Together we question
Prep School
Our Prep School
Our Prep school education is more than just preparing your child for their time at senior school. It is a time for challenge, excitement and fun. It is a period of discovery, where your child will determine who they want to be while they are cared for in a safe and secure environment. We are an independent co-educational day and boarding school for children aged 8-13. We’re located in 175 acres of stunning grounds within the South Downs National Park in Liphook, and welcome families from across Hampshire, West Sussex and Surrey.
Prep school is, of course, a time of assessment and exams. This cannot be avoided. However, our exceptional teachers will carefully manage this time. They will ensure your child doesn’t simply focus on this part of their educational journey. It’s important that we work together to ensure that their love of learning remains and their carefully nurtured flame is not extinguished.
The process of self-discovery that your child will go through will also lead them to important points such as senior school applications. Our highly-experienced Senior Leadership Team will guide you through this journey. A Highfield and Brookham education gifts you exceptional choice as we feed more than 30 of the top day and boarding senior schools in the country. This means we can help your child find the right school for them. We have made the progressive decision to move away from the full Common Entrance syllabus but remain with Common Entrance in the core subjects. This has allowed us to create a bespoke curriculum that focuses on the essential skills that we know senior schools and future employers are seeking in young adults. Our promise to you is that your child will leave Year 8 as an adaptable, resilient and independent young person ready for the world ahead.
An excellent and very broad educational experience, combined with first-class pastoral care, great facilities in a wonderfully inspiring location.
Lessons
Our Prep school timetable is a one-week timetable consisting of eight 45-minute lessons a day. To maximise your child’s learning time the timetable has been curated to ensure they move around our specialist facilities in a logical order meaning precious time is spent in lessons rather than moving from one to the next.
To help your child develop the ability to self-critique in a constructive manner they will attend a weekly study skills lesson. Your child will have the opportunity to carry out this new-found skill by reflecting and commenting on their end-of-term progress reports. We provide many real-life opportunities like this for your child to put all of their knowledge and skills into practice. This helps to consolidate their learning as well as give meaning and context to their education.
Our specialist subject teachers in drama, music, games, PE, modern foreign languages, design technology, art and digital literacy teach all Prep school children. Our specialist facilities provide the perfect learning environment for these subjects. In addition, in Year 5 and Year 6 your child will be taught by a subject specialist in science where lessons are conducted in one of our three science labs. They also have an additional new subject added to their timetable – Latin. Our highly-experienced key stage specialist teachers will provide the core teaching in English and maths. By Year 7 your child will be set in all subjects and taught by a subject specialist in all lessons, including wellbeing, geography and history. This ensures your child has experienced the senior school model of teaching before they reach Year 9.
To allow your child to have a focused conclusion to their learning, the day will end in the same way it began – with their form teacher. This is a crucial cog in our exceptional pastoral wheel. It allows the teacher who knows your child best to touch base with them to ensure the day delivered all it had promised. And it allows them to support your child if things didn’t quite go to plan.
There are 21 Saturdays in the academic year where children in Year 5 and above attend school, with Year 4 attending school on 17 Saturdays. Saturday mornings are filled with curriculum extension activities where children consolidate their learning and stretch their understanding. Saturday afternoons follow the traditional structure of sports fixtures which parents are warmly invited to watch every week.
Food
Growing children need wholesome food which is why we commit to having such a brilliant Catering Department. All of your child’s meals are seasonally planned, freshly prepared and cooked on site. Morning break is at 10am – the same time for all children in the school. To ensure your child is fuelled appropriately so they can fully engage with their morning lessons they will be served a carbohydrate-based snack. This will provide them with a slow release of energy to keep them focused until lunch.
Lunch break for our Prep school children is at 12.45pm. Lunch service is staggered to ensure the dining hall feels a welcoming place for your child to eat lunch with their friends. 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. Lunch is canteen style with a wide range of tasty and nutritious food on offer to cater for all tastes. There are always hot and cold options, with plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and salads. Our bespoke menus operate on a three-week rotation and there is always a vegetarian option for those who choose to go meat free. Our aim is to feed your child but also to educate them about healthy choices and responsible eating. For example, when sweet treats and puddings are available our aim is to use reduced sugar and healthy alternatives.
To give your child that energy boost they need to see them through to the end of the day they are offered a snack during afternoon break at 3.15pm. Our approach to food is to ensure that your child has the correct levels of energy to perform well inside and outside of the classroom throughout the day.
Logistics
The Prep School Day
- 7.30am breakfast club (optional for day children £)
- 8am Gates open
- 8.20am Registration
- 10.30 am Morning break
- 12.40pm Lunch break
- 3.35pm Afternoon break
- 4.40pm school day ends
- 4.40pm After school clubs (optional)
- 5.50pm Clubs end
- 5.30pm Prep (optional for day children £)
- 6.30pm Supper (optional for day children £)
- 7pm Boarders’ evening activities
- 8pm Bedtime routine
Drop off
The gates at our Prep school open at 8am ready for the children to spill into their classrooms for 8.20am. Every day starts with 20 minutes of precious form time with your child’s class teacher to ensure they are set for the busy day ahead.
