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…

Our green-fingered Reception children have today been digging deep in Gardening Club. Having learnt that to succeed in tasks you have to do the groundwork first, the focused children embarked on some essential weeding of their vegetable and flower patches ahead of planting pretty sunflowers in the autumn. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeCultivate #TogetherWePrepare #GardeningClub #Teamwork #IndependentSchoolsInHampshire #CountrySchoolsInHampshire

Are you looking for a unique and nurturing educational environment where your child can truly thrive? The countdown is on to our next Open Morning on Saturday 10th May and we can’t wait to meet all the prospective parents. Why not come along and see for yourself? Simply click the link in our bio to reserve your spot. We look forward to welcoming you. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeEncourage #TogetherWeEmpower #IndependentSchool #PrivateSchool #BoardingSchool #PrepSchool #PrePrepSchool #Nursery #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex #OpenMorning

There is always so much exciting news to share with your friends after the school holidays! #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWePlay #TogetherWeShare #SummerTerm #FriendsReunited #IndependentSchoolsInHampshire

It’s great to have the children back in school and we’re delighted that they have seamlessly picked up where they left off before the Easter break. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeThrive #TogetherWeSucceed #IndependentSchoolsInHampshire #CountryBoardingSchoolsInHampshire #SummerTerm

Our sports coaches have today been put through their paces ahead of the new cricket season. Under the expert eye of Head Coach Mr Dunn, the coaching team worked on fielding, batting and bowling drills, honing techniques which they will pass on to the children before matches get under way next week. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeCompete #TogetherWeInspire #PrepSchoolSport #CricketCoachingTips #HoningSportsSkills

We’re really looking forward to welcoming back our boarders this evening and our day children tomorrow ahead of what promises to be an incredibly busy, insightful and rewarding summer term. Common Entrance exams, sports day, Grandparents’ Tea Party, LAMDA showcase, prizegiving, two year-group plays and trips to Marwell Zoo, Flatford Mill and Goodwood Farm are just a few of the exciting things on our packed schedule. We can’t wait! #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeLearn #TogetherWeAchieve #BusySummerTerm #BoardingSchoolsInHampshire #CoedSchoolsInHampshire #CountryPrepSchoolsInHampshire

Wishing everyone a very happy Easter. #TogetherWeGrow #IndependentSchool #PrivateSchool #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #Liphook

Wishing everyone a very happy Easter. #TogetherWeGrow #IndependentSchool #PrivateSchool #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex #Nursery #PrePrep #Prep #Liphook

Commemorative plaques in honour of Highfield Centenary Bursaries Fund donors and beautifully hand-crafted by our skilled maintenance team will soon accompany the maple trees which line Chapel Field and Macs Field. Since its inception in 2007, more than 20 children for whom a private education may otherwise have been out of reach have benefited from the fund. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeInspire #TogetherWeOpenDoors #CentenaryBursariesFund #PrivateSchool #IndependentSchoolsInHampshire #CountrySchoolEducation

Are you looking for a new school? One which offers a progressive, skills-based curriculum and first-class teaching? Where the children’s health and wellbeing are paramount? We are hosting our first open morning of spring on Saturday 10th May, from 10.30am-12.30pm. We’d love for you to meet our Head, Suzannah Cryer, members of our friendly and professional teaching team and take a tour of the school and its exceptional facilities in the company of our engaging Year 8 children. To book a place, simply click here: bit.ly/3G2Hhl1 #TogetherWeGrow #IndependentSchool #PrivateSchool #BoardingSchool #PrepSchool #PrePrepSchool #Nursery #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex

As Highfield and Brookham blooms in the sunshine, we would like to say a huge thank you to our incredible gardeners and grounds team who keep the school looking so beautiful year in, year out. A special place to learn and grow, we’re looking forward to showing prospective parents exactly what we have to offer during our next open morning on Saturday 10th May. To book a place, simply click the link in our bio! #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeLearn #TogetherWePlay #PrivateSchoolEducation #CountryBoardingSchools #OpenMorning

What a busy day we’ve had in the woods. As part of a hands-on exploration into the brilliant world of bushcraft, the children have been finding and identifying minibeasts, arranging by colour the myriad flora and fauna found on the forest floor, learnt how to build and maintain a fire using a flint and steel tool and, of course, toasted marshmallows and made popcorn over the campfire! #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeExplore #TogetherWeBuild #EssentialSkills #ForestSchool #OutdoorLearning #IndependentSchoolsInHampshire #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex

Anxious parents will tomorrow discover if their children have secured places at their first-choice primary schools. While most will, some may not. If not, help is at hand, including the possibility of an independent school education. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeLearn #IndependentSchool #ReceptionClass #BoardingSchoolsInHampshire #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex #NationalOfferDay

One of the things that makes our holiday activities so popular is the amazing range of courses on offer. Whether you’re sporty or artistic, a stage performer or a woodland firelighter, a tech whizz or a touch typist, we really do have something for everyone. At the end of our courses, children leave with a much better understanding of their chosen subject, greater confidence, and armed with invaluable skills and techniques that they can use in and out of the classroom. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeLearn #SchoolHolidayActivities #IndependentSchoolsInHampshire #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex

We have an exceptional track record when it comes to the creative arts during term time, so there’s little wonder the children thrive during the holidays too. Today, Mrs Wilson, with her wealth of West End stage experience, put her young charges through their paces on the first of a two-day Easter holiday performing arts course; helping the children learn song lyrics and add accompanying choreography ahead of a special performance to parents tomorrow. And without wishing to give the game away, it really could be the greatest show… #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWePerform #TogetherWeInspire #PerformingArts #CreativeArts #BoardingSchoolsInHampshire #EasterHolidayClubs #IndependentSchoolsInHampshire

The amount raised for the Highfield Centenary Bursaries Fund by the fab five runners who tackled last week’s London Landmarks Half-Marathon – school owner Bill Mills, Head Suzannah Cryer, Head of Pre-Prep Georgie Hunter and parents Sarah Bagshaw and Claire Kenwright – has now topped the £9,000 mark. Since its inception in 2007, more than 20 children for whom a private education may otherwise have been out of reach have benefited from the fund. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeThrive #TogetherWeLearn #Bursaries #HighfieldCentenaryBursariesFund #PrivateSchoolEducation #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex

Today has been a day full of woodland adventure, thanks to the team from @coryluscollective and our new Nature Days course. Specifically designed for younger explorers, from wild treasure hunts to chilled-out woodland crafts and story-time under the trees, it’s the perfect mix of adventure and calm. With the sun shining and our beautiful grounds bursting with life, the children were swinging on rope swings, hunting for creepy-crawlies on bug safaris, building epic dens and toasting tasty treats over a crackling campfire.   #WoodlandWonder #OutdoorAdventures #NaturePlay #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeCreate #TheGreatOutdoors #SchoolHolidayActivities #PrepSchool #PrePrepSchool

Are you looking for a new school? One which offers a progressive, skills-based curriculum and first-class teaching? Where the children’s health and wellbeing are paramount? We are hosting our first open morning of spring on Saturday 10th May, from 10.30am-12.30pm. We’d love for you to meet our Head, Suzannah Cryer, members of our friendly and professional teaching team and take a tour of the school and its exceptional facilities in the company of our engaging Year 8 children. To book a place, simply click here: bit.ly/3G2Hhl1 #TogetherWeGrow #IndependentSchool #PrivateSchool #BoardingSchool #PrepSchool #PrePrepSchool #Nursery #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex

We are excited to welcome the Assure Coaching team to lead the way with a jam-packed course full of exciting sports for an energetic and fun-filled holiday club. The team, made up of experienced coaches, have been teaching the children essential skills and techniques across sports, including football, cricket, basketball and hockey to name a few, along with fun games such as bench-ball and dodgeball. A great day has been had by all, building skills, making friends and growing in confidence. #TogetherWeGrow #IndependentSchool #PrepSchool #PrePrepSchool #Liphook #OutdoorLearning #SportForAll #TogetherWePlay

We had an incredible Senior Cookery course today. The group put their cooking skills to the test and got stuck in making delicious hot cross buns, Mexican molletes and carrot cake cookies. The amazing cookery teacher, Sophie Neish, shared her passion, knowledge and expertise, whilst passing on her tips to these future super cooks. All the children left with plenty of new skills and filled with cooking confidence. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeCook #TogetherWeCreate #Cookery #SchoolHolidayCourses #LifeSkills #Liphook #PrepSchool

We are so lucky to have our very own golf course right here on our grounds, providing the perfect setting for another amazing holiday golf course with the talented coach, Harry Jafkins, Assistant Professional from Liphook Golf Club. It was such a pleasure to see the children, both beginners and more experienced players, diving into a variety of drills designed to enhance their game, along with one-to-one coaching. Every child left with a better understanding of the sport and improved technique. It’s clear that learning golf can be both enjoyable and rewarding, and we can’t wait to do it all again in the summer holidays! #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWePlay #HolidayActivtyClubs #SchoolHolidayActivities #Liphook #Hampshire #WestSussex #Surrey #IndependentSchool

Five runners from the Highfield and Brookham community have raised almost £8,000 between them for the school’s Centenary Bursaries Fund, which can pave the way to a private education. The runners raised the cash during Sunday’s London Landmarks Half-Marathon. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeInspire #TogetherWeAchieve #BoardingSchoolsInHampshire #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex

Things were definitely cooking in our kitchen today, with Italian Easter bread, Italian pizza pie and ‘Easter crazy’ chocolate bark all on a tantalisingly tasty menu. Our holiday cookery courses, run by the brilliant Sophie Neish, are always incredibly popular and, today, the children mixed, grated, rolled, sliced and diced to their hearts’ content to produce yet more amazing dishes. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeCook #TogetherWeCreate #Cookery #SchoolHolidayCourses #LifeSkills #Liphook #BoardingSchoolsInHampshire

With expert tuition from the brilliant MJ and @sophie_billy_ of @assurecoaching our children have today danced up a real storm on the second day of our exciting new Dance holiday club. They worked really hard on the choreography of two high-energy routines featuring locking street dance and lyrical theatre dance before putting on a dazzling show for their appreciative parents. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWePerform #TogetherWeCreate #Dance #SchoolHolidayActivities #Liphook #Hampshire #Surrey #WestSussex

Inspired by the onset of spring, we’ve had a brilliant start to our new Nature Crafting course. Under the expert eye of nature lover Hannah, from Corylus Collective, the children have tapped into their creativity and artistry to produce some amazing hand-crafted creations using natural materials, including beautiful Easter wreaths, botanically-dyed bags, clay birds and willow bird feeders, all of which the children can take home. #TogetherWeGrow #TogetherWeCreate #GettingBackToNature #NatureCrafting #ArtsAndCrafts #TheGreatOutdoors #SchoolHolidayActivities

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