The Good Schools Guide
What The Good Schools Guide says
Head
Since 2023, Karl Guest. Born and bred south Londoner (home is still Crystal Palace, where he heads at weekends), he was educated by the De La Salle Brothers and ‘always wanted to teach’. Degree in theology, master’s in philosophy and Old Testament theology and PGCE all from St Mary’s University, Twickenham – ‘They pretty much had to kick me out!’ After more than a decade working in both state and independent schools, including in Australia, he spent seven years as deputy head of Sydenham and Sutton High Schools (both GDST) before taking up his first headship at Alton School in 2020.
Upbeat, mild-mannered and not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve, parents feel he’s an excellent fit for a school long known for its pastoral emphasis and family atmosphere – both things that attracted him to the role: ‘We work together, play together, support each other and laugh and cry together – it’s a real sanctuary and always has been.’
His ‘good heart’ aside, parents also welcome his ‘strategic lens’. ‘He’s brought a different vibe to the school,’ said one. ‘Not only is he more visible but he has clear thoughts about what he wants to achieve, including redefining the school as it goes co-ed.’ So far, this has involved introducing textiles, photography (and food tech from 2025) into the curriculum, as well as enhancing performing arts and adapting sport. Pupils say, ‘He’s always asking us how we are’ and that he’s ‘down to earth’ and ‘not at all scary like the one at my last school’.
Married with two children, one a physiotherapist and the other about to embark on Teach First, he enjoys sport, cooking, music and travel.
Entrance
Gently selective, catering for average ability and above. Into prep at 4+ via an hour-long informal assessment and at 7+ via maths, English and reasoning assessments, plus reference and school report. Into senior school at 11+ (when there are three applicants for each of the 40 new places not taken up by those moving up from prep) and at 13+ (when there are two applicants for each of the 20 places). Admission at both points by maths, English and reasoning assessments and an interview, reference and school report. Some mid-year joiners, ‘but it’s not a numbers game’. Around 30 places become available in sixth form, when candidates need six grade 6s at GCSE, including 5s in maths and English.
School went co-ed in 2021, with prep co-ed up to and including year 5 from September 2024 – and senior school co-ed up to and including year 9 from September 2024. Sixth form now 50/50 girls/boys.
Exit
Over 80 per cent move up from prep to seniors – pupils sit same paper as external candidates, but it’s ‘less formal’; the rest mainly to local state schools. Around 25 per cent leave after year 11, again mainly to state options but some in search of more vocational courses. Vast majority (95 per cent) of sixth formers to university, around half to Russell Group. Nottingham, Birmingham, Nottingham Trent and King’s College London currently popular. One to Oxbridge in 2023, and three medics.
High praise for ‘nuanced’ careers advice, eg how chemistry at Leeds differs from chemistry at Birmingham. Year 12s were in the midst of one-to-one sessions when we visited and told us the school promotes breadth including degree apprenticeships and overseas university options (although very little take-up of either so far).
Latest results
In 2023, 62 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 33 per cent A*/A at A level (64 per cent A*-B). In 2019 (the last pre-pandemic results), 57 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 26 per cent A*/A at A level (54 per cent A*-B).
Teaching and learning
More mixed ability than the local powerhouses such as St Albans School, St Albans High School for Girls, Habs, Merchant Taylors’ etc – making the results all the more impressive. But while for some parents, this is the obvious backup, for others it’s a clear first choice – including some parents of high-flyers. ‘My daughter is an A* student all the way but we deliberately chose St Columba’s because we wanted less pressure and time for the more fun side of education,’ said one; another that she had ‘one lazy one and one motivated one and it’s great for both’.
Vibe in prep is both purposeful and playful. We saw pupils making such a dash into school that they forgot to shut the car door behind them, while in lessons they had no qualms in shouting out questions, voicing their opinions and quizzing the teachers. Lots of practical, interactive learning – and we loved the maths lesson in which a pupil got to swap places with the teacher to explain an equation, as well as hearing about the 4-year-old who was rewarded with a lab coat for asking so many science questions. ‘The children come home and really talk about their learning,’ said a parent, another that ‘they’re all about supporting the individual and nurturing their needs, which has been essential for my August-born child’. French taught from reception and Spanish from year 5, with pupils continuing one or other in seniors. Other specialist teaching includes music and sport from reception, then science, art and design added from year 3. No setting and no forest school (but watch this space for the latter). A few grumbles about consistency in maths teaching, but overall praise for the ‘phenomenal’ teachers, ‘some of whom have been there for years and know the whole family’.
Over in seniors, pupils are less exuberant but no less engaged. Lots of quick-fire answers in a politics class on democracy and participation, while English lessons attract lively debate. Latin for all from year 7, and pupils can start specialising at the end of year 8 – ‘I dropped music, art and drama and now do more computer science, DT and Latin,’ approved one pupil. Setting in maths from year 7, languages from year 9 and English and science at GCSE, when pupils take 9-11 subjects including RS and an MFL. Around half take triple science and the top two maths sets do further maths. Drama popular, DT even more so. No spikes in certain subjects on results day.
