section of the dining room.
Uniform
Our suppliers, Uniform4Kids, are a local, family-run business and have five stores located nearby and have an online store.
Their warehouse, in Centennial Park, Elstree, is five minutes from the school and used as a ‘Click and Collect’ location.
There is also a weekly, complimentary drop off service to the school for pre-paid orders, otherwise, orders are dispatched within 24-hours using Parcel Force or can be collected from store.
Returns and exchanges can be done in store, facilitated via the complimentary weekly delivery to school service or via the post.
Click here to view the uniform price list.
Our Habs Girls' Parent Guild hold Old School Uniform sales throughout the year, information is shared via the Habs App.
Further information
- All uniform and bags must be labelled
- Students must have a fully stocked pencil case
- School shoes must be black. Trainers are not permitted
- Please ensure skirts are not tailored and are no higher than 2 inches above the knee
- Coats should be a dark colour
- It is recommended that you buy three to five shirts, two skirts, and two pullovers/ jumpers
- For sports, one set of items should be sufficient
- Trainers for sport can be any colour with non-marking soles
- For students taking part in a sport that requires a mouthguard, such as Lacrosse, parents can order from Opro. We would recommend a high or pro impact mouthguard. You can choose any design, including a Habs branded version.
- Pupils must have a fully stocked pencil case
- You can purchase any bag for school but it must have a padded section for a laptop
Uniform list
Year 7 to Year 11
Skirt – Navy 4 button wrap skirt
Trousers – Navy
Uniform list
Sports Kit – Year 7 to Year 11
POLO SHIRT WITH SHORTS
POLO SHIRT WITH SHORTS WITH INNER
Academic year 2025/26
Please click here for information regarding our Fees in Advance Scheme.
Please click here for information regarding our Fees in advance calculator
Please click here for information regarding our School Fee Plan.
Please click here for information regarding our Coach prices.
Fees refund scheme
Please click here for more information on our Fees Refund Scheme.
Student device provision
Students from Year 7 to Year 12, will each receive a digital device. When joining Year 7, your child will receive a device and stylus. The charge for the device rental is £125 per term (£375 a year) and this charge will be itemised on your termly invoice.
For more information, please click here.
Insurance cover information
Students Healthcare Scheme
AXA
Co-curricular information
At Habs, we offer a full and varied co-curricular programme. We enjoy seeing pupils explore a range of opportunities and activities.
If there is a club that you want to see, we will support you in every way possible to set it up. These opportunities provide fantastic opportunities for you to continue learning outside of the classroom.
CO-CURRICULAR FRESHERS’ FAIR
The Freshers' Fair, held in September for the students, is an opportunity for your child to talk to older students and staff involved with the various clubs, and see which they might be interested in. We encourage students to try a wide range of activities.
DRAMA
Drama is about creating an inclusive community and developing a love of the Arts, and that is what we look to inspire within students at Habs with our Drama provision. Working collaboratively, inside and outside the classroom, we encourage students to develop their skills, confidence and experience. All elements of theatre are explored and pupils have the opportunity to take leading roles backstage as stage managers, lighting and sound technicians, costume and make-up artists or prop makers.
As part of our provision, we have hosted several professional make-up and theatre design workshops to support our curriculum and organised workshops for examination students with leading theatre companies and practitioners. We offer the Arts Award qualification throughout the Senior School and, in Year 9, students go to the theatre as part of the qualification.
School productions feature heavily in our co-curricular programme and students perform in a range of plays and musicals. Recent productions include Wendy and Peter Pan, The Glove Thief and Emilia.
There are popular lunchtime clubs run by the Lower Sixth and small-scale workshop performances take place each term. Each academic year, we also participate in the Shakespeare Coram Schools Festival and enter local festivals.
MUSIC
Music is central to life at Habs, exceptional in both its quality and breadth of opportunity. With over 70 ensembles rehearsing every week, over 20 major concerts per year and lunchtime performance opportunities every week, our musicians are part of one of the most vibrant and diverse music programmes in the country.
The Music School brings together students from both Habs Girls and Boys schools, drawing from a breathtaking pool of talent and diversity. We visit concert halls in London several times a year, curate projects through recording (Abbey Road and AIR Studios), collaborate with drama to produce original new work, run music partnership programmes in the community, host a range of dedicated courses through our Holiday Programme and much more. Alongside our outstanding orchestral provision, the pinnacle being the Habs Elstree Symphony Orchestra, we have an exceptional jazz department, sending students every year to leading conservatories in London and beyond. We have prodigious young songwriters, rock bands, composers, improvises, one of the largest guitar orchestras in the country - all genres and styles of music are given equal platform.
We want our leading musicians to guide our course of study, allowing them to impact the shape of what we offer with each generation that passes through the school.
For any young musician who wants to discover their potential, whilst experiencing a breadth of styles and opportunity through the process, Habs is the perfect place. Together with our talented young students we are immensely excited about what the future holds for Habs music.
We are proud to have an exceptional team of Visiting Music Teachers (VMTs) who provide expert tuition on a wide range of instruments. Whether you would like to continue an instrument you have already started with or whether you are curious to try something new, click to find out more about what's on offer. To find out more about our music offerings, please click here.
We offer lessons on the following instruments:
FLUTE
OBOE
CLARINET
BASSOON
SAXOPHONE
RECORDER
VIOLIN
VIOLA
CELLO
DOUBLE BASS
ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC GUITAR
TRUMPET
CORNET
FRENCH HORN
TROMBONE
DRUM KIT AND PERCUSSION
SINGING
PIANO
JAZZ SAXOPHONE
Co-curricular information (continued)
SPORT
Sport is an integral part of school life at Habs and we encourage students to engage in a variety of sport and physical activities. We offer all students the opportunity to represent the school at any level and they have the chance to get involved in internal franchise competitions, Inter House events, social activities or competitive fixtures with other local schools. We also encourage a healthy relationship with sport and exercise, helping to develop an understanding of how exercise can positively affect health and wellbeing as well as cultivate team spirit, positive relationships and pride in both individual and team achievements.
Participation rates are exceptionally high with students embracing the opportunity to get involved with such a broad and diverse sporting programme.
HABS DASH
As part of school life at Habs, we join the Boys’ School on their weekly 3.5km community run. This is HabsDash! It takes place every Tuesday lunchtime and the route takes students around our school grounds. The run is open to all members of the Habs community – students and staff, both at Habs Girls and at Habs Boys’ School.
To take part, students need to go to the Medburn Centre at 12.40pm on Tuesdays and get changed – the run starts at 12.50pm.
The school produces results sheets each week so students can track their progress and work towards running a half marathon, a marathon or even further!
LACROSSE OFFERS
For students taking part in Lacrosse, parents can order from UK Lacrosse for special offers.
A selection of some of the sports available to students: NETBALL
LACROSSE
DANCE
GYMNASTICS
TRAMPOLINING
SWIMMING
FITNESS
BADMINTON
FOOTBALL
CROSS COUNTRY
TENNIS
CRICKET
ATHLETICS
Joint with the Boys’ school: HABSDASH
WATER POLO
SQUASH
Travelling to school
There is a Home to School Coach Terms of Services which all parents, guardians and students must abide by when using the service.
Coaches
The School Transport Manager, Ms Emma Summers, will be pleased to answer any parental questions regarding travelling to and from Habs. She and her team can be contacted by email on transport@habselstree.org.uk or on 020 8266 1920.
Parents are responsible for their children until they board the school coach. When travelling by coach, all students must have with them a working and in-credit mobile phone.
Coach tickets are available for regular travel or single journeys. Single journey coach tickets can be purchased from the School Office, subject to availability, for the journey in question. Should your child lose an item on the coach and it is found by the coach company, it will be placed in the lost property racks in the Coach Park. If it is of high value, such as a musical instrument or a mobile phone, it will be taken to the Transport Manager’s Office and can be retrieved by asking a member of staff on duty in the Coach Park.
To book your child’s coach seat for September 2025 please refer to the onboarding website.
Driving in
Parents can access the school drop off area through Aldenham Road. If approaching from the direction of our coach park, it will be the first turning on your left. If you are approaching from Watford Road, it will be the second turning on your right.
Parking
Parents can collect their child from the school visitor car park, which is just before the security barriers. There will be marshals to direct you into one of two lanes where you can then wait for your child. For longer parking, you may use the larger car park which is accessible via a turnoff on the left lane waiting area.
Introducing our Parents’ Guild
We are excited to introduce to parents and guardians our St Catherine Parents’ Guild.
This is the official name of the Parents’ Association at Habs Girls, named after the school’s patron saint, but you will often hear it referred to simply as the Guild.
Run by both Junior and Senior School parents, you will automatically become a member of the Guild when your child joins.
The Guild is a great way for parents and guardians to become more involved in school life – enabling you to know other parents across year groups and within your child’s class and year group. There are several social and fundraising events throughout the year organised and run by the Guild, including a Fireworks Extravaganza, Quiz Night, Vintage Tea Party, Junior Disco and a Summer Fun Day. These events are fantastic opportunities to socialise with other parents from across both school communities.
An element of fundraising is also involved, purchasing lovely extras for the pupils.
A new outdoor classroom (tipi) has enhanced our outdoor learning provision for which we are most grateful to the Guild.
The Guild also hold outgrown uniform sales several times a year and sell branded items.
Committee meetings are open to all parents every half term, so please do come along to hear the latest news about events and how you can help. You can also share any ideas or hidden talents with us.
If would like any further information, including more details about the half termly meetings, please do not hesitate to contact the Guild by emailing stcatherineparentsguild@gmail.com.
School map