History
Highfield School was founded in Southampton in 1892 by Mr EA Wells, the owner and first Headmaster. The school first opened as a boys’ prep with 18 pupils. In 1904, Mr William Mills became the owner and Headmaster and moved Highfield to its present 175-acre site in Liphook, on the Hampshire, West Sussex and Surrey border.
The new purpose-built school opened in September 1907 with 32 boys, all boarders. The school grew steadily; a beautiful Chapel was added in 1910, with other buildings quickly following suit. Mr Mills, who was ordained in 1912 and later became an Honorary Canon of Portsmouth Cathedral, remained Headmaster until 1953. Under Canon Mills, the school grew to accommodate 120 boys and established an enviable reputation for academic and sporting excellence. Highfield pupils won many scholarships to the leading English public schools, including Eton, Winchester, Shrewsbury, Charterhouse, Rugby and Sherborne.
Canon Mills died in 1953 and was succeeded by his son, Peter. The school became co-educational in 1978 and also began to take day children into the junior part of the school. Peter Mills retired in 1979 to be succeeded by Old Highfieldian Robin Orr, who remained Headmaster until 1993. During his tenure, school numbers rose from around 120 to almost 170. Under Nigel Ramage, Mr Orr’s successor, the school began a considerable programme of refurbishment and building work. Mr Ramage was succeeded in 1999 by Phillip Evitt when the compulsory boarding requirement ended, although many children still choose to board to this day, with almost all boarding for at least part of their final two years. Phillip Evitt retired in 2022 and was succeeded by Mrs Suzannah Cryer, current Head of Highfield and Brookham.
Today, all departments have designated teaching rooms. New Science, Maths and Computing facilities were opened in September 2000. A new indoor swimming pool was opened at Easter 2005, and a new Music School in 2006. Today, Highfield is genuinely co-educational with equal numbers of girls and boys. In 1992, a new building, designed by Petersfield-based architect, Roger Hill Building Design, was built within the grounds of Highfield to house our Pre-Prep children.
Highfield and Brookham is owned by Mr William Mills, the grandson of the founder. Mr Mills is also Chairman of the Board of Directors. Today, Highfield and Brookham continues to enjoy an outstanding reputation as a top Pre-Prep and Prep school for children aged 2-13 that offers an excellent all-round education, and its long tradition of scholarship success continues.
What we’re up to…
We’re thrilled to announce that Highfield and Brookham has been recognised as an ISEB iPQ Gold School for 2025–26. This recognition is driven by the incredible work of our Year 8s who show immense independence, creativity and ambition on their iPQ projects, developing highly transferable skills that prepare them for senior school and beyond. #TogetherWeGrow #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex #iPQgoldschool #iPQ #ProjectBasedLearning #independentschools @isebawards
Story Dough sparks big imaginations, expands vocabulary and nurtures confident little creators! We love watching our Nursery children learn through joyful co-play, building strong early-years foundations. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeLearn #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Story Dough sparks big imaginations, expands vocabulary and nurtures confident little creators! We love watching our Nursery children learn through joyful co-play, building strong early-years foundations. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeLearn #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Performing before an audience helps children grow in confidence, communication and creative expression – and our recent Jazz Café evening demonstrated this beautifully. From the moment the idea was announced, the children eagerly signed up, and their talent lit up the Pavilion Café creating an unforgettable evening. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeShine #AimingHigh #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Performing before an audience helps children grow in confidence, communication and creative expression – and our recent Jazz Café evening demonstrated this beautifully. From the moment the idea was announced, the children eagerly signed up, and their talent lit up the Pavilion Café creating an unforgettable evening. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeShine #AimingHigh #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
We were delighted to welcome Matt Pinkett today, who led engaging sessions with parents and boys in Years 6-8. A teacher, speaker, and author of “Boys Don’t Try?” and “Boys Do Cry”, Matt helps young people flourish by building strong values, embracing positive role models and growing confidence and resilience. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeInspire #Wellbeing #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
We were delighted to welcome Matt Pinkett today, who led engaging sessions with parents and boys in Years 6-8. A teacher, speaker, and author of “Boys Don’t Try?” and “Boys Do Cry”, Matt helps young people flourish by building strong values, embracing positive role models and growing confidence and resilience. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeInspire #Wellbeing #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
A magical education that lasts a lifetime. Join us on Friday 28th November to discover why Highfield and Brookham is such an extraordinary place for children to flourish. 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. Head to our bio above to reserve your place. #TogetherWeGrow #HighfieldandBrookham #OpenMorning #IndependentSchool #PrepSchool #PrePrep #Nursery #HampshireSchools #SurreySchools #WestSussexSchools #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Performing arts empower children with confidence, communication and teamwork and Year 5 proved this with their magical “Aladdin” performance that captivated the crowd. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeInspire #TogetherWeAchieve #Creativity #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Great excitement and a cracking start to the rugby season! Our U13s welcomed Feltonfleet School, the U11s took on Amesbury School and St. Edmund’s School, Surrey, and the U10s faced Aldro away. Well done to all who played, we saw fantastic tackling, sharp drop kicks and plenty of tries scored. A brilliant start all round! #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeAchieve #Teamwork #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Is it a bird, is it a plane, no it’s Year 1’s superhero teddy bears. Inspired by this term’s topic People in Our Community Who Help Us, they designed and created costumes for their cuddly companions and watched them fly! #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeInspire #Creativity #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Did someone say snow? There was great excitement as it began to fall, and breaktime was filled with snowballs, snowmen and snow angels. And it wasn’t just the children – our Australian residential graduate assistants were thrilled to join in, with some experiencing snow for the very first time! #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeEnjoy #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
It was a joy to watch Year 3’s excitement as they explored a range of flutes and their sense of achievement as they created their first sounds. Music is an important part of life here, and all our Year 3 children are offered instrument taster sessions. Watch this space for future flute choir members! #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeInspire #AimingHigh #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Tiny hands learn big skills! Our Nursery children celebrate each new skill achieved by popping a pompom into their Essential Skills Jar – a colourful way to record just how much they’re learning every single day. #TogetherWeGrow #AimingHigh #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Year 2 discovered a whole new world right under their feet! The combination of Forest School, investigating mini-beasts and discovering micro-habitats, fuelled by their curious minds made for a wonderful scientific research project. The children learned how to record, sketch and label their findings; it was an inspiring and memorable way to learn. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeExplore #Teamwork #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
What an incredible opportunity for our Year 7 and 8 girls to sharpen their hockey skills and see firsthand why dedication and passion matter, as we welcomed England and Team GB international hockey player Ellie Rayer! Ellie inspired them with her journey to date, including the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and winning a Bronze Medal. The excitement continued on the astro as they put her tips into practice, making the most of a rare chance to learn directly from a true sporting role model. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeInspire #EllieRayer @ellierayer #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
To deepen their understanding of the Anglo-Saxons and bring “Beowulf” to life, Year 5 enjoyed a memorable trip to the Weald & Downland Living Museum . They tried everyday skills such as braiding with a lucet and chopping wood, and explored how Anglo-Saxons entertained themselves through games, songs, stories and poetry – gaining a real sense of why tales of courage mattered so much in this period. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeExplore #Teamwork #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
Woodland adventures for Year 4, from splitting wood to whittling tools, Forest School inspires real life skills, real adventure and real growth as the children explore and learn together. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeExplore #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Follow the Eco-Club’s journey as they design and build bespoke homes for our local bats. Watch this space for updates as their project takes shape and helps our local wildlife thrive. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeInspire #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
We’re excited to welcome everyone to our Christmas Shopping Evening today. With a wonderful selection of stallholders, it’s the perfect chance to enjoy a festive atmosphere and find something special for everyone on your list. #SupportLocal #ShopLocal #TogetherWeGrow #Creativity #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex
Read all about it! In the autumn edition of The Guide to Independent Schools, Suzannah Cryer shares her insights in “Raising the Future” – an inspiring reflection on how education needs to evolve to prepare young people for the challenges ahead. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeInspire #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #CoEdSchool #IndependentSchool #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex