Alleyn’s School Launches New Hampstead and Regent’s Park Campuses 2026

Key Points

• Historic Milestone: Alleyn’s School, established in 1619, is expanding north of the River Thames for the first time in its 400-year history.
• New Institutions: The expansion involves the creation of Alleyn’s Regent’s Park (opening September 2025) and Alleyn’s Hampstead (opening September 2026).
• Strategic Partnership: The Alleyn’s Schools Group has partnered with global education operator Cognita to facilitate the transition of existing North Bridge House sites.
• Curriculum Innovation: Both schools will implement the AiQ curriculum, a bespoke digital and ethical skills programme designed to prepare students for an AI-driven future.
• Co-Educational Commitment: The new schools will remain co-educational, offering a “through-school” journey from ages 2 to 18 in Hampstead and ages 4 to 13 in Regent’s Park.
• Facility Investment: Significant capital investment from Cognita will fund new pastoral care centres called ‘The Well’ and state-of-the-art tech studios across both campuses.

Alleyn’s School Group (North London News) May 15, 2026 — The prestigious South London institution, Alleyn’s School, has officially commenced its landmark expansion into North London, marking the most significant geographical shift in its four-century history. In a strategic collaboration with the education group Cognita, the school is launching Alleyn’s Regent’s Park and Alleyn’s Hampstead, rebranding and elevating existing educational sites to meet the rigorous academic and pastoral standards of the original Dulwich Foundation. This move, announced by school leadership, aims to export the “All We Can Be” ethos to families north of the Thames, offering a seamless educational pathway from nursery through to Sixth Form.

How is Alleyn’s bringing its 400-year-old heritage to North London?

According to reporting by Gwyneth Rees of The Standard, the elite Dulwich-based school—known for educating luminaries such as Jude Law and Pixie Geldof—is breaking tradition by establishing offshoots in Regent’s Park and Hampstead.

This expansion comes during a period of significant change for the independent sector, following the recent introduction of VAT on private school fees. Despite these economic shifts, the Alleyn’s Schools Group is proceeding with a vision to provide its holistic, co-educational model to a wider demographic.

As reported by Jane Lunnon, Head of Alleyn’s School, in an official statement:

“We are thrilled to be expanding north of the river with the opening of Alleyn’s Regent’s Park and Alleyn’s Hampstead. Both schools already have an incredible energy and commitment to developing the mind and heart of every child with creativity, aspiration and joy.”

What role does Cognita play in this new partnership?

The expansion is not a solo venture but a partnership with Cognita, a global leader in independent education. As detailed by James Carroll, General Manager at Cognita, the collaboration is viewed as a “transformative step forward.”

While Alleyn’s provides the educational blueprint, curriculum, and brand values, Cognita continues to own and operate the sites, providing the necessary capital for physical renovations.

As reported by the Cognita News Desk, Carroll stated:

“Together, we are creating a future-focussed educational journey, from Nursery to Sixth Form, built on the shared values of Respect, Opportunity, Curiosity, Courage, and Kindness.”

Which schools are being transformed in this expansion?

The development involves the transition of two prominent North Bridge House campuses. As noted by the Ham & High’s editorial team, North Bridge House Regent’s Park Preparatory School became Alleyn’s Regent’s Park in September 2025, catering to pupils aged 4 to 13.

Following this, North Bridge House School, Hampstead, is currently undergoing a phased transition to become Alleyn’s Hampstead by September 2026.

This site will function as a comprehensive all-through school for children aged 2 to 18, incorporating nursery, pre-prep, senior, and sixth-form divisions.

What is the “AiQ” curriculum being introduced to these schools?

A central feature of the new schools is the implementation of Alleyn’s innovative AiQ curriculum. As explained by Aidan Sproat-Clements, Deputy Head (Strategy, Innovation and Delivery) at Alleyn’s, the AiQ is a pioneering digital and ethical skills programme.

It is designed to navigate the “ever-evolving technological landscape” while maintaining a cautious, balanced approach to screen time.

In an interview with the Ham & High, Sproat-Clements detailed the philosophy:

“We separate pupils from their phones during the day and issue tightly locked-down devices designed as tools rather than entertainment… handwriting and motor skills remain a priority.”

How will the physical campuses be modernised for students?

To support the academic transition, Cognita is investing in specific infrastructure. This includes:

• The Well: A dedicated pastoral care centre focused on mental health and well-being.
• Tech Studios: Specialized hubs for the delivery of the AiQ curriculum.
• Modernised Classrooms: Redesigned spaces intended to enhance socialisation and collaborative learning.

Who is leading the new North London institutions?

Leadership remains a critical component of the expansion. Tom Le Tissier has been confirmed as the Head of Alleyn’s Regent’s Park.

Meanwhile, Alleyn’s Hampstead will be under the joint leadership of Chris Jones and Sarah Cartwright-Styles, who previously led the North Bridge House iteration of the school, ensuring continuity of care during the rebranding process.

Background of the Alleyn’s Expansion Development

The roots of this development trace back to 1619, when Edward Alleyn, a contemporary of William Shakespeare and a successful Jacobean actor-manager, founded the College of God’s Gift in Dulwich.

Over the centuries, this foundation evolved into Alleyn’s School, which became one of the first major independent schools in the UK to go fully co-educational in 1976.

The decision to move north of the Thames was not an overnight shift. According to school officials, Alleyn’s leaders spent several years scrutinizing potential partners to ensure brand alignment. While many prestigious British schools have expanded overseas (establishing campuses in Asia or the Middle East), Alleyn’s chose to focus on a domestic expansion.

The partnership with Cognita was selected because both organizations reportedly shared a commitment to “holistic education”—the idea that a student’s emotional and social development is just as vital as their exam results.

The move also serves as a strategic response to the competitive London educational market, providing a “through-school” option that eliminates the stress of the “11-plus” or “13-plus” entrance exams for students already within the Alleyn’s Schools Group family.

Predictions: How this Development Affects North London Families

The arrival of the Alleyn’s brand in North London is expected to create several ripples within the local educational landscape:

• For Parents: Families in Hampstead and Regent’s Park will now have access to a “top-ten” ranked South London educational brand without the commute across the city. The “all-through” model in Hampstead is likely to be highly attractive to parents seeking to avoid the “drained” feeling often associated with competitive entrance exam seasons.
• For Students: The focus on the AiQ curriculum suggests that students graduating from these campuses will have a distinct competitive advantage in digital literacy and ethical AI usage, a skillset increasingly demanded by universities and modern employers.
• For the Local Market: The introduction of a prestigious 400-year-old brand into North London may prompt neighboring independent schools to accelerate their own facility upgrades or curriculum innovations to remain competitive.
• Financial Impact: While the VAT on fees remains a challenge for the sector, the backing of a global group like Cognita suggests these schools will have the financial resilience to maintain high-end facilities and staff-to-pupil ratios that smaller, standalone independents might struggle to sustain in the current economic climate.