Rain certainly didn’t dampen the enthusiasm during Year 8 Scholars’ Week! Despite the downpours, pupils embraced the week’s adventures with curiosity and enthusiasm. From exploring the mosaics at Bignor Roman Villa to touring Oxford’s historic colleges, visiting a familiar Harry Potter filming location, and even taking to the waves at Hayling Island, there was plenty to discover along the way. The week also included a fantastic performance of “Frankie Goes to Bollywood”, which had everyone captivated from start to finish. And what better way to end the week than with an ice cream before heading home?

🎵”When the rainy days are dyin’, Gotta keep on, keep on tryin'”🎵 Year 3 mountain biking was… let’s say character-building. Before heading out into our school grounds, the children took part in a skills session covering braking, safe turning, group riding and navigating different terrain. Then we went out. Into the rain. A lot of rain. Cold. Muddy. Understatement of the year. And they were ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. Charlie had his helmet off, ready to retire, suggested he needed a nap to re-energise. Helmet went back on. He kept going. Max’s pedal fell off two minutes in. So he ran the whole 5km course. Often leading the way. And he was joined by two ‘non-riders’ who instead of sitting it out wanted to join in as well. Alba was an absolute superstar, pushing through despite a “very big problem… my thumbs don’t work anymore.” We could not be more proud! #MountainBiking #PrepSchool #OutdoorLearning #Year3 #GrowthMindset #NeverGiveUp #EthicalResponsibility

We’re proud to share that Highfield and Brookham School has submitted a White Paper to the Department for Education. Education for a Changing Society: Human Skills, AI Readiness, and Preparing Learners for the Future of Work sets out our vision for an education system that truly prepares young people for the world they’ll actually enter. Following our Raising the Future conference, which brought together education leaders, employers, tech experts we’re calling for: ✅ Greater focus on communication, critical thinking and collaboration ✅ GCSE reform that reflects real-world skills ✅ A national framework for AI literacy in schools ✅ Clearer guidance on smartphones, online safety and digital wellbeing ✅ Closer partnerships between schools, employers and policymakers Read the White Paper. This is a conversation that affects all of us. We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Would you prefer to live on land or under the sea? That’s the big question Reception are exploring this term but today, the line between the two felt very blurred! Rather than letting the weather dampen their spirits, our incredible little learners did quite the opposite, they headed outside to see just how big a puddle they could make by moving water from all around their outdoor provision! The result? Pure joy, a LOT of water, and some very happy (and soggy) scientists in the making!

Over half term, something very special happened: Mrs Chapman got married! Our Nursery children were absolutely determined to celebrate her in style. They got straight to work: ✅ Crafting a one-of-a-kind wedding dress designed to perfection. ✅ Creating a beautiful, eco-friendly bouquet made entirely from tissue paper flowers. ✅ Baking heart-shaped shortbread biscuits fit for a royal wedding! Watching our youngest pupils pour so much thought, creativity, and care into celebrating someone they love shows exactly the kind of warm, principled young people we are so proud to nurture.

“Measure twice, cut once.” Wise words from Mrs Martin echoing through Year 4s DT lesson. The Romans built some of the most extraordinary structures the world has ever seen and this term, Year 4 are finding out exactly how they did it. At the heart of their learning is the theme: our changing world. Each child is designing and constructing their own Roman aqueduct scale model from scratch, learning to use dovetail saws, bench hooks, and precise measuring techniques along the way. Every aqueduct will then be joined together to put their engineering to the ultimate test: just how far can they transport water?

What did your half term look like? Ours? It was packed with the kind of adventures children talk about for weeks. ✅ Building shelters ✅ Mastering fire-making ✅ Cooking up delicious recipes ✅ Making a splash in the pool ✅ Smashing it on the tennis court ✅ Shooting some hoops ✅ Getting crafty And we cannot wait to do it all over again in the summer. Find out what is coming up next https://highfieldandbrookham.co.uk/school-plus/holiday-activity-clubs/. #HalfTerm #HalfTermActivities #PrepSchool #Surrey #Hampshire

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that our school has received a Gold Award from The Woodland Trust, and what an extraordinary achievement it is! This honour is a true testament to the incredible dedication of our staff, particularly Ryan Underwood (Head of Enrichment), Charlie Millsom (Head of Forest School), and Rebecca Lane (Year 4 Teacher, leading Eco and Wellbeing in the Prep School), as well as our brilliant colleagues across the sports, EYFS, and maintenance teams who have so wholeheartedly embraced our environmental vision. We couldn’t be prouder.

Making short crust pastry is tricky at the best of times, but doing it in the heat? This week our budding chefs took on a serious challenge: homemade leek, potato and cheese pie, short crust pastry and all. That takes real skill and patience especially in this weather! We can safely say half term cookery club was a triumph as every last pie was gobbled up at lunch.

Half terms are for haircuts… Even the bushes need a little refresh before the children come back! There is something perfectly satisfying about watching a scruffy shrub transform into something sharp and tidy. We look forward to seeing the children’s fresh haircuts next week! #HalfTerm #ASMR #PrepSchool #Surrey #Hampshire #SchoolGrounds #TimeLapse

Who needs a kitchen when you’ve got a campfire? Our budding survival experts didn’t just learn to build a fire today, they cooked on it too! Sheltered under the cool canopy of trees, the children crafted their very own bread from scratch and toasted it over the flames on sticks. There is something truly special about eating food you have made and cooked entirely with your own hands in the great outdoors. Every step was a skill in itself: patience, teamwork, and a whole lot of determination.

Sailing demands a rare kind of intelligence, one that combines technical knowledge with instinct, teamwork with independent thinking, and careful planning with the ability to tear up that plan the moment the breeze changes. At the IAPS Sailing Championships, our sailing team tackled the day with skill, composure and courage. We couldn’t be prouder of how they represented the school at Andrew Simpson Centres.

What does it look like when a bursary child grows up to become a professional artist and comes back to inspire the next generation? Earlier this month, our charity art exhibition raised nearly £15,000 for the Highfield School Centenary Bursaries Fund, but one story from the event really stole our hearts. Read the full story https://highfieldandbrookham.co.uk/former-bursary-student-returns-to-help-raise-funds-for-the-next-generation/ Georgea Blakey Art Annabel Pope Wildlife Art Lucy Pratt Rachel Redfern Artwork Wendy Richards Art Colin Willey’s Art Artist Jeremy Houghton Holly Hickmore Olga H O U G H T O N Suzanna Walters Art Mylo Art & Design Rountree Tryon Galleries