A leading provider of school and governor support services in Buckinghamshire.
We are a leading national provider of school improvement and business support services, training, and resources for schools, settings and trusts.
We help schools, settings and trusts deliver a great education for their children.
Becoming the UK’s first schools’ company
In 2013, HFL Education (then known as Herts for Learning) became the UK’s first schools’ company, born out of the radical reform of the education sector in the mid-2010s.
At the time, new legislation had accelerated the rise of academy trusts and enabled schools to move away from local authority control, giving them more freedom to decide how they ran their school, what they prioritised and how they spent their budget.
This profound change in the education landscape was also the catalyst for a new way of delivering services, resources and training for schools, academy trusts and early years settings.
Prior to this shift in focus, we were the Standards & School Effectiveness division of Hertfordshire County Council. We had an enviable reputation for our pioneering education services, which ensured high standards for schools across the county. But with the changing political agenda, we had to change too and offer those services independently from the Council.
That’s when Herts for Learning was created.
Owned by schools, for schools
As the UK’s first schools’ company, there was no model or map for us to follow. So we set out our stall with a simple ethos to be run by schools, for schools – something that still holds true today.
Far from commercialising education, the model we created was a ‘big society’ social enterprise which saw all 533 schools in Hertfordshire offered a share in our new endeavour – one member, one share and an equal voice in how we would be run and what products and services we would offer.
All bar eight schools took up the opportunity to own a stake in Herts for Learning, reflecting the trust and confidence our schools had in us from the beginning to deliver for them as an independent, not-for-profit organisation.
To ensure we remained accountable to those member schools who put their faith in us, six seats on the board are always reserved for headteachers to represent the views of primary, secondary and special education providers.
With other local authority education services teams having to evolve in the same way, our unique and innovative school-centric model quickly became the benchmark for others to follow – some of which we helped get started. Since 2013, 37,000 children are now in a better school, so we know what we are doing - and how we are doing it - works.
A national schools’ company
With an endless commitment to ensuring every child gets a great education and supporting schools and trusts in a fair and balanced way, we have grown beyond our borders, from a regional to a national provider of high-quality services, training and resources.
In 2022 we changed our named to HFL Education to reflect our transition to a trusted partner to education and learning professionals across the country.
From our roots as part of Hertfordshire County Council to branching out as a national provider of education services, we are a constant in an ever-changing sector. By your side, run by schools, for schools.
Why use HFL Education?
Our work is focused on supporting the schools, settings and trusts we work with to achieve long-term successful outcomes for their children.
For over 10 years we have worked with a variety of schools, settings and trusts, recognising the diversity of our clients’ experience, operating ethos, knowledge and ambitions. Much of our work focuses on partnering with leaders and their teams to ensure their resources are effectively planned and assets utilised to best effect, and to provide sustainable outcomes for children.
Services are tailored dependent on your individual needs and through a combination of challenge and support, we will work together with you to ensure every school or trust is able to sustain improvement. Our teams have a strong track record of school turnaround and rapid improvement.
Each year we organise over 2,500 events including training events, conferences and seminars. We not only provide technology services to schools but are also firmly committed to the deployment of digital technology and the development of online learning.
We operate as a social enterprise on a not-for-profit basis.
We believe that every young person, through access to a great education, should be able to realise their potential, regardless of where they live, their background or circumstances.
Our values
Trusted
We are trusted by those we serve, and we trust each other, because we are recognised as credible and experienced specialists in our chosen fields; we value the role that every colleague plays to deliver our purpose and vision.
Inspirational
We are passionate about the power of education to help young people achieve great outcomes and will inspire those we work with to strive towards this purpose; we are resilient and will innovate and adapt to meet the changing needs of our customers.
Collaborative
We know that collaborative working with each other, with our customers, and with other partners delivers greater impact; we learn from and with each other to overcome challenges and we put company-wide objectives ahead of individual or team objectives.
Our Company
If you have any questions about our services, or wish to discuss any specific requirements you may have, please contact us to discuss how we can support you in delivering a great education on 01438 544464 or email us
We also provide services to schools, settings and trusts under the following brands:
An established provider of SEND training for SENCOs across the East of England.
A market leader in the provision of online governance training to schools and academies.
A range of services to support Hertfordshire schools with their recruitment requirements including a jobs website.