Derby at a Glance
Derby Academy is a Pre-K to 8 private Independent school in Hingham, MA. Founded in 1784, Derby Academy continues to be the best choice for pre-kindergarten, elementary, and middle school education on Boston's South Shore. Our academic and social emotional learning programs set the foundation for children to discover the joy of learning and live the School's motto,
Improve Both Mind and Heart.
Mind + Heart = DERBY
- Enrollment: +/- 340 students
- Buses with stops in Boston, Milton, Quincy, Braintree, Randolph, Weymouth Duxbury, Marshfield, Scituate, Cohasset, Hingham
- Challenging and Innovative Academics
- Pre-K to 8 Public Speaking Opportunities
- Small Class Sizes and Low Student-Teacher Ratios
- Robust Arts and Athletics Programs
- Social Emotional Learning and Advisor Program
- Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging
Tuition Assistance
Derby is committed to providing tuition and financial assistance to qualified students and families. Inquire to receive more information about our Tuition Assistance program.
Sarah Derby Merit Scholarship for Grades 4-8
The Sarah Derby Merit Scholarship is awarded annually to one or two new, incoming Grade 4-8 students who qualify for tuition assistance and live in a local town or city that is currently underrepresented in the Derby community.
Join us for an event!
Fall Admission Sneak Peek
Saturday, October 24 | 10:00–11:00 AM
Prospective parents/caregivers and students—please join us for a casual tour of campus and then be our guest at the Derby Fair immediately following the tour! Complimentary wristbands for rides and games will be provided for our tour attendees.
Discover Derby:
The Middle School Years
Tuesday, November 3 | 10:00 AM
Prospective 5th–8th grade students and parents/caregivers are invited to an engaging event to learn more about what sets us apart from other middle schools.
Prospective students will attend a student panel and engage in a STEM activity. Families will then take a campus tour to see teaching and learning in action!
Please fill out this form to learn more about Derby, stay up-to-date on Admission events, or learn about the application process.
Grades Pre-K through 8
Improve Both Mind and Heart
Getting to Derby
Getting to Derby may be easier than you think!
Derby Academy is located on the South Shore in the town of Hingham, MA. While many of our families reside right here in Hingham, we also welcome students from all over the South Shore and into Boston. We are eager to continue expanding our reach into areas that are underrepresented within our community. To make Derby more accessible, we offer multiple bus routes that service cities and towns as far north as Dorchester and as far south as Duxbury.
Bus Routes
Derby offers two fee-based bus routes with both morning pick-up and afternoon drop-off. Our experienced and caring bus drivers get to know every rider, who are all Derby Academy students, and are a consistent and reliable presence in the mornings and afternoons each day.
In addition, Hingham residents are able to ride the Hingham Public School buses in both the morning and afternoon free of charge. Students in grades 7 and 8 may ride the Hingham bus for a small annual fee charged by the Town of Hingham.
A Derby Education Adds Up to More
LOWER SCHOOL
Pre-K to Grade 4
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Grade 5-8
In Derby Academy’s Lower School your child will be loved and will love learning, right from the start.
Children at these ages are eager to explore, are inventive in their thinking, and are motivated by a strong desire to understand how things work. Our classrooms harness this natural drive by creating experiences that spark curiosity, encourage creativity, and challenge students to make meaningful connections across subjects.
At Derby Academy’s Middle School, challenging academics and hands-on, cross-disciplinary projects empower students to become confident critical thinkers and authentic leaders. Small class sizes, dedicated advisory groups, and experiential learning ensure that every student is seen, heard, and supported through these transformative years. Here, students gain the academic foundation, public speaking poise, and social-emotional resilience necessary to thrive in secondary school and beyond.
Raising a child often feels like complex calculus in today’s world. One simple formula—
Mind + Heart = Derby—has offered the right answers for loving families for generations.
“We know nine and ten-year-olds are often filled with energy and ready for a new challenge. By making Grade 5 the launch point for our Middle School, we meet that readiness with a supportive, dedicated environment,
giving them the perfect runway for growth.”
Matt Magoon, Head of Grade 5-8
