Our Pre-Prep
Childhood is a time for fun and discovery through a wealth of learning opportunities. Our Pre-Prep is a special and unique place. Our aim is to give children the best possible start to their educational pathway, where friendships are made, individual academic excellence is achieved and happy memories are created. We are an independent Nursery, Pre-Prep and prep School in Liphook situated in 175 acres of stunning grounds in the South Downs National Park on the borders of Hampshire, Surrey and West Sussex. Children in our Pre-Prep develop their social, emotional and cognitive skills through play-based activities. Every day your child will have to opportunity to apply what they have learnt in the classroom to activities in their shared areas or out in our fabulous 175-acre grounds. These hands-on opportunities give your child’s learning meaning and a grounding in the real world.
Our Pre-Prep children visit forest school several times a week. It provides a stimulating and engaging environment that encourages exploration, creativity and curiosity. Through being outdoors your child will develop an appreciation for the environment. They will learn to understand the significant impact they can have on sustainability for themselves and future generations by learning about environmental issues and taking meaningful actions to reduce their carbon footprint. We are fortunate to have two libraries at school and one is reserved for exclusive use by our Pre-Prep children. It has been carefully curated to instil a love of books and reading in all our children and to help your child to discover the magic that books bring, inspiring them in every topic from expeditions and exercise to Fairtrade and faraway places. Storytime and our robust phonics programme will help your child to develop crucial skills such as communication and comprehension.
Alongside the core curriculum, in the Pre-Prep your child will enjoy weekly swimming lessons in additional to their games and PE lessons. They will develop a positive attitude toward exercise and will grow to understand that a healthy body means a healthy mind, helping your child gain insight on how they learn best. A Pre-Prep education is one to be cherished. It is a time to develop the foundations for a love of learning where challenges are seen as positive experiences and every activity is approached with a smile, laughter and a can-do attitude.
Seeing the pre-prep children jump into wellies and waterproof trousers in record time and charge out to break was fabulous.
What we’re up to…
Some brilliant advice from our Head of Learning Support and SENDCo, Leigh Fisher, who has been sharing her expertise with Netmums this week. 💬 With the return to school getting closer, Leigh has shared some practical ways parents can help children with SEND feel more prepared for the transition back. From gradually getting back into familiar routines to thinking ahead about sensory challenges, her advice is all about making those first days back feel a little more manageable. “Support will look different for every child, so notice what is working, keep routines consistent where possible and work with the school to address concerns early.” We’re very lucky to have so many people with a wealth of knowledge and experience here at Highfield, and it’s always lovely to see that being shared beyond our school community too. A big thank you to Netmums for giving Leigh the opportunity to do just that. Read the full article 👇
Our young chefs have been learning the art of sushi making at Holiday Cooking Club 🍣 From preparing their ingredients and spreading the stickiest rice to arranging their fillings and mastering that all-important roll, there’s quite a knack to getting it all just right! And of course, the best part at the end… getting to eat what you’ve made! Thank you @neishsophie for such a brilliant (and delicious!) day. ☺️ #IndependentSchool #HolidayClubs #SummerHoliday #YoungChefs #LifeSkills
September is just around the corner, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back to Highfield. 💚 As we prepare to begin our next chapter as Highfield School, we’re also getting ready to open our doors for our first Open Morning of the term. If you’re thinking about Highfield for your family, we’d love you to come and spend the morning with us. And for those already part of our Highfield community, if you have friends or family who you think would love it here too, please do spread the word and invite them along. 📅 Friday 18 September 🕙 10am–12.30pm Book here:
If you haven’t already, go and listen to our Head, Suzannah Cryer on the @maverickschoolpodcast 🎙️ A brilliant conversation about the qualities our children will need in a rapidly changing world, and why keeping that joy of learning alive matters more than ever! #IndependentSchool #FutureofEducation #LifeSkills #EducationLeaders #FutureReady
As we prepare to become Highfield School this September, we’ve been looking back at how our identity has evolved along the way. Our logo has taken a few different forms, but the cross keys have remained a familiar part of Highfield for generations. And that isn’t about to change. They’ll continue to be part of our story as we move forward. 🗝 Which of these logos do you remember from your Highfield days? Perhaps you still have one tucked away on an old school jumper, book or keepsake – we’d love to see your photos! There is, of course, one logo missing from our timeline…👀 All will be revealed later this week!