Our boarders enjoy a nourishing breakfast in our dining hall before the school day and our day children are invited to join them from 7.30am if they wish. We know how busy mornings can be so this option is valued by many families. Your child will be spoilt for choice for breakfast. There is always a hot option such as eggs on toast as well as cereal, porridge, yoghurt, toast and fresh fruit to kickstart their day.
After school
The school day finishes at 4.40pm but the fun doesn’t stop there. There is a full programme of after-school clubs which we actively encourage all children to take advantage of. There are four categories of clubs: physical, skill development, academic and artistic. We recommend your child tries one club from each group to fully benefit from our broad range of extra-curricular activities. Some of our clubs are run by our teachers who are passionate about a certain hobby, subject or sports and are free of charge. We also invite external professionals to run clubs such as LAMDA, Gymnastics and Golf, which do incur costs.
We offer Homework Club every day free of charge, so if there isn’t a new club your child wants to try and you need care for them after school they can stay with us until 5.30pm.
At 5.30pm our boarders head off to evening prep before heading into the Dining Hall for their homecooked supper at 6.30pm. Day children are invited to join boarders and can be collected as late as 7pm if family circumstances require it.
What we’re up to…
We’re so proud of our amazing gymnastics team who recently took part in a brand-new competition hosted at @churchers1722. The girls gave outstanding performances on both vault and floor, showing real skill, determination and team spirit. Their hard work paid off with an incredible medal haul, two golds, one silver and one bronze. A huge well done to the whole team on such a fantastic achievement! #TogetherWeGrow #Teamwork #AimingHigh #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
A magical education that lasts a lifetime. Join us for our Open Morning on Friday 28th November and discover what makes Highfield and Brookham a special place for children to grow, learn and thrive. With 175 acres of opportunity, our school offers a nurturing environment, inspiring teaching and a strong community for ages 2–13. See how we prepare children not just for senior school, but for life. We’d love to welcome you. Book your place today: https://bit.ly/4hlM7bL #TogetherWeGrow #HighfieldandBrookham #OpenMorning #IndependentSchool #PrepSchool #PrePrep #Nursery #HampshireSchools #SurreySchools #WestSussexSchools #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Excitement filled the school as children from Years 3 to 8 took to the stage for our much-anticipated House Poetry Competition, performing in front of their peers and captivating the audience with laughter and moments of quiet awe. From the haunting words of Edgar Allan Poe to the witty verses of Pam Ayres, the standard was exceptionally high. Guest judge Joshua Levine, bestselling author and historian, praised the talent and creativity on display. Congratulations to all who took part, with Waterloo House taking the win and Livia Dickson named overall individual winner. #TogetherWeGrow #WeLovePoetry #AimingHigh #Creativity #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Excitement filled the school as children from Years 3 to 8 took to the stage for our much-anticipated House Poetry Competition, performing in front of their peers and captivating the audience with laughter and moments of quiet awe. From the haunting words of Edgar Allan Poe to the witty verses of Pam Ayres, the standard was exceptionally high. Guest judge Joshua Levine, bestselling author and historian, praised the talent and creativity on display. Congratulations to all who took part, with Waterloo House taking the win and Livia Dickson named overall individual winner. #TogetherWeGrow #WeLovePoetry #AimingHigh #Creativity #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
A heartwarming moment in Nursery as the children were awarded a special recognition from our head chef for their lovely manners at lunchtime. We’re so proud of the kindness and respect they show each day – it’s these small moments that help nurture big values. #TogetherWeGrow #AimingHigh #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Our young scientists in Year 1 have been experimenting with different materials to create their own sponges. They investigated which were the most absorbent, developing their observation skills and scientific thinking. Their minds were like little sponges too, soaking up new vocabulary, big ideas and a real sense of discovery. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeLearn #Listening #AimingHigh #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
There was tea, cake and plenty of cheerful chatter shared across generations in the Pavilion Café, as Year 8 welcomed their friends from the @liphookdaycentre for afternoon tea. The children regularly visit the centre to enjoy board games, conversations and the occasional choir performance, so it was a real pleasure to invite their friends to the school. #TogetherWeGrow #Listening #CommunityInAction #TeaAndTogetherness #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
There have been some mysterious goings-on in the boarders’ dorms… With a shared sense of spooky spirit, the children transformed their rooms into haunting hideaways, all vying for the title of ‘Best in Spooky Class’. From cobwebs to creepy creatures, their imaginations ran wild, with results both marvellously macabre and brilliantly creative. The fun didn’t stop there; trick-or-treating and a chilling night-time walk through the woods brought just the right touch of frightful delight. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeCreate #Teamwork #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Reception was bursting with colour and creativity as the children crafted their own Diwali-inspired lanterns, rangoli patterns and decorations. As they explored different cultures and traditions, they discovered the magic of Diwali, the joyful Festival of Lights. It was a wonderful opportunity to experience the rich traditions of the festival and share in its warmth and positivity together. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeExplore #Creativity #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Creative juices were flowing in Year 3 as the children brainstormed ideas for their BBC 500 Words entries. Using everyday objects to spark inspiration, they explored plot twists, character ideas and story settings. The room buzzed with excitement as they shared the beginnings of their stories, ready to take them home and finish over half term. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeLearn #AimingHigh #Creativity #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Years 3 and 4 marked the first half of term with a joyful autumn concert for parents, featuring individual and ensemble performances and the Year 4 and 5 Choir. The children impressed with their growing confidence and musical progress. It was a warm celebration of the role music plays in building skills, connection and joy. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeAchieve #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Year 2 had an unforgettable day at The New Forest Wildlife Park , bringing their ‘Fabulous Forests’ topic to life in the wildest way! From spotting curious creatures to exploring woodland habitats, it was a day full of discovery, laughter and a growing love for the amazing wildlife right here in the UK. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeLearn #Listening #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Year 4 explored how different materials block out light today, using torches to test the density of black fabric and paper. This hands-on investigation linked directly to their WWII topic, helping them understand why blackouts were so essential during the war. Practical learning like this brings history to life, deepening understanding and sparking their curiosity. #TogetherWeGrow #ProblemSolving #Teamwork #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Today we’ve been celebrating the National Day of Spain, including a delicious paella and churros for lunch! We have a strong bond with our Spanish families, with children joining us each year in Year 7 and/or 8. They join us not only to improve their English, but to experience life in a British boarding school, enriching our community, broadening horizons and forming lasting friendships. Click the link in our bio to learn more. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeThrive #NationalDayOfSpain #BritishSchoolBoarding #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
The school community came together to mark #WorldMentalHealthDay with a range of thoughtful and uplifting activities. From dancing in the playground and teacher–pupil matches, to calming moments with a wellbeing walk, activities in the Beehive and chess in the library, it was a wonderful reminder of the many ways we can support wellbeing throughout the day. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeThrive #TogetherWeSupport Mental Health Foundation #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
We’re so proud of how the children led this year’s Harvest Festival collection, inspiring their friends and families to give so generously. This morning, some of them joined Mrs Cryer to deliver the donations to @liphook.foodbank, where the team was truly touched by their generosity. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed, you kindness will be hugely appreciated by those in need. #TogetherWeGrow #AimingHigh #TogetherWeThrive #LiphookFoodBank #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
It was a busy afternoon of child-initiated learning for Year 1, with the children making lanterns inspired by Florence Nightingale, engaging in imaginative play, or choosing writing and maths activities. These wonderful sessions give the children the freedom to follow their interests, encouraging independence, creativity and a love of learning. #TogetherWeGrow #ChildInitiatedLearning #Creativity #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Making the most of the glorious weather, Nursery enjoyed a fun and active PE lesson outdoors. The children have been busy developing their ball control through throwing games and getting to grips with the basics of dodgeball, a brilliant way to boost coordination, build motor skills and enjoy some laughter and fresh air with friends. #TogetherWeGrow #AimingHigh #Listening #LearnOutdoors #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
It was wonderful to catch up with Old Highfieldian Mia, one of our 2018 leavers. As part of the first girls’ year to play cricket at Highfield & Brookham, she was proud to see how far the sport has come and to have helped pave the way. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeThrive #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Year 4 have been discovering the joy of diary writing. Starting with storyboards to map out their ideas, they then crafted thoughtful diary entries and enjoyed sharing their stories with the class. It’s been a wonderful way to build confidence, connection and creativity through writing. #TogetherWeGrow #Speaking #AimingHigh #Creativity #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
There’s no better way to connect with a story than by stepping into it and that’s exactly what our Year 7s did today at @chichesterft . In a drama workshop on Lord of the Flies, they brought the characters to life, deepened their understanding of the text and explored the tech behind theatre-making. We can’t wait to see how they bring these learnings into their performance. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeLearn #Listening #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Year 2 have been studying trees and leaves and experimenting with paint and drawing techniques in art this week and created some wonderfully imaginative pieces. What a creative way to explore their “fabulous forests” topic. It really has helped their learning take root! #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeExplore #Creativity #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
National Teachers’ Day is a chance to reflect on the incredible work our teachers do every day. Our Head, Mrs Cryer, shared: “We have such a talented and dedicated team. Thank you for your passion, commitment and for inspiring our children every single day. We’re proud to celebrate you and the lasting impact you have on each child’s life.” #TogetherWeGrow #NationalTeachersDay #TogetherWeAchieve #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
‘Connect’ was the focus of our assembly this morning, where Year 3 shared thoughtful tips and advice with their Pre-Prep peers on how to build meaningful connections, make friends and understand the importance of inclusion within our community. It was wonderful to see the children spread such a positive and powerful message about wellbeing and belonging. #TogetherWeGrow #Listening #Speaking #Wellbeing #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex