Hill House School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hill House International Junior School |
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| Address | |
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Hans Place
, London
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SW1X 0EP
England
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| Coordinates | 51°29′51″N 0°09′37″W / 51.4975°N 0.1602°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Private preparatory school |
| Motto | Latin: Semper vigilans (Always vigilant) English: "A child's mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled." |
| Established | 1949 (Tour-de-Peilz, Switzerland) 1951 (Knightsbridge, London), United Kingdom) |
| Founder | Lieutenant-Colonel H. Stuart Townend |
| Department for Education URN | 100518 Tables |
| Head Master | Edmund Townend |
| Staff | 110 (approx.) |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Age | 4 to 13 |
| Enrolment | 690 As of January 2018[update] |
| Houses | Grammont, Midi, Naye, and Rosa |
| Colour(s) | Old gold, rust & tan |
| Former pupils | Old Hill Housers |
| Website | http://www.hillhouseschool.co.uk/ |
Hill House International Junior School, often called Hill House, is a private school in London, England. It's a special kind of school called a preparatory school, which means it prepares younger students for bigger schools. It is mostly located in the Knightsbridge area of London.
The school was started in September 1949 by Stuart Townend, who was an athlete and a politician, along with his wife, Beatrice. The school first opened in Switzerland. Soon after, it also opened in South West London. Hill House is the biggest preparatory school in London. It used to be only for boys, but in 1981, it became a co-educational school, meaning both boys and girls can attend.
Students from over 60 different countries go to Hill House. Most of them can speak two or three languages. In 2025, a survey called Spear's ranked Hill House as one of the "100 leading private schools in the world." It was listed alongside other famous schools like Eton College. Hill House is also known for its unique school uniform. Beatrice Townend designed it because she believed "Grey school uniforms make for grey minds." The uniform includes thick golden sweaters, burgundy corduroy shorts called knickerbockers, special ties called cravats in the school colors, and green backpacks.
School History
The school was founded in Switzerland in 1949 and in London in 1951. It was started by Lieutenant-Colonel Townend and his wife, Beatrice.
Prince Charles, who is now King Charles III, went to Hill House. He was the first future King of the United Kingdom to attend a regular school. Before him, princes were usually taught by private teachers or at military schools. Prince Charles's parents decided to send him to Hill House after getting advice from the Prime Minister at the time, Harold Macmillan. Some of Macmillan's younger relatives had also been students there.
As of 2018, about 690 students attend the school. They range in age from 4 to 13 years old.
The Townend Family's Role
As of 2025, Hill House is special because the founding family still manages the school every day. This is not common for schools in London.
Three generations of the Townend family have been the headmasters of Hill House:
- Lt Col Stuart Townend was the first Headmaster from 1949 to 2002.
- Richard Townend, Stuart Townend's son, was Headmaster from 2002 to 2022. He is now the Warden.
- Edmund Townend, Richard Townend's younger son, became Headmaster in 2022.
William Townend, Richard Townend's older son, works as the school's Bursar. A Bursar is like a business manager for the school.
Famous Former Students
Many notable people have attended Hill House. Here are a few:
- Charles III, who is now the King of the United Kingdom.
- Lily Allen, a singer and songwriter.
- Rupert Degas, an actor.
- Sofia Ellar, a singer and songwriter.
- Peaches Geldof, a television personality and writer.
- Pixie Geldof, a model and singer.
- Nicky Gumbel, a church leader who helped create the international Christian program called the Alpha Course.
- Ian Macpherson, 3rd Baron Strathcarron, a member of the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament.
- Yasmine Naghdi, a main dancer (Principal ballerina) with The Royal Ballet.
- Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, a politician who is a Member of Parliament (MP).
- All six of Jacob and Helena Rees-Mogg's children: Peter, Mary, Thomas, Anselm, Alfred, and Sixtus.
- Anya Taylor-Joy, an actress.
- Nick Watt, a political editor for BBC Newsnight.
- Mark-Francis Vandelli, a television personality from the show Made in Chelsea.
See also
- List of schools in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
