Together we thrive
Boarding
Boarding at Highfield and Brookham is extremely popular but also completely optional. Our boarding provision has always been an integral part of the prep school and perhaps the continued popularity reflects how well we do it. Our flexible contemporary boarding provision means that if you are considering boarding for your child we are sure we can offer something that suits them. We offer everything from two nights per week to the ever-popular full boarding experience.
One of our many strengths is our diverse national and international community. We have always enjoyed a strong association with Armed Forces families and we are honoured to have been welcoming children from overseas for more than decade. Throughout our history we have been able provide outstanding pastoral care and the full boarding experience for children whose families may be abroad. The thriving boarding community means that no child will ever feel alone if their parents are out of the country. They are part of a large extended family who care for and support them every step of the way.
Evenings
As the school day draws to a close at 4.40pm the boarding evening is just beginning. The evenings should feel like your child’s own time – this is extremely important to us, and them. Until 5.30pm your child will be able to choose what do. They are able to join other boarders and day children in one of our inspiring clubs or some days they may choose to enjoy the simple luxury of changing into their home clothes and sitting out on Chapel field and casually chatting with a group of friends.
After activities the bell is rung and prep starts promptly at 5.30pm. This time is supervised by an academic member of staff to support your child and help them to complete work effectively. As children get closer to end-of-term exams, time will be allotted for revision sessions in the evening and staff will be on hand to help your child prepare for upcoming assessments and tests across all subjects.
At the end of prep time the children enjoy supper together in the main dining hall. But the evening doesn’t stop there. After their meal, the boarders are provided with a list of evening activities on offer. They can choose to relax with a film, enjoy a friendly game of table football or dance the night away at a disco. We also help keep our boarders informed of current affairs by providing age-appropriate newspapers in our three common rooms.
Bedtimes are staggered depending on year groups. For our youngest children, bedtime is 8.00pm, and up to 8.40pm for our senior boarders. This is followed by quiet time with some reading or listening to a story before lights out.
Throughout the year boarders are thrilled by our ‘showstopper’ evenings. These include highly-anticipated activities such as the colour run, slip ‘n’ slide and the inter-dorm dance competition. These events are extremely popular and often see children who might not normally stay that particular evening booking an extra night so they don’t miss out.
If your child chooses to learn a musical instrument time will be allocated in the evening to head over to our Music School to practise.
Weekends
Day and boarding Prep school children attend school on Saturday. Saturday’s schedule consists of a morning of academic extension lessons followed by sports fixtures in the afternoon.
Weekends are cherished time for our full boarders. There is a more leisurely pace and children get to enjoy more of their favourite part of boarding – being with their friends. Saturday evenings are immense fun. After some down time and supper, Saturdays often involve relaxing with a film and enjoying a cheeky treat of popcorn or milkshakes.
Sundays offer a gentle start to the day with a ‘pyjama breakfast’ at 9am. Each weekend there is a either an on-site activity such as zorbing, a scavenger hunt or circus skills or off-site activities such as bowling in Guildford, visiting the cinema in Portsmouth or ice-skating in Winchester. Our Secret Santa at the end of the autumn term is always extremely popular and often sees our weekly boarders staying for the weekend.
We have exeat weekends throughout the year. We have four in the autumn term, two before and two after half term. The spring term follows the same pattern but there is only one exeat weekend after half term in the summer term.
Exeat weekends are obligatory. The school closes for the weekend and is open again on Sunday evening for our full boarders to return. Exeats are treasured by children and their families. Our international children head out to their guardians’ houses to enjoy some time away from school. Boarders who have parents overseas are often invited to stay with friends, which is a lovely option in addition to seeing their guardian.
The approach to boarding is excellent – we love the Junior Boarding House to start and there’s a great balance of freedom and guidance.
Food
One thing is for sure – your child will not go hungry. The day kicks off with a filling breakfast buffet. Your child has a plethora of choices to suit their mood. There is always a hot option such as beans on toast, potato waffles or porridge, as well as a full counter of fresh fruit, yoghurt, cereals and pastries.
Morning break is at 10am. To provide your child with a slow release of energy to keep them focused until lunch they will have a carbohydrate-based snack. Lunch break is at 12.45pm until 1.45pm. The time your child will be called for lunch rotates throughout the week, so sometimes they will eat first and then enjoy the fresh air and sometimes the other way around. To maintain your child’s energy levels throughout the day they are offered a snack during afternoon break at 3.15pm.
