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The Highfield School Centenary Bursaries Fund was set up to celebrate Highfield’s centenary in 2007. It has been running successfully for more than 12 years thanks to the generosity of current and former parents, alumni and institutional grants. The aim of the fund is to raise enough money to support children who would not otherwise have the opportunity to come to a school like Highfield and Brookham.
In the current climate, access to private education is becoming more and more of a privilege. We recognise our responsibility to ensure we bridge this advantage gap. We know there are many children who would greatly benefit from attending a private school and there is a need to bring this opportunity to as many as possible – to those who might not otherwise consider it an option due to difficult financial or family circumstances.
Our Aim
The purpose of the Centenary Bursaries Fund is to make a real difference in a child’s life, not just academically but also physically, emotionally and socially. The bursaries are awarded to children we believe will gain the most benefit from attending Highfield and Brookham Schools – ensuring they reach their full potential, build life-long skills and develop long-lasting, positive experiences and relationships.
It’s incredibly rare for prep schools to offer 100% bursaries, especially at the rate that we do. We want to lead the way, in good faith, so that other prep schools will follow and allow this amazing opportunity to be given to even more children.
Changing Lives
We have awarded 17 bursaries to date and they have proved to be an enormous success. The Centenary Bursaries Fund also provides additional support for music lessons, sports equipment, school trips and uniform. In some circumstances, it has also funded travel to and from the school for the children and their parents.
Past bursary children have gone on to secure bursaries and scholarships at exceptional senior schools such as Charterhouse, Marlborough College and Seaford College. Nine children are currently still with us and because of our excellent relationships with senior schools and the outstanding support we offer, the hope is our current children will follow in their footsteps.
Selection Process
We have a very thorough selection process to identify children whose circumstances merit this life-changing gift. Throughout the year we build awareness of this opportunity outside of our socio-demographic to ensure relevant candidates are put forward. This involves forging links with relevant schools and their headteachers, charitable organisations, and promoting the opportunity online.
A typical candidate could be a child who is experiencing social or educational difficulties such as bullying, a challenging home life, special educational needs or someone who just needs a break, or children who have the ability to succeed academically if given the right support. We also have gifted children being put forward, where Highfield and Brookham can offer them a higher level of individual attention and can access our well-developed programme for the most talented children.
Make A Donation
The bursaries are funded on a 50-50 basis by the fund and the school. The school’s share is covered by ancillary income streams such as property rentals, Summer School and Swim School. Parents do not subsidise the bursaries through their fees.
We have an extremely robust fundraising plan which involves a combination of donations, fundraising events, investments and grants. Our donors are a mix of former pupils, grandparents, former parents, current parents, institutes and former staff. The Centenary Bursaries Fund is a registered charity, so Gift Aid increases donations to the fund from UK income tax payers by 25%. Donors just need to complete the Gift Aid form when making their donation.
We have partnered with Amazon Smile and Easy Fundraising to make it even easier to support the Highfield School Centenary Bursaries Fund. Both of these schemes turn your everyday online shopping into a free donation at no extra cost to you. If our aims resonate with you, just follow the simple steps to support this great cause every time you shop online.
Charity Information
The Highfield School Centenary Bursaries Fund is a trust that was set up as a separate legal entity in 2007 with its own trust deed and trustees. It was granted charitable Status by the Charity Commissioners in 2007. (Registered Charity No. 1114845)
The Trustees
- Jonathan Carey – former Highfield parent and grandson of Canon Mills, Highfield’s founder
- Peter Greenwood – Old Highfieldian and former Highfield parent
- Nick Denton – a parent of three Old Highfieldians
- Simon Mason – former Highfield member of staff
- Katie Naylor – former Highfield parent
What we’re up to…
“I am absolutely convinced that having the right assessment model in place in your school will encourage a child-centred development and progress in their learning.” Our Deputy Head (Academic), Ian Nicholas, was invited to discuss project-based learning and assessment on The IAPS Podcast, exploring how we can help children become more independent and take greater ownership of their learning. Listen to the full episode below. Spotify 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ed3iAdfA Apple Podcasts 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eKqa4RR2
Ever wondered what makes a truly independent, family-owned school feel so different? 💛 Come and see for yourself at our Open Morning next month. Wander through our stunning 175 acres in the South Downs, say hello to our wonderful pupils and teachers, and get a real feel for life here. Whether your little one is 2 or 13, day or boarding, there’s a place for them here! 📅 Friday 20th November 🔗 Book your place via the link in our bio. One story. One purpose. One Highfield. #independentschool #highfieldschool #liphookschool #openmorning #hampshire
Half term already?! 🍂 What a whirlwind! Looking back on these busy weeks, our Head, Suzannah, has been reflecting on the moments that have stayed with her the most. Again and again, they came back to leadership: our pupils stepping up, from Reception children proudly giving tours of Early Years to Year 8s showing a visiting head around Highfield. #independentschool #highfieldschool #leadership #workingtogether #autumnterm Independent school Liphook | Prep school Hampshire | Pre prep Hampshire | Independent school Surrey | Highfield School
Half term already?! 🍂 What a whirlwind! Looking back on these busy weeks, our Head, Suzannah, has been reflecting on the moments that have stayed with her the most. Again and again, they came back to leadership: our pupils stepping up, from Reception children proudly giving tours of Early Years to Year 8s showing a visiting head around Highfield. #independentschool #highfieldschool #leadership #workingtogether #autumnterm Independent school Liphook | Prep school Hampshire | Pre prep Hampshire | Independent school Surrey | Highfield School
More than £12,000 raised for @liphook.foodbank in five years! Last week, we welcomed Glynis Blake, chair of trustees for the food bank, to our Harvest Festival assembly. She helped our children understand how their donations make a difference to the 80 local families the food bank supports. A BIG thank you to our school community for your continued generosity! 🔗We’ve written more about Glynis’s visit and our ongoing support for the food bank in our latest press release – link in bio. #independentschool #highfieldschool #leadership #outreach #schoolcommunity Independent school Liphook | Prep school Hampshire | Pre prep school Hampshire | Independent school Surrey | Highfield School
More than £12,000 raised for Liphook Food Bank in five years! Last week, we welcomed Glynis Blake, chair of trustees for the food bank, to our Harvest Festival assembly. She helped our children understand how their donations make a difference to the 80 local families the food bank supports. A BIG thank you to our school community for your continued generosity! We’ve written more about Glynis’s visit and our ongoing support for the food bank in our latest press release. 👇
A change of tactics for our U9 boys at last week’s tournament! ⚽ Our Director of Sport, Mr Bather, explains: “Our U9 boys had to rethink their tactics and move into different positions to support the team. They had to work out where they could be most useful, rather than just where they were used to playing. Although it wasn’t the result we’d hoped for, it was a pleasure to play against such strong teams. I’m very proud of how the boys came together and were willing to try something different for the team!” #independentschool #highfieldschool #problemsolving #teamtactics #prepschool #schoolsport Independent school Liphook | Prep school Hampshire | Independent school Surrey | Highfield School
A change of tactics for our U9 boys at last week’s tournament! ⚽ Our Director of Sport, Mr Bather, explains: “Our U9 boys had to rethink their tactics and move into different positions to support the team. They had to work out where they could be most useful, rather than just where they were used to playing. Although it wasn’t the result we’d hoped for, it was a pleasure to play against such strong teams. I’m very proud of how the boys came together and were willing to try something different for the team!”
Looking for something to do this half term? Join us for two days of bushcraft! Over the two days, children will learn to build their own shelters, make simple crafts and try basic first aid. They’ll also be guided through making a fire and cooking over it. Book a place here 👉 https://highfieldschool.com/schoo…/holiday-activity-clubs/
How do you get food through a pair of tights? Ask Year 4! Our scientists have been exploring how food travels through the digestive system, using tights to stand in for the intestines. The challenge? Getting the food all the way through! So our problem-solvers put their heads together… – Would breaking the food into smaller pieces help? – What if we changed how we squeezed the tights? – Could adding water make a difference? Who knew digestion could take so much brainpower? With every attempt, they learned a little more about what helps food on its journey through our bodies. Messy? Definitely. Lots of thinking? Absolutely! 🙌
73 days until Christmas! 🎄 Too early? Our young artists don’t think so! Our annual Christmas card competition is underway, with children creating their own festive designs to turn into cards for family and friends. Turning an idea into a finished design takes some thought! It means working out how to bring what’s in your head onto the page and what will make your card eye-catching. Every pack ordered raises money for Highfield Highreach Holidays, helping our children see how something they create can make a difference to someone else. Now comes the tricky part… choosing the winning designs! 👀 #independentschool #problemsolving #creativedesign #christmascards #festive Independent school Liphook | Prep school Hampshire | Independent school Surrey | Highfield School
October half term is almost here (we can’t quite believe it either)! If you’re looking for activities for your child during the break, we still have a few places available on our Holiday Clubs here at Highfield, with sessions to suit different ages and interests. 🔗Find out what’s on offer via the link in our bio.
Baby Bear needs a shelter… Reception to the rescue! 🐻🍂 Reception had the most magical day at Painshill Park last week, following a storytelling trail that led them right into Little Red Riding Hood’s woods before they bumped into the Three Little Pigs and, of course, Goldilocks! Then came a challenge: could they build a shelter for Baby Bear? They had to work out which materials would do the job, heading off in search of the “biggest, best leaves” and sticks big enough to build with! There was plenty to think about before Baby Bear could move in! Which sticks would make the strongest shelter? How could they keep the leaves in place? Would their shelter keep Baby Bear dry? Was there enough room for him inside? Well done to our little builders with their big ideas! ⭐
Our Head, Suzannah Cryer, has been thinking about something we probably all recognise: that feeling of wanting to know you’ve got the right answer! But problem-solving doesn’t always work like that. Sometimes there’s a clear answer. Other times, there isn’t one at all! And that’s the tricky bit, isn’t it? When you’re faced with something you haven’t done before, where do you even start? What if your first idea doesn’t work? It’s tempting to want someone to tell you what to do next, but there’s so much to be gained from having a go and working things out for yourself. At Highfield, we see this in all sorts of ways. It’s our Reception children figuring out how to build a shelter strong enough to keep Baby Bear dry. It’s Year 4 exploring digestion using a pair of tights in Science! And it’s our U9 footballers rethinking their tactics to help their team. As Suzannah explains, sometimes it’s how you get from A to Z that’s more interesting than the answer itself!
Our Head, Suzannah Cryer, has been thinking about something we probably all recognise: that feeling of wanting to know you’ve got the right answer! But problem-solving doesn