Highfield and Brookham to become Highfield School as historic school enters new chapter

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Highfield and Brookham School in Liphook will become Highfield School from September 2026, bringing the school together under one name as it enters the next chapter of its more than century-long history. The change is accompanied by a refreshed identity built around the idea of ONE – one school, with one shared purpose, governed by one family, and a commitment to nurturing one childhood at a time.

Highfield has a history stretching back to 1892 and has been owned by the Mills family since 1904, when William Mills became owner and Headmaster. Three years later, he moved Highfield to its present site in Liphook, where it has remained ever since.

More than 120 years later, the school remains in the same family, with William Mills’ grandson, Bill Mills, now owner and Chairman of the Board. his continuity is increasingly rare in independent education. It has allowed Highfield to retain its independence and make long-term decisions with the interests of its families at heart.

One of those decisions came in 1992, when growing demand from families with younger children led to the opening of a new pre-prep within the Highfield grounds. Brookham School was established in a purpose-built building, marking the beginning of Highfield and Brookham Schools as we know them today.

Bill Mills, owner of Highfield and Brookham School, said: “At the time, when Brookham was set up, we wanted it to have a strong sense of identity with a degree of separation from Highfield, including its own name, Head and Leadership Team, and uniform.

“There were good reasons for this at the time but, since then, the two schools have grown increasingly together, guided by the expert leadership of Suzannah Cryer, and I believe the time has come to unite them under one name.”

The change reflects how Highfield and Brookham have evolved over recent years while reconnecting the school with the name and heritage that began on its present Hampshire site in 1907.

That evolution has already been taking place gradually across the school. In 2023, the appointment of one Head and the creation of a single Leadership Team brought the school community together under one shared direction. The following year saw the alignment of the school uniform across all year groups, creating a more unified identity while making it more sustainable and cost-effective for families. Introducing these changes gradually gave each one time to become a natural and established part of school life.

Set within 175 acres of Hampshire countryside on the edge of the South Downs National Park, the school’s surroundings are also central to the refreshed identity. The grounds have been part of everyday life at Highfield for generations and remain an important part of the education children experience today.

Alongside the move to the Highfield School name, the school’s visual identity is evolving to reflect its heritage. Its logo has been refined to align more closely with the original cross keys, while the school’s established colours and whole school uniform will remain.

Mrs Suzannah Cryer, Head of Highfield School, said: “This is an exciting moment in Highfield’s story. While our name is changing, what sits at the heart of the school remains the same: knowing every child as an individual and giving them the space and support to become who they are.

“Bringing the whole school together as Highfield feels like a natural reflection of who we are today. Our children already grow up as part of one community, and this gives us one identity that carries them right through from Nursery to Year 8.

“We are incredibly proud of Highfield’s history, but we are equally ambitious about its future. This next chapter gives us the opportunity to build on everything that makes the school distinctive while continuing to evolve for the children and families we serve.”

The new identity brings together more than a century of Highfield history with a clear vision for the school’s future: One Story. One Purpose. One Highfield.