by Suzannah Cryer, Head

I often get asked this question by parents looking to make the leap from city life to the countryside. The easy answer to this is, there is no specific time, it really comes down to what is going to work for you and your family.

Natural educational entry points are Nursery, Reception, Year 3 and Year 7.  However, I know that life does not all ways coincide with best made plans.  I also appreciate and understand the complications of relocating. Buying, renting, renovating or relocating is stressful and dates are always a moving feast. That’s why one of the many benefits of moving your children from a London school to an independent prep school in the country is that we are far more flexible and adaptable. Your child can, not only start at any stage, but will settle quickly and thrive.

The London school sector can be difficult to navigate with high competition for places and with some catchment areas lacking co-educational options.  Many families preferring to go down the co-ed route take this as their opportunity to move to a more rural location.

As an educational specialist, parent and London ‘mover’, I can tell you from experience why I hold a country education close to my heart. A countryside school offers your children not only a rich academic grounding but also an enriching and inspiring environment in which to learn. Most independent nursey, pre-prep and prep schools like Highfield and Brookham have small class sizes, incredible facilities and a breadth of co-curricular activities on offer, all onsite, saving the many hours in the car travelling from one activity to another, here it really is all under one ‘roof’.

You cannot underestimate the power of fresh air, inspiring landscapes, outdoor adventures, academic excellence, pastoral care, nurturing creativity and community spirit. It allows children to be children, they can get muddy knees, climb trees, explore together and to learn who they are as an individual and how to work as part of a team. Having access to the great outdoors will help your children hold on to their precious childhood for longer, which I believe adds to a happier, healthier and more balanced development. There are so many unique benefits that the argument for educating outside London becomes more and more compelling.

In this fast-paced global word, we all want childhood to offer our children the chance to learn who they are, to try new things, to learn when they fail and to flourish as individuals. The nurturing environment of a country prep school is the perfect environment for them to do this. Whilst academics are important, and children at Highfield and Brookham achieve the very best academic results, so is developing well-rounded citizens with bounds of emotional intelligence. When children move on to their chosen senior schools from Highfield and Brookham, they are prepared and confident and ready to grasp the next stage of their educational journey with both hands.

Living in the country can bring benefits for your whole family too. A calmer pace of life awaits, as does a focus on well-being and being part of a school community. Not only do the children who join Highfield and Brookham make friends for life but so do their parents. Our unique educational environment is something truly special and one of the many factors that drew me back to take over as Head three years ago.

Highfield and Brookham is based an hour from London, at the meeting point of three counties, West Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire, in the South Downs National Park and has a catchment covering towns such as Haslemere, Liphook, Petersfield, Midhurst and Godalming. We attract families still seeking an easy commute to London and many of our parents have been through the move themselves and are here to help and share advice and tips.

The key to moving schools is to ensure that whatever school you decide on offers strong pastoral care as this will ensure a smooth transition. You must also remember that children are resilient. Pop them in a classroom where they are nurtured and inspired with creative and innovative learning techniques, and they will soon bond with their peers. Just ask any of our new arrivals from London (or our international students) and they will tell you what a special environment we have at Highfield and Brookham School.

If moving out of London is currently not an option, but you would love to be able to offer your children the benefits of a country education, then boarding really is a fantastic choice. Trust underpins every great boarding environment and we take enormous pride in the relationship we have with our boarding families. It truly is a warm and happy community where fun and friendship continues after the school day ends. Each child is nurtured and cared for individually and they thrive and grow surrounded by their friends, their extended family. We have boarding options from just two nights per week to the traditional full boarding option, available from Year 4. Our boarding provision is flexible to suit modern family life and has been adapted to reflect current demand from families.

Having made the transition from city to country myself, I know and appreciate how hard it can be to make the decision to move your family from London to live in the country especially if your child is settled in their current school. All I can say is that it was one of the best decisions my husband and I have ever made. My advice is to take the leap, it offers a truly incredible start to any child’s life. It provides the building blocks for resilient balanced children, preparing them for their future academic and personal challenges and gives them the skills to succeed at senior school and beyond.

But don’t take my word for it, come and visit us at our next Open Morning on Friday 14th March.