Sedbergh School and Terrington Hall Prep School are delighted to announce an exciting new merger that will see Terrington Hall join the Sedbergh Schools Group, bringing together two leading northern schools united by a strong, values-driven approach to childhood and education.
Terrington Hall is a thriving co-educational day and boarding prep school set in the beautiful Howardian Hills to the north of York. Recently named as a Top Independent School by Tatler, Terrington Hall is bucking the national trend, with a school roll at its highest ever – and its parents report exceptionally high levels of satisfaction and pupil happiness in a school where every individual child flourishes. Terrington Hall’s values-based education is rooted in kindness, courage and confidence in a caring childhood environment which enables children to expand their horizons; recent years have delivered record numbers of scholarships to national senior schools and academic performance is consistently strong.
Sedbergh School is a world-renowned, co-educational full boarding school for pupils aged 13 to 18, set beneath the Howgill Fells in Cumbria. Having celebrated its quincentenary in 2025, Sedbergh stands apart, combining 500 years of heritage with a modern, outward-looking education that is ambitious, distinctive and deeply rooted in community.
Recently named Secondary European School of the Year by StudyTravel and praised in an outstanding ISI inspection (June 2025), with a significant strength in boarding, Sedbergh is defined above all by its people and pupils. Alongside Sedbergh Prep School in Casterton, two overseas schools in Vietnam and China, and an internationally respected programme of domestic and overseas courses, the School is guided by its values of Humility, Ambition, Resilience and Kindness, shaping daily life and unlocking exceptional opportunities.
A Natural Partnership
Sedbergh and Terrington Hall are natural partners, sharing close cultural values as well as a strong track record for delivering an outstanding education with happiness and opportunity at its core, as confirmed by both Schools’ most recent excellent ISI inspections. Pupils and staff of both schools will benefit from collaboration within the wider Sedbergh group of Schools, made possible through this closely aligned ethos.
Ian Durrans, Sedbergh School Chair of Governors said,
“We are delighted to welcome Terrington Hall into the Sedbergh Schools Group. From our earliest conversations, it was clear that both schools share a deep commitment to character, community and a values-driven education that places children at the centre of everything we do. This partnership is not about change for its own sake, but about expanding horizons, creating greater opportunity, strengthening long-term sustainability and enabling both schools to flourish while preserving the distinct qualities that make each so special. We look forward with great confidence to the future we will build together.”
Outstanding Opportunities
At the heart of this partnership are the pupils. By combining expertise, resources and long-term investment, the collaboration will create enriched academic, pastoral and co-curricular opportunities, ensuring children are supported to flourish both in and beyond the classroom. Significant planned short-term and long-term investment in the Terrington Hall site will enhance facilities and learning environments, reinforcing the school’s commitment to providing an outstanding holistic education for current and future pupils.
Distinctive Qualities
Terrington Hall School will retain its distinctive identity, with its name, uniform and ethos unchanged and will celebrate its existing traditions which form the heart of its community, all while benefiting from shared resources, professional expertise and new opportunities made possible through Sedbergh’s established commercial strength.
Stronger together, the schools will continue to work closely with families and their wider school communities. Terrington Hall will remain committed to supporting and advising parents and pupils as they move on to the senior school best suited to their aspirations and needs.
Katharine Lamont, Terrington Hall Chair of Governors said,
“Joining the Sedbergh Schools Group marks an exciting and carefully considered step forward for Terrington Hall. Throughout this process, our priority has been to secure a future that protects the spirit, warmth and individuality of our school while opening new opportunities for our pupils and staff. We have found in Sedbergh a partner that truly understands and values what makes Terrington Hall unique. This collaboration ensures continued investment, stability and ambition, allowing our children to expand their horizons while remaining rooted in the caring environment our community treasures.”
About the Sedbergh Schools Group
As a charitable group, led by Executive Head Mr Dan Harrison and supported by an experienced Board of Governors, Sedbergh Schools Group has a clear and ambitious vision for growth and long-term sustainability. With Terrington Hall now joining Sedbergh Prep as the Group’s second Prep School, alongside established international schools in Vietnam and China, the Group is building a connected family of schools shaped by shared values and high expectations.
This is a deliberately outward-looking strategy: to broaden opportunity for pupils, invest in exceptional people and places, and extend the Group’s reach through further carefully considered expansion in the years ahead, all while protecting what matters most: distinct school identities, outstanding pastoral care and an education rooted in character, community and ambition.
A Rigorous Process
This exciting merger is the result of rigorous evaluation by both the Governors of Terrington Hall and the Sedbergh Schools Group and forms part of a wider plan to drive long-term stability, investment and educational excellence for both Schools. Upon completion, Terrington Hall School will formally join the Sedbergh family in Summer 2026, marking the beginning of a new and exciting chapter.
