Founded in 1949, Headfort is a preparatory school and a Charitable Trust, governed by a Board of Directors. We prepare children for entry to a wide variety of secondary schools at age twelve or thirteen. For many years it was Ireland’s only all-boarding preparatory school. The school purchased its own property in May 1995 and the decision was taken to open the gates to day pupils as well as boarders. Today it is coeducational and nondenominational, housing boys and girls between the ages of seven and thirteen in a magnificent Georgian mansion in the heart of County Meath. Headfort also incorporates a Montessori school for children aged three to seven. Children come from every corner of Ireland and several from overseas as well.

Headfort is cosmopolitan and ecumenical. Any religious faith or none is respected. At present there are roughly equal numbers of Roman Catholics and Protestants, as well as a small number of children of other faiths. The ensuing blend of backgrounds and creeds is an essential feature of the school and an invaluable experience in the context of modern Ireland. We have a firm Spanish connection, and value the cultural cross-pollination that results.

Class sizes are small, and so children get the support and attention they need in order to learn effectively. Our pupils are prepared for entry to a wide range of secondary schools. Most complete their education in Ireland while some go on to leading secondary schools in Britain.