Twenty-two (mostly trad) subjects at A level – everyone we met was doing maths, although we hear history, RS and sociology also hold firm. We wondered why they don’t broaden options, including BTECs, though food tech is coming soon. Everyone starts with four subjects and most (but not all) drop one – ‘So helpful for me because I wound up dropping philosophy, which I expected to love, and keeping English which I felt sure I’d drop – and now I’m going to do English at university,’ raved one girl. School will run tiny classes – four in Latin during our visit. Best results in maths, further maths and RS. A third do EPQ.
All pupils use Surface Pros, ‘but not at the expense of writing skills,’ the head was quick to add.
Learning support and SEN
Seventeen per cent of pupils are on the prep’s SEN register (with school keeping an eye on double that number), rising to 36 per cent in seniors (46 per cent if you include undiagnosed pupils). Increasing numbers moving from other schools as reputation grows. No EHCPs, but some in the pipeline. Usual gamut of ‘dys’ conditions most prevalent, then ADHD, and there’s some autism.
Mostly in-class support with some small-group sessions and one-to-ones (included in fees) both for learning support and associated anxiety. ‘I’m dyslexic and they have helped so much with fonts, overlays, special interventions and confidence,’ said one pupil, while a parent told us, ‘My dyslexic daughter wasn’t progressing in her state school but within eight weeks here she was reading sentences and blending words.’ Parents also say the school’s ethos ‘naturally lends itself to supporting these kids’ – the wider pastoral provision, emphasis on educating the whole child, knowing the children individually and finding their strengths etc.
We met the separate SENDCos for prep and senior (prep’s is also the deputy head), who are supported by a team of TAs – parents say they are ‘transparent’ and ‘collaborative’ – ‘You’re never left in the dark.’ Visiting SaLTs, OTs, psychotherapists can be facilitated – ‘They’re brilliant at this,’ said one mother. Department (‘always manned’) overlooks playground – a clever move as ‘we are always watching intently’.
Campus unsuitable for wheelchair users.
The arts and extracurricular
A forte, with pupils earning points through club participation for their SHAPE awards – a kind of home-grown DofE (which is also on offer, but only at bronze and gold). Sports get the biggest take-up, with music and language clubs close behind. Debating, cooking, table tennis etc available. CCF (army and RAF) praised – one pupil said his brother went into the army because of it. Nobody mentioned societies.
Music historically on the traditional side, but head is keen to shake things up and has already helped set up (and join) a Samba band. Singing has always been big – a year 8 class weren’t holding back with Bruno Mars’ Just the Way You Are, which they were also playing on their ukuleles. Choirs aplenty, including three hand bell choirs (junior, intermediary and senior). Around half of pupils learn an instrument and there’s good take-up for the multiple ensembles and whole-school orchestra. Performances galore – ‘We like the jazz evening in which they turn the hall into a proper jazz club,’ said one parent. Liturgy provides opportunity too, with students heading into the abbey twice a year (the only place that fits the whole school).
No longer siloed, music now dovetails drama and dance, with the annual senior production encompassing all three – James and the Giant Peach recently for seniors and junior production of Pirates of the Curry Bean. Drama has come on leaps and bounds since our last visit when it still felt embryonic – ‘They get everyone involved,’ said our tour guide. Alas, no acting in the drama studio when we popped our heads in, with A level students with heads down studying characters in Our Country’s Good. ‘You should have come last week when we were doing our devises,’ one said, ‘they were amazing.’ LAMDA popular.
Prep has its own art studio where we admired Syrian refugee dolls and assemblage art. In seniors, there are two art studios, with a section sliced out for sixth formers, plus tiny light room where two pupils were beavering away. Pupils are introduced to clay, printing, Photoshop etc early on, with dedicated textiles and photography qualifications coming soon. Life drawing is big – one A level pupil had used incorporated this talent with her views on faith for a poignant oil painting. Another, a football lover, had done an attention-grabbing piece on the demise of Maradona. ‘There’s no house style here.’
Masses of trips including two ski tours, European exchanges (Lyon and Valencia) and sports tours to the likes of Portugal (football) and New York (basketball). Zambia trip popular – to one of their sister schools, and there are American exchanges to New York and New England. Subject-related day trips at least once a term for all.
Sport
Head wants to raise the profile of sport – more fixtures, fine tuning the coaching, reinstating more tours etc. In prep, we saw younger ones doing high jumps and wondered if they could learn a thing or two from the elite senior school high jumper who apparently got the slow hand clap treatment at the sports day the week before our visit. Basketball is king throughout, no doubt stemming from the school’s American roots – ‘We think we’re good until we go over to the US,’ laughs head. Rugby and football do pretty well, and netball (including for boys) has been introduced. ‘There’s probably still less choice for girls than at the likes of Queenswood, but they do an amazing job given the numbers they have,’ felt one parent. Pupils speak warmly about the ‘inclusive sports ethos – if you want a go, you get a go’ – and praise teaching for cricket, tennis and athletics, as well as the facilities including swanky fitness gyms (with great views), decent sports hall (exams in progress during our visit) and almost exclusive access to local municipal running track during daytime, plus golfing range and swimming pool practically on doorstep. More girls-only sports clubs please, say pupils.
Ethos and heritage
Eye-catching backdrop, with Verulamium Park framing the cathedral that sits smack bang in the middle behind. ‘Wasted on the students, of course,’ laughed staff member. The college was founded in 1939 by Catholic layman Philip O’Neil in a Victorian red-brick house near the station, then moved to another city site before settling here, on the outskirts St Albans, in 1955, when the Brothers of the Sacred Heart took over. Three Brothers from the US are still part and parcel of school life – floating in and out of lessons and acting as chaplain, TAs etc.
There are many other nods to Catholicism. Even the science block foyer has a vast painting reminding students that religion and science are not separate entities, while all prep classrooms have a bible corner. But only 40 per cent of pupils are Catholic, with all the (many) Muslim, Jewish and atheist pupils we met content that the religion is ‘never over the top’. ‘I’ll be honest, the school was bottom of my list because I thought it was run by monks!’ admitted one parent, ‘but a friend convinced me to take a look and I immediately fell in love with the warmth, positivity and down-to-earth attitude.’
The hilly campus still incorporates the original schoolhouse which is now home to admin and the head’s office (he has another in the main building to be nearer the pupils), while the rest of the site is a blend of lacklustre 1950s and more modern, including a glass-fronted wraparound extension to the main building. Sixth form centre must get a shout-out with its beautifully designed contemporary spaces in which to work, rest and play (and eat!). Some pupils had come in to revise in the supervised study space during A level season because ‘it’s less distracting than at home’. Library noteworthy too – both welcoming and well stocked, with great displays including ‘Read it before you watch it…’ Prep, just a few strides from the main reception, is self-contained including two halls, art room, music space and roomy, colourful classrooms.
Socially softer than some city-based schools, but by no means a backwater feel. Lovely cross-year friendships – so nice to see older pupils high-five younger ones and ask about their day. Those who are old enough to remember Hi-de-Hi! must secretly smile when they hear the xylophone sound between lessons.
‘Has anyone told you about the alumni?’ asked a sixth former at lunch (a delicious array of hot and cold foods with salads to die for). ‘They really help with events and careers.’ Old Columbans include Conor Burns (politician), Mark Lawson (broadcaster), Peter Townsend (golfer), Colin Grant (author) and Matt Ball (footballer).
Pastoral care, inclusivity and discipline
Everyone here talks about ‘community’ and ‘family’, and you feel it in the bones of the school. Even the pupils pull out pastoral care as the single best thing about the school, telling us they feel ‘valued’ and ‘really looked after’. Parents, whose children ‘could easily have gone the wrong way’ or ‘could have been in the shadows elsewhere’, told us they have really blossomed here, one saying that the school has been ‘unfailingly brilliant with some school refusal – they really take care of the whole family’.
It must help that staff know the pupils, and they know each other, with initiatives including vertical house system (seniors) and Feel Good Friday (prep) whereby mixed year groups enjoy activities such as yoga and creative drama. ‘I mentor a year 4 pupil – you get 10 weeks’ training,’ said one of our tour guides – and there’s a full-time counsellor, school chaplain and two school nurses. There’s a wellbeing hub, where we saw a boy chilling out, and we spotted a book display on wellbeing in the library.
School is big on noticing and rewarding good deeds, and even detentions focus on reflection. Haircuts matter but not too much, but uniform really does and you can expect to hear about it from the teachers or head in the corridor if your shirt is untucked. ‘They are very hot on values and if you’re rude to staff or each other, you’ll know about it,’ added a parent – although we noticed the young boy who told his teacher, ‘I told you that five minutes ago, how bad is your memory?’ only got a soft verbal reprimand. ‘It’s most unusual,’ assured our guide as we left the classroom. Around nine suspensions a year, most often for social media related issues, but only a couple of permanent exclusions in the last 10 years.
Ethnic diversity reflective of the area, and school says it has experience of gender issues although there’s no LGBTQ+ society and pupils told us they knew of no pupils who fit those categories anyway. There are regular curriculum audits, and the school is proactive in preventing micro-aggressions.
Pupils and parents
No pupil mould, though perhaps not the best place for the single-minded scholar or more alpha types. Those we met were charming and without a smidgeon of arrogance. A few parents stinking rich, we heard, but others hadn’t even considered a private education and work all hours to pay for it. Over half (and growing) from St Albans and Harpenden, the rest from as far as Dunstable, Luton and Tring, round past Welwyn Garden City and down to Hatfield and Potters Bar, across to Barnet, Enfield and Watford, back up past Berkhamsted – with coach routes covering most areas. Inevitably, perhaps, things are more sociable in prep. Parents would appreciate ‘more notice for events’ and ‘better parking’.
Money matters
Means-tested bursaries are available from 11+, covering up to 95 per cent of fees. Academic and music scholarships at 11+ and 13+; academic, music, drama and sports scholarships at 16+.
The last word
Exemplary pastoral care + great teaching + emphasis on extracurricular = happy children reaching their potential. ‘It really works,’ say parents, ‘including for those children like mine that I think might have struggled elsewhere.’ Co-ed ethos coming along nicely too.