Supper is served from 6.15pm and offers your child the comfort of a delicious homecooked meal after a busy day. Children and boarding staff all sit down together and often the Nurse joins too. All meal times offer a selection of hot and cold dishes, as well as options for children with a range of dietary requirements. We use locally grown and environmentally sustainable food. We are committed to making as much use as appropriate of organic, natural food products and Fairtrade produce and to eliminate genetically-modified food and potentially harmful food additives in all of your child’s food.
And in case that’s not enough – toast and milk is available to your child in the dining hall every evening before bed to ensure they don’t go to sleep with a rumbling tummy.
Pupil Care
We acknowledge that every child will have been brought up with different routines that are unique to them and their family. We have built a community here where differences are not only tolerated but also celebrated and respected. To help your child settle and follow the boarding routine they will be allocated a ‘boarding buddy’ to show them the ropes. They will introduce them to the boarding team, including the nurses, and explain to them the most important aspect of boarding life – that there is always someone to talk to. Your child is encouraged to speak to any member of staff they want to. We will make sure they know that all adults are prepared to listen and want to help in any given situation.
We have very thorough lines of communication to ensure we know about any matters that might be affecting your child. Our staff meet weekly to discuss every child in the boarding houses, which ensures your child is acknowledged, known and valued by all staff members. The Director of Boarding is also the Designated Safeguarding Lead and sits on the School Pastoral Care Committee which meets weekly with our Head, Mrs Cryer, Deputy Head (Pastoral) and Heads of Year.
We pride ourselves on keeping as many lines of communication open as possible, so please speak to us whenever you feel you need to.
Boarding Options
Boarding can start for children from Year 3. We have options from just two nights per week to the traditional full boarding option, available from Year 4. Our boarding provision aims to be flexible to suit modern family life. Our current contemporary boarding provision has been adapted to reflect current demand from families.
Our boarding numbers grow throughout the year, with summer term always the most popular. Typically, we start September with about 100 boarders and this grows to nearly 150 by the end of the academic year.
We offer trial nights for children who want to give boarding a go before they commit to regular boarding. Your child is entitled to book up to three trial nights a year to join their peers for an exciting sleepover at school!
Full boarding is the complete package offered to children in Year 4 to Year 8. It allows your child to experience the whole week, including weekends. Roughly a quarter of our boarders board full time, including international children, Forces children and local children who want to experience full boarding before senior school. Weekends are treasured by our boarders as they enjoy more of their favourite part of boarding – being with their friends.
Sundays offer a relaxed start with a ‘pyjama breakfast’ at 9am. Each weekend there is a either an on-site or off-site activity such as bowling in Guildford, going to the cinema in Portsmouth or fairground rides at Hollycombe. Our weekly boarders always have the option to book additional nights to join our full boarders for the most popular weekend activities – ice skating in Winchester being one of them.
Weekly boarding is available from Year 3 to Year 8. Approximately half of our boarders choose this option. As a weekly boarder your child will arrive at school on Monday morning and return home on Saturday, allowing them to experience the joys of being part of our thriving boarding family.
If your child doesn’t have school on a Saturday they are collected at 9am, if they do have Saturday School they will be collected at the end of the school day. We also value seeing our families at Sunday Chapel, which has been an important part of boarding for many years. We would love to invite your child to stay after Sunday Chapel and there will be no extra charge.
This is our unique take on part-time, flexi boarding and is available for children in Year 3 to Year 7. Around a quarter of our boarders choose our Steps to Boarding programme. Steps offers your child a gentle start to boarding. It is a great opportunity for them to test the water before being a full boarder either at prep or senior school. It also offers families a more flexible option to fit around after-school clubs and commitments, the school run and work life.
What makes it special is your child will board the same nights each week and have their own bed, in their dorm with their friends, with their belongings. No chopping and changing. It is their home even if they are only with us two nights a week. Children in Year 3 to Year 6 have the options of staying two, three or four nights a week and children in Year 7 have the choice between three or four nights a week.
Additional boarding gives children who aren’t full boarders the option to book extra nights in our Boarding House on a more flexible basis. As we do not ‘hot bed’, your child’s bed is always available to them on other nights when they need it, or simply when they want to stay for that extra special weekend activity. We all know how popular the Winchester Christmas Market is!
Boarding Houses
Junior Boarding
We offer a bespoke boarding option for children in Year 3 to Year 5. Our Junior Boarding House is home to 18 children who live together between four dorms on the first floor of the house. There are three dorms with four beds and one dorm with six, as well as two bathrooms. The house is separate from the main school buildings but still at the heart of the school site. The ground floor of the house is home to our Junior Houseparents, who are on hand whenever your child may need them. Our Junior Houseparents are tremendously experienced with helping our youngest children settle into the Junior Boarding House, which feels like a friendly family home.
