Welcome to the Sixth Form
Dear parents and guardians,
It is a great pleasure to welcome your son into the Sixth Form at Habs. These next two years will be some of the most exciting, challenging and rewarding of his school journey.
Our Sixth Form is built on conversation, collaboration and academic curiosity. You will be encouraged to ask big questions, debate bold ideas and explore your subjects in depth. Lessons will be rigorous and purposeful; led by knowledgeable teachers who care deeply about his progress and are committed to helping him fulfil his potential.
We want your son to thrive not just in the classroom, but across every area of school life. Whether it is through sport, drama, music, community action or student leadership, he will be encouraged to take risks, seize opportunities and grow in confidence.
Sixth Formers play a vital role in shaping the wider school culture, acting as role models and mentors to younger pupils.
As your son begins this exciting chapter, he will also be among the first to benefit from our newly refurbished Sixth Form space; designed to support independent study, collaboration and connection. Alongside this, we are evolving the Habs Diploma to reflect the breadth of Sixth Form life and prepare your son even more fully for university and beyond.
We are confident that this will be a brilliant two years; filled with challenge, growth, friendship and opportunity. We cannot wait to see all that your son will achieve.
MIKE BROADWITH ASSISTANT HEAD HEAD OF SIXTH FORM
About the School
There are approximately 1,100 students aged 11 to 18 in the Senior School.
Students join Habs in Year 7, 9 and 12. As a school we believe in lessons that have both pace and rigour as defining characteristics. 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. Parents are welcomed into the school to support the curriculum. There are Curriculum Evenings for parents to learn about our approach to particular subject areas and how they can best support their children at home; we firmly believe that students do best when school and home are working in true partnership.
Our
values
Our 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.
Sixth Form Induction Day
Friday 5 September 2025
8.15am to 2.30pm
Induction Day takes place a day before term officially starts for all pupils. During Induction Day, students will take part in a series of fun activities to help them get to know others in their form and year group.
We invite all parents, guardians and students to join the Senior Leadership Team, Sixth Form Team and Tutors for breakfast and presentations from 8.15am to 9.45am.
Staff will be in the coach and car park to welcome and guide you to the Dining Room. Please arrive between 8.15am and 8.30am.
Induction Day will end at around 2.30pm, students will be shown back to the coach or car park.
WE ASK STUDENTS TO:
- Attend wearing full Sixth Form dress code
- Bring their school bag, some pens and their school issued device (if they have one)
- Bring a packed lunch if they are not using the school dining room
- Students will not need any kit on this day
- Students can bring a mobile phone but it needs to be switched off when they arrive at school
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 they will need to book a ticket to reserve a seat.
Information on how to reserve a seat on this service will be sent by the Transport Manager 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 2.30pm and follow the bespoke published timetable.
We encourage everyone to use the Induction Day coach service to give students a taste of the experience of arriving and departing school from the coach park and the opportunity to meet some of our expert home to school coach drivers.
From Monday 8 September your son 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 Service will ensure he is equipped for his journey on the coaches.
STUDENTS TRAVELLING TO SCHOOL BY CAR
If you are driving to school on Induction Day, please enter via the main gate on Butterfly Lane. You will be directed round the one-way system where your son will be dropped off. On arrival, he will need to make his way to Aldenham House where his Form Tutor will meet him. Please arrive by 8.35am. At the end of the day, you should enter the main gate on Butterfly Lane. You will be directed to park in the Pitch 5 car park to collect your son.
Fees
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.
Fees refund scheme
Students from Year 7 to Year 13, will each receive a digital device. When joining Year 12, your child will receive a Microsoft Surface Pro 10 for Business. 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
AXA Health Insurance
School Fee Plan
Claiming school fees when your son is off sick
Marsh pupils' absence insurance
Marsh pupils' absence insurance scheme questions and answers
Medical Centre information
The school’s Medical Centre is situated in Aldenham House 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.
Phone number: 020 8266 1790
MEDICAL CENTRE STAFF
Gill McGrath
Senior School Nurse
Amelia Pitch
Senior School Nurse
Martina McGrath
School Nurse
Brendan Grufferty
School Counsellor
COLLECTION OF UNWELL CHILDREN FROM SCHOOL
It is important that a parent or guardian is always available to collect your son from the Medical Centre if they are unwell/injured. Please let the Medical Centre know as soon as possible if you are unable to collect and provide an alternative contact number for a suitable guardian, who can act on your behalf in case of an emergency.
Email address: schoolnurseboys@habselstree.org.uk
REQUEST FOR SCHOOL TO DISPENSE PRESCRIPTION MEDICINES
If your son requires any prescription medicine to be taken at school then please complete the ‘Request for School to Dispense Prescription Medicines’ form on the Habs App. Your son will need to bring the completed form to the Medical Centre along with the medication to be dispensed. It is your son's responsibility to attend the Medical Centre to be given his medication.
GENERAL HEALTH INFORMATION
Please fill in the online health questionnaire when your son starts school and then please keep us updated, via the Habs App, of any changes to his wellbeing such as hospital admissions, illnesses, or new medication.
We are always happy to talk about any existing medical conditions that your son might have and how this could influence our care of him in school, e.g., food allergies/diabetes/asthma/any severe reactions he has had which require use of an AAI (Adrenaline Auto Injector). Any relevant information will be shared with the appropriate staff members if it is essential to your wellbeing. If he develops any contagious disease such as chicken pox, measles, etc. then please inform the Medical Centre as soon as possible.
If your son is unwell with a raised temperature, please ensure his temperature has returned to normal before he returns to school. If he has episodes of diarrhea or vomiting, please ensure that they wait 48 hours after the symptoms have stopped before your son returns to school.
We also ask that you inform us of any significant events such as divorce or bereavement which may affect him.
Communication
We are always happy to answer any questions that parents and guardians have, big or small.
You can call Reception on 020 8266 1700, who will direct you 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 following order:
- Your son's Form Tutor via the Habs App
- Head of House
- Deputy Head of Sixth Form: Mr Peter Martin-Brown pmartin-brown@habselstree.org.uk
- Head of Sixth Form: Mr Michael Broadwith mbroadwith@habselstree.org.uk
- Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mr Adam Lawrence alawrence@habselstree.org.uk
- Deputy head Pastoral: Miss Katie Barron kbarron@habselstree.org.uk
LETTERS
We upload parent information letters to the Habs App.
EMAILS
We encourage an open dialogue but also we politely request that teachers are given time to respond. In an emergency, please contact Mr Broadwith or Mr Martin-Brown and he will respond as quickly as she can.
PARENTS' EVENING
There are two Parents' Evenings in Year 12 and one in Year 13, when parents and students meet with teachers to discuss academic progress. You will also receive one written report each year, while progress grades provide a snapshot of academic progress at regular intervals throughout the academic year. If you have any concerns during the school year, do not hesitate to contact your son's Form Tutor.
PROGRESS GRADES
Students are given progress grades according to the schedule that will be published at the beginning of the Autumn Term. You can access these via the Habs App. These grades allow Form Tutors to track your son's progress.
HOMEWORK
If you have questions about the time your son spends on homework (either too little or too much), please get in touch with his Form Tutor.
We do not want your son to spend all evening working, as it is important that they have time to relax.
INDIVIDUAL NEEDS
The aim of our Individual Needs Policy is to ensure that every student at Habs enjoys personal and academic success. We prioritise sustaining a close partnership with parents and providing appropriate support. The Head of Academic Support co-ordinates a team consisting of specialist teachers, senior academic and senior pastoral staff.
Support is delivered through various staff and programmes eg; the Form Tutor, Head of House, Deputy Head of House, subject teachers, study support sessions and learning skills programmes. Our Individual Needs policy is available on the school website
It is important to make us aware if your son 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 him.
Important websites
Students will be given an email account which teachers can email them on. They will receive login in details and further information once they start at Habs. Students will also have a Microsoft Teams account.
Habs App:
The Parent Portal contains a host of important information and is where you can email the school or form tutors regarding absences or any other matter. The portal holds all school reports, progress grades, letters, school timetable, school calendar, school blog, and coach service bookings.
To find out how to download and use the app click on the links below for further information:
HABS PARENT APP
HOW TO USE THE APP
Parent Pay:
PARENTPAY.COM
This website is where you pay for your son's school lunch. Once you have set up a login, you will be able to view what they eat every day and how much they have spent.
SOCS:
SOCSCMS.COM/LOGIN/129
This is the website where your son can sign up for co-curricular clubs.
Evolve: EVENT BOOKINGS
This website is used for all event bookings, for parents to give consent and pay for events.
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 students, we also care about supporting parents and families.
Attendance
When your child is ill or will be absent from school, please ensure you follow this procedure:
- Contact your son's Form Tutor and Absences (absencesboys@habselstree. org.uk) on the day your son is ill. You can do this via the Habs App or you can call the Senior School switchboard (020 8266 1700).
- If your son arrives late or leaves early, they must sign in or out at Aldenham House reception.
- If they 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 son's Form Tutor, asking permission to be absent. This is known as an ‘exeat’.
- If the planned absence is for more than half a day, please write to Mr Michael Broadwith at mbroadwith@habselstree. org.uk . If the planned absence is for more than one day, please write to the Headmaster at hmboys@habselstree.org.uk
We request that absences are kept to a minimum.
SPORTS FIXTURE ATTENDANCE
If your son is unable to attend a fixture then please let the Sports Centre Administrator (sportsadminboys@habselstree. org.uk) know with at least seven days’ notice. If he is ill on the day of the game, you should email the Director of Sport or the team coach directly. Parents are warmly invited to watch as many fixtures as possible.
Parental Professional Expertise
As a school, we benefit hugely from the professional expertise and generosity of Alumni.
GOVERNORS AND PARENTS
In this increasingly competitive environment, we recognise the need to complement the school’s rigorous academic approach and develop the students’ understanding of the skills that will be required of them when they enter the workplace. We run a number of events and initiatives to support students in this area, and there are many ways in which parents may be able to contribute.
Special events
NETWORKING BREAKFASTS
We hold careers networking breakfasts jointly with the Girls’ School across a range of sectors. These give Sixth Form students the opportunity to talk informally to representatives from a variety of professions within their field of interest. Breakfast sessions run in fields such as Medicine, Law, Finance, Media & Creative industries, Public Sector, STEM and Entrepreneurship. We are always delighted to hear from parents who would like to represent their profession at one of these sessions. Breakfasts run from 8.30 to 9.15am at the Boys’ School.
EMPLOYABILITY SESSIONS
To support our students with the skills they will need as they embark on their careers, we run various employability talks and workshops and would love to hear from anyone who would be happy to deliver sessions on topics such as graduate recruitment, digital interviews and online assessments, interview skills, transferable skills; and assessment centres.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Please let us know if you would be willing to accommodate one or more of our students for a work experience placement. This might be for two days or two weeks, and can be online, in-person or a blend of both. Placements are hugely appreciated by our students, helping them to develop skills outside of the classroom as well as gain an insight into a career they may be interested in.
MOCK INTERVIEWS
Could you carry out a mock work-based interview and provide feedback? Each year an increasing number of our students consider applying for degree apprenticeship programmes, so any support with mock interviews is extremely useful. If you can help with one or more of the above, please contact Mr Spencer Pinkus (spinkus@habselstree.org.uk).
Introducing our Parents’ Guild
Habs Boys’ Parents’ Guild (HBPG) is run by both Prep and Senior School parents, HBPG is a strategic partner for the Boys’ School to enrich and enhance the education of students across all year groups and creating opportunities for engagement with the wider school community.
As a parent or guardian of a student at Habs Boys, you are automatically a member of the Guild. The Guild is a great way for parents and guardians to get more involved in school life – enabling you to get to know other parents across the year group and within your son's class and House in the Prep and Senior School.
The school have established a committee of 15 parents, representative of the school community. Alongside this, the Guild have established a network of House reps in the Senior School and we also have the existing network of class reps in the Prep School. The reps across both the Prep and Senior School will communicate most of the Guild’s messages via established class/House WhatsApp groups.
Click here to find out the Parents’ Guild objectives and how they work. We look forward to getting you involved!
