Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools Scoop Double Win at Independent Schools of the Year Awards
Herts school named overall winner of Independent School of the Year 2025 and winner of Independent School of the Year for Outstanding Educational Partnerships.
During what was a landmark evening for the local Herts School, Haberdashers’ Elstree Schools (Habs) has won the overall top accolade of Independent School of the Year 2025, as well as Independent School of the Year for Outstanding Educational Partnerships at the Independent Schools of the Year Awards hosted at The Law Society in Central London on 14 October.
The Outstanding Educational Partnerships Award was given to Habs in recognition of its long-term commitment to social impact through deep, sustained collaborations with state sector partners in the local community. The judging panel said they were impressed by the “Resilience the school has shown in staying true to its vision, rather than swerving the challenges of the moment”, adding that “It represents the very best qualities of the independent sector — a voice that helps the wider world to understand the powerful and positive impact of this sector.”
The annual awards celebrates excellence across the UK’s independent education sector. Gus Lock, Executive Principal of Habs Elstree Schools commented, “Our students and staff work together for mutual enrichment, making a tangible impact and helping to improve student attendance across our partner schools. I cannot express enough how proud I am of our staff, students and community. Everyone at Habs works incredibly hard, despite what has been a tough time for the sector. Yet their unwavering commitment to one another, to our schools and to the idea that their work can genuinely change lives, while helping them to make a meaningful difference to the world, is inspiring.”
The Habs Partnerships Programme which aims to build educational opportunities for the local community centred around the WD6 postcode, is formed of strong and mutually beneficial partnerships between the Habs Elstree Schools and six local state partner schools. These include, Cowley Hill Primary School, Borehamwood; Fairfield Junior School, Radlett; Hertswood Academy, Borehamwood; Meryfield Primary School, Borehamwood; Monksmead Primary School, Borehamwood and London Academy School, Edgware.
Raising attendance is one of the key challenges for state schools today. Joshua Plotkin, Director of Partnerships at Habs, explains “As part of a programme that trains, guides and supports them, we put our students into the wider world and enable them to have a profound impact. Our work in partnership has raised average school attendance amongst disadvantaged pupils, and not just attendance at partnerships sessions, but at school overall by 10.1%, which is equivalent to an extra full day of school every two weeks.”
The partner schools all serve communities with average or above-average levels of disadvantage, and who face persistent challenges in educational attainment, access to specialist subjects, and extracurricular enrichment opportunities. Through its pioneering partnerships programme, Habs delivers over 52 hours of curriculum support and enrichment every week with almost 2,000 students benefitting from an average of 12 hours of sessions each. This involves over 500 Habs students in Years 10 to 13 who are specially trained to lead and support the sessions, fostering leadership, communication and adaptability. A further 56 Habs staff members also contribute weekly, supporting curriculum alignment and ensuring quality provision.
Habs traces its heritage back many centuries, within the context of the Haberdashers’ Livery Company, to a philanthropic vision intended to provide education and opportunity to the least privileged in society. At the heart of Habs Elstree Schools’ success is a clearly defined purpose: to empower young people to have a profound impact in the world.
For Habs, these awards are not just a celebration of academic excellence, they recognise how the schools are actively using their resources, people, and purpose to drive social mobility and create a positive legacy beyond their own campus.