The juniors have a great balance of spending time with the seniors at breakfast, supper and for the major boarding events as well as having valued time as a smaller group of junior boarders. They have their own common room and garden complete with climbing frame, tepee and fire pit to enjoy away from the older children.
Senior Boarding
Our Senior Boarding House is home to up to 130 children in Year 6 to Year 8 as well as our Head of Boys boarding, Head of Girls boarding and team of enthusiastic graduate assistants. Our Director of Boarding lives just a stone’s throw away from the Junior and Senior Boarding Houses.
There are 22 dorms in the Senior Boarding House spread out over two floors. Dorm sizes vary from four beds to ten beds. The house is also divided into a girls’ end (with 12 dorms) and a boys’ end (with 10 dorms), each with their own common room and multiple bathrooms.
In the centre of the Senior Boarding House is the Matron’s workroom – the epicentre of boarding. Our exceptional Matrons are integral to the smooth running of the boarding houses, ensuring children are well looked after and, crucially, that they have the correct item of uniform at the correct time. The Matron’s workroom is also home to a large table which is just perfect for a game of table tennis after a long day of lessons.
Dorm Structure
One of the many benefits of boarding is learning to become part of a tight-knit community and forming new relationships with ease. Your child will experience living, working and socialising with a diverse group of children. Understanding how to interact with and relate to people with different characteristics and interests is one of the many benefits boarding has to offer.
Our dorms help facilitate this learning process. Dorms are shuffled every term to help your child build new relationships and improve existing ones. Your child’s feelings are always listened to and valued and dorms are structured carefully so your child will always be sharing with a least one chosen friend.
Our dorms are purposefully decorated in neutral but warm colours allowing your child to bring their personality to them. Your child will be actively encouraged to decorate their beds and pinboards with photos, posters and blankets. Every year there is a fiercely competitive dorm decorating competition showing that room appearance is taken very seriously. Another reason, in addition to the competitive edge, is that decorating their bed and pinboard will give your child a place that is solely theirs, a secure area they can retreat to after a busy day. Your child will feel a sense of pride in their area while learning to respect their dormmates’ space.
What we’re up to…
Highreach is in full swing this year, this week-long residential for children aged 8-18 with disabilities makes a big impact. They get to enjoy our facilities like the pool, theatre, woodlands and Astro. Plus have lots of fun activities including horseback riding, trips to the seaside and a theme park visit. The holidaymakers are supported by trained staff and volunteers, many of whom are Old Highfieldians. The Highreach team loves seeing all the happy faces, it’s a fun and rewarding week for everyone involved. #HighreachHolidays #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Here’s a look back at Year 6 2024-25. #TogetherWeGrow #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Looking for fun and exciting ways to entertain your kids over the holidays – look no further, we’ve got some amazing holiday activity courses lined up! Whether your child loves sports, crafting, dance, performing arts or exploring nature, there’s something just for them. Places are filling up fast, so don’t wait! Grab one of the last places now by clicking the link: https://bit.ly/4kNBfmX #HolidayActivities #SchoolHolidayClubs #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
This year’s leavers are off to 31 top senior schools! As a truly independently run prep school, we’re proud to offer unbiased advice and strong relationships with a wide breadth of leading senior schools near and far. We’re here to guide and support you in finding the perfect next step for your child’s education and your family. #TogetherWeGrow #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex @bedalesschool @brightoncollegeuk @bryanstonschool @canfordschool @charterhousesch @churchers1722 @cranleighschool @epsomcollegeuk @eton.college @gordonsschofficial @ipswich_school @london_park_schools @lordwandsworth @marlboroughcollege @miltonabbey @noadswood_sch @oundleschool @priorsfieldschool @qas_caversham @radleycollegeoxon @rgs_guildford @rugbyschool1567 @seafordcollege @sherbornegirls @sherborneboys @stedwardsoxford @wellingtoncollege
Who doesn’t love a bit of dressing up. Pirate escapades, including a treasure hunt for the children at our amazing Highreach Holidays residential camp. Big smiles all round. #HighreachHolidays #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
With the school holidays well underway, you may be looking for fun and engaging activities for your children. We only have a few places left on some of our incredible courses, so don’t miss out. To save your place, book now by following the link in our bio. #HolidayActivities #SchoolHolidayClubs #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Here’s a look back at Year 5 2024-25. #TogetherWeGrow #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Here’s a look back at Year 4 2024-25. #TogetherWeGrow #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
We were thrilled to welcome back Old Highfieldian Rebecca Lidh Faijersson this week. Visiting from Sweden with her family, Rebecca was excited to return to the school that she attended as an overseas pupil for one life-changing term in 1993. She spoke warmly of the lasting memories, friendships, and the positive impact her time here had on her life. It was truly inspiring to hear how Highfield and Brookham’s community continues to resonate with its former pupils, even decades later. #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