There’s something rather lovely about seeing Highfield buzzing with activity during the holidays. 💙 Last week, it was our Super Sports Holiday Club bringing the energy, making the most of the grounds and facilities we’re so lucky to have at our school. It’s certainly making us excited to see Highfield full of life again in just a few weeks! 🏃♀️ #IndependentSchool #HolidayClubs #SuperSports #ActiveKids #SchoolHolidays
👀 We have some VERY exciting news to share! From September 2026, we will become Highfield School, bringing our whole school under one name and one identity. It marks an exciting moment in our story that stretches back to 1892. Highfield has evolved considerably over that time, while remaining proudly independent and in the same family for more than 120 years. Becoming Highfield School reflects who we are today: one school from Nursery through to Year 8, with one shared purpose and a commitment to knowing every child as an individual. Our history matters enormously to us, and while our name is changing, the things that make our school so special remain firmly at its heart. Keep an eye on our socials over the coming weeks as we share more of what’s to come! One Story. One Purpose. One Highfield. 🔗 Read the full story in our latest news via the link in our bio.
We have some VERY exciting news to share! 💚 From September 2026, we will become Highfield School, bringing the school together under one name and one identity. It is a significant moment in our story that stretches back to 1892. Highfield has evolved considerably during that time, while remaining proudly independent and in the same family for more than 120 years. Pictured is our owner and Chairman, Bill Mills, whose grandfather William Mills became owner and Headmaster of Highfield in 1904. Becoming Highfield School reflects who we are today: one school from Nursery through to Year 8, with one shared purpose and a commitment to knowing every child as an individual. Our history matters enormously to us, and while our name is changing, the things that make our school so special remain firmly at its heart. Keep an eye on our socials over the coming weeks as we share more of what’s to come. One Story. One Purpose. One Highfield. 🔗 Read the full story here:
Today, our Old Highfieldians from the Class of 2023 receive their GCSE results, and we’re celebrating with them from afar. 💚 Reaching this milestone takes hard work and perseverance. It takes determination to keep going when things get tough and the courage to keep challenging yourself. We hope you’re proud not only of what you’ve achieved, but of everything you’ve put into getting here. As you look ahead to your next adventure, we hope a little bit of Highfield stays with you. Keep choosing kindness, have the courage to take on new challenges and most importantly, always be you. Congratulations, Class of 2023. Go and show the world what you can do! ✨
Today, our Old Highfieldians from the Class of 2023 receive their GCSE results, and we’re celebrating with them from afar. 💚 Reaching this milestone takes hard work and perseverance. It takes determination to keep going when things get tough and the courage to keep challenging yourself. We hope you’re proud not only of what you’ve achieved, but of everything you’ve put into getting here. As you look ahead to your next adventure, we hope a little bit of Highfield stays with you. Keep choosing kindness, have the courage to take on new challenges and most importantly, always be you. Congratulations, Class of 2023. Go and show the world what you can do! ✨ #GCSEresultsday #Classof2023 #OldHighfieldians #IndependentSchool #SchoolAlumni
There’s still time to book a place on our Crafting Holiday Club this summer! Join Hannah and Jo from @feltybee_crafts for a choice of two creative days, where children can experiment with different materials and learn new crafting techniques. 🦁 Roar and Explore Crafting Monday 24th August | Ages 7–13 🌸 Petals and Paws Crafting Tuesday 25th August | Ages 7–13 Book your child’s place via the link in our bio.
We’ve loved sharing the smiles, adventures and Rock and Pop fun from Highreach 2026 on our socials, but behind it all is a much bigger story… 🔗 Read more about the difference Highreach continues to make after nine incredible years at Highfield, via the link in our bio. #IndependentSchool #Highreach2026 #SchoolCommunity #PressRelease #Inclusion
There’s still time to book a place on our Crafting Holiday Club this summer! Join Hannah and Jo from Feltybeecrafts for a choice of two creative days, where children can experiment with different materials and learn new crafting techniques. 🦁 Roar and Explore Crafting Monday 24th August | Ages 7–13 🌸 Petals and Paws Crafting Tuesday 25th August | Ages 7–13 Book now: https://highfieldandbrookham.co.uk/school-plus/holiday-activity-clubs/
We’re very excited to share that our Head, Suzannah Cryer, is the latest guest on the Maverick School Podcast! 🎙️ Joining educator, author and podcast host Karl Pupé FRSA, Suzannah tackles some of the biggest questions facing education today, exploring the impact of AI and why preparing young people for their future is about so much more than exam results. At Highfield, we want to play an active part in shaping the future of education and we’re incredibly proud to see Suzannah sharing her thinking to help to move these important conversations forward. Thank you, Karl, for such a brilliant and thought-provoking discussion! 👇Listen to the full episode below Apple Podcasts https://tr.ee/wweiCZ Spotify https://tr.ee/RwzE3d Podbean https://tr.ee/hkH6e4
We’re very excited to share that our Head, Suzannah Cryer, is the latest guest on the @maverickschoolpodcast 🎙️ Joining educator, author and podcast host Karl Pupé FRSA, Suzannah tackles some of the biggest questions facing education today, exploring the impact of AI and why preparing young people for their future is about so much more than exam results. At Highfield, we want to play an active part in shaping the future of education and we’re incredibly proud to see Suzannah sharing her thinking to help move these important conversations forward. 💚 Thank you, Karl, for such a brilliant and thought-provoking discussion. 🎧 Listen to the full episode via the links in our bio. #IndependentSchool #FutureOfEducation #Education #ArtificialIntelligence #EducationalLeadership
Once a Highfieldian, always a Highfieldian. 💚 We loved welcoming one of our former students, Platon, back for a trip down memory lane. Platon’s visit was a chance to show his parents around the school that holds so many memories for him, and revisit some of the places that were such a big part of growing up. He also bumped into a few familiar faces while he was here, catching up with staff and sharing memories from his time at Highfield. It’s not every day you get to hear the impact you’ve had on someone years later, so that was pretty special! However many years pass, there’ll always be a warm welcome waiting for our Highfieldians. ✨
Once a Highfieldian, always a Highfieldian. 💚 We loved welcoming one of our former students, Platon, back for a trip down memory lane. Platon’s visit was a chance to show his parents around the school that holds so many memories for him, and revisit some of the places that were such a big part of growing up. He also bumped into a few familiar faces while he was here, catching up with staff and sharing memories from his time at Highfield. It’s not every day you get to hear the impact you’ve had on someone years later, so that was pretty special! However many years pass, there’ll always be a warm welcome waiting for our Highfieldians. ✨ #IndependentSchool #OldHighfieldian #Alumni #SchoolCommunity #Memories
Our holiday club golfers didn’t miss a beat yesterday – even in the heat! ⛳️ And when a shot wasn’t quite up to par? Back they went to try again. We loved seeing the determination to keep practising until they got the shot they were after. #IndependentSchool #175acres #GolfCourse #HolidayClub #Determination
“Highreach Holidays is one of the most special weeks in our school calendar.” And after nine years, that feels as true as ever. 💚 This summer, 23 children and young people joined us at Highfield for a week of new experiences, supported by an incredible team of volunteers. From this year’s Rock and Pop theme to some particularly poignant goodbyes, Highreach 2026 gave us plenty of moments to remember. 🔗Read the full story here:
We’re running a 4-day intensive swimming course from 17th–20th August, with a few places still available. Four consecutive days in the pool gives children a great opportunity to build their confidence and make real progress with their swimming. 🏊 Sessions are available from Beginner 1 through to Intermediate Swimmer. Cost: £65 for all four days Find out more and book a place here: https://highfieldandbrookham.co.uk/school-plus/holiday-activity-clubs/summer-holiday-swimming-lessons-booking-form/
An envelope opens. A screen refreshes. And for thousands of young people, a whole world of possibility sits on the other side. Today, on A-Level Results Day, we’re thinking especially of our Old Highfieldians from the Class of 2021, as they see the results of all the hard work that has brought them to this moment. Whatever path you take from here, we can’t wait to see what you do next. And remember, there is never only one route to where you want to go. ✨ #ALevelResultsDay #Classof2021 #SchoolAlumni #OldHighfieldians #FuturePossibilities
An envelope opens. A screen refreshes. And for thousands of young people, a whole world of possibility sits on the other side. Today, on A-Level Results Day, we’re thinking especially of our Old Highfieldians from the Class of 2021, as they see the results of all the hard work that has brought them to this moment. Whatever path you take from here, we can’t wait to see what you do next. And remember, there is never only one route to where you want to go. ✨ #ALevelResultsDay #Classof2021 #SchoolAlumni #OldHighfieldians #FuturePossibilities
“Education is facing one of the most significant periods of change in a generation.” Earlier this year, our Raising the Future conference brought together voices from across education and beyond to explore how we better prepare young people for the world ahead. The resulting White Paper was shared with the Government, and now the @educationgovuk has responded. It’s encouraging to see many of the issues we raised reflected in the Government’s plans for curriculum reform, particularly around digital literacy and preparing young people for their futures. But we believe change needs to happen faster. 🔗 Full details in our press release – link in bio. Parents and educators… what does “future-ready” look like to you? 👇 #IndependentSchool #RaisingTheFutue #DepartmentforEducation #EducationReform #FutureSkills
Ready, set… jump! 🤸 There’s been plenty of airtime at our Gymnastics Holiday Club over the last few days! Cartwheels, vaulting, swinging on the bars – the children have thrown themselves into it, quite literally! They’ve been trying out new techniques and building their strength, and whenever they picked up a bit of advice from the coaches, they were straight back in there putting it into practice. Well done to our young gymnasts! 💪