As Head of Hanford, a day and boarding prep school for girls, I am fortunate to enjoy the wonder that is Hanford every day – the beautiful grounds and setting, the happiness and carefree spirit of the pupils, the dedication of our staff, and the huge array of adventures and experiences that fill each day.
Hanford Prep really does have to be seen to be believed. The education we offer is increasingly rare in today’s busy, pressurised world. Hanford girls have time to be themselves – to play outside, tend the gardens, learn new sports, climb trees, explore the grounds and make lifelong friendships. They work hard too, and they do it with joy.
I look forward to meeting you and your daughter, showing you the Hanford approach and introducing you to our pupils – our greatest advocates and best ‘ambassadors’. Oh, and did I mention the ponies?
Mrs Hilary Phillips Head
Our vision is to fulfil potential in all pupils, nurture talent, value individuality, encourage respect and cherish childhood.
Our aim is to develop confident, independent and happy girls with a great sense of fun, an enthusiasm for life, a love of learning and a willingness to take risks.
Our spirit is to celebrate the joys, freedoms and wonder of childhood.
Girls are given the space to be children – to play, roam, follow their curiosity and be guided by their imagination. Here, they grow at their own pace, learning not only who they are but how they want to step into the world.
We place immense value on play, friendship and freedom. There’s space to breathe, to wonder, to ride or climb a tree before breakfast – and plenty of encouragement along the way. It’s a place that feels both magical and real, where imagination, laughter and muddy knees are all part of the adventure.
A UNIQUE BLEND OF TIME + GROWTH
A Hanford Education
Education here is ambitious, adventurous and rooted in joyful, purposeful learning.
Hanford is a greenhouse, not a hothouse. Our dedicated teachers work with care and insight to bring out the best in every girl – recognising her strengths, encouraging her interests and helping her grow in confidence.
We offer a blend of skills and knowledge-based education that’s both imaginative and ambitious. Girls consistently achieve outstanding academic results, with many going on to gain scholarships
and awards in academics, art, performing arts, sport, music, and more. But we measure success in more than marks: we value curiosity, creativity and the courage to ‘have a go’.
Lessons are lively, purposeful and often full of laughter. Learning here is supported by careful assessment, personal tutor guidance and exceptional pastoral care – creating a setting where girls can flourish, stretch themselves and develop a lifelong love of learning. We encourage girls to grow in courage, capability and self-belief – by trying, doing and daring.
Cherishing Childhood
Because childhood is not a stage to rush through, but a time to explore, imagine and grow in confidence.
Inspiring the curious, finding the joy, and making time for fun are at the heart of life at Hanford. We don’t see childhood as a developmental phase to pass through – it’s a precious chapter where minds are shaped, resilience is built and lifelong friendships are made.
We encourage girls to be exactly that – girls – and give them the space and time to grow at their own pace. Whether they’re up a tree, riding a pony or lost in a book, Hanford girls are free to enjoy being young while quietly building the strength, capability and confidence that will stay with them for life.
“They’ve been smiling from ear to ear ever since they joined Hanford. We credit you entirely for the confidence and happiness that seems to have followed them since.”
A UNIQUE BLEND OF NURTURE + NATURE
Kindness
“One of the first things girls do when they arrive is learn how to climb the big cedar tree, which is scrambled up so often that each of the branches has its own name (‘Catapult’, for obvious reasons, is the highest). And that neatly sums up the joyous, freewheeling spirit of this Dorset girls-only day and boarding school.”
Talk Education
Kindness is learned through living together, caring for others and noticing the little things.
With many girls boarding at Hanford, kindness becomes part of everyday life – from learning to live alongside one another to sharing responsibilities and growing in independence. Girls quickly learn the value of friendship, patience and looking out for those around them.
Personal tutors and caring staff offer gentle guidance and support, while animals – from ponies to guinea pigs – help foster empathy, routine and a deep sense of responsibility. And good manners are noticed and quietly celebrated.
Hanford’s small size and strong sense of community mean every girl is known, encouraged and cared for as an individual.
Perhaps it is no wonder The Week’s School Guide recently named Hanford ‘Best of the Best for Kindness’.
Creativity
Creativity begins with curiosity – and grows through making, imagining and experimenting.
Art, pottery and Handwork are an essential part of life at Hanford – not an extra. Every girl has at least three hours of creative teaching each week, covering everything from drawing and printmaking to wirework, clay, papier-mâché, spinning, sewing and textiles. Creativity is nurtured from the very beginning, with girls encouraged to explore different media, experiment with ideas and take joy in the process.
Our specialist teachers help the girls develop both artistic flair and hands-on skill. In Handwork, creativity meets quiet engineering –with projects that build independence, perseverance and problem-solving. From knitting and weaving in the younger years to dressmaking and soft textile design in the older years, every girl makes something that makes her proud. ‘Art Appré’ (Art Appreciation) introduces the ideas and language behind great works of art, helping girls talk about art with confidence and helping them make sense of the world around them.
The work they produce is outstanding – and so is their progress. Hanford girls regularly win Art scholarships. Beyond lessons, creativity spills into clubs like Doodle Club and Special Art –where imaginations run free, and muddy hands are very much encouraged.
A UNIQUE BLEND OF FREEDOM + FOCUS
Girls are encouraged to be themselves, ask questions and voice their opinions. Learning to build trusting relationships with peers and grown ups. Belonging to the Hanford community, gives girls a genuine sense of ownership for their education and personal development.
Bravery Freedom
One of the keys to unlocking success and happiness at Hanford is through building courage and bravery. Bravery to keep going, bravery to find a different route and the bravery to ‘give it a go’ in the first place.
‘Giving it a Go’ is a Hanford principle.
The Hanford Hundred provides every girl with a record of skills acquired during their time here. From ‘disagreeing well’ to making a bed, from changing a tyre to reading a map, Hanford girls are challenged to be the best version of themselves.
Hanford girls have plenty of freedom and space, to play, ride, run and roam.
At Hanford we make sure our girls have the time to play, make dens, climb trees, enjoy their friendships and, in the summer months, ride before breakfast.
Our beautiful grounds and gardens are filled with places and spaces to fire childhood imaginations. Growing plants in our kitchen garden, plaiting daisies in a pony’s tail, building dens at Tumbledown and hanging upside down in the climbing tree are just a small part of a Hanford childhood.
Our smaller size allows girls to explore, play and enjoy the school as if it were their home. We do not overburden them with rules and regulations rather choosing guidelines and boundaries.
Hanford chooses not to have a Head Girl, instead roles and responsibilities are shared collectively through ‘Committees’. Committees are groups of girls acting collaboratively, together they learn to listen to one other’s opinions, compromise and make decisions collectively.
Destination Schools
Our Leavers go on to Sherborne Girls and a wide range of leading UK independent single sex and co-educational senior schools. For a full list please scan the code:
Visit us
The best way to find out more about Hanford is to see it for yourself. Hanford really does need to be seen to be believed.
Plan your visit now: Call us on 01258 920847 Email us at admissions@hanfordprep.group
Find out more at hanfordprep.group and follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
“It offers a beguiling way of prolonging childhood, while instilling solid academic and artistic foundations and a likely lifelong horse addiction to any small girl. ‘You just have to worry that nothing will match up afterwards,’ in one mother’s words.”
Good Schools Guide
A UNIQUE BLEND OF BODY + SOUL
Hanford Prep
Child Okeford
Blandford Forum
Dorset
DT11 8HN
admissions@hanfordprep.group
01258 920847
hanfordprep.group
Sherborne Schools Group is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, No. 4002575 and registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, No. 1081228