It’s been a jam-packed, fun-filled week on our Multi-Sports course led by the energetic and enthusiastic team at Assure Coaching. From football and tennis to dodgeball, bench-ball, basketball and cricket, the children threw themselves into every activity, learning new skills, growing in confidence and making new friends along the way. #HolidayActivities #SummerHolidayCourses #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Here’s a look back at Year 3 2024-25. #TogetherWeGrow #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
It’s been a wonderful couple of days on our Seaside Crafting course. The children have been busy creating an array of ocean-inspired crafts under the expert guidance of the amazing @feltybee_crafts team. From tie-dyeing and block printing to weaving and making fabric and felt turtles – they’ve learnt so many new skills. It’s been hours of creative fun, and best of all, they get to take home all their beautiful handmade creations! Click the link in our bio to find out more about our holiday courses. #HolidayActivities #SummerHolidayCourses #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Here’s a look back at Year 2 2024-25. #TogetherWeGrow #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
The children on our Bushcraft course are having a fabulous time in our beautiful woodland. With the brilliant team from Adventure Lifesigns, they’re learning a raft of skills, from shelter building and crafting with natural materials to the art of fire-making (with s’mores, of course!). There’s also plenty of time to explore, run free, make friends and just be themselves. To discover more, and book a place on one of our wonderful holiday courses click the link in our bio. #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex #HolidayActivities #SummerHolidayCourses
If you are looking for fun activities for your children over the summer holidays have a look at our incredible holiday activity courses. From creative arts and crafts, sports to active adventures, we’ve got it all covered – something for every child to enjoy. We only have few spaces still available for August, so don’t wait too long. To book your space now, click the link in our bio. #HolidayActivities #SummerHolidayCourses #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Here’s a look back at Year 1 2024-25. #TogetherWeGrow #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Our art room has been a hive of creativity during our two-day Summer Meadow Crafting course. The wonderful Feltybeecrafts team has been busy teaching the children skills like printmaking, needle felting, marbling mosaics and more. From felt ladybirds to countryside-inspired screen prints, the children have produced a raft of beautiful, artistic creations. To book a place on one of our summer holiday courses, click on this link: https://bit.ly/4kNBfmX #CreativeCrafting #HolidayActivities #ArtsAndCrafts #CoEdSchool #IndepenedentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep
We’re celebrating 16 new senior school scholarships this year, across 12 top senior schools, bringing our total to an impressive 182 since 2014! Click here to read more: https://bit.ly/44O83pW #TogetherWeInspire #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex #SeniorSchoolScholarships Brighton College Bryanston School Canford School Charterhouse School Cranleigh School Lord Wandsworth College Repton School Rugby School Seaford College Sherborne Boys St Edwards School (Teddies Oxford) and Queen Anne’s School
Here’s a look back at Reception 2024-25. #TogetherWeGrow #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Wonderful to see Old Highfieldians, Ross and Kitty, championing inclusive sport at their senior school, @eastbournecollege, by opening the batting together during their recent Speech Day cricket match. #TogetherWeInspire #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Voting is in full swing for the Tatler Schools Awards, and there’s still time to cast your vote. If you haven’t voted yet and would like to support us, we’d be so grateful if you could take a moment to do so. Voting closes on 29 August. Click here to vote: https://bit.ly/4l9T7JF Thank you for your support. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeInspire #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Here’s a look back at Nursery 2024-25. #TogetherWeGrow #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
The Pre-Prep wellbeing garden was buzzing with life this morning! All the children’s hard work planting and caring for the garden has truly paid off, and it’s now a thriving hub of insect activity, full of colour and life. A real eco joy to see! As the children are on their school holidays, we thought they’d love to know just how much their efforts have blossomed. #OutdoorLearning #EcoJoy #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep
What a way to start this week’s Multi-Activities course with an active morning of free-play sports, including football, cricket and tennis – loads to enjoy! Looking for fun-filled activities for your children this summer? We still have a few spaces left on some incredible courses. Don’t miss out! Click the link in our bio to find out more. #SummerFunActivities #ChildrensHolidayCourses #SchoolHolidayClubs #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep
What a fun-filled week it has been on our Multi-Activities holiday camp! The children have enjoyed so many different activities we’re not sure they’ll want to go home! And if you’re looking for things for your children to do over the holidays, we still have some spaces on some great courses. Head to bit.ly/4nIoo8r to find out more. #TogetherWeExplore #SchoolHolidayClub #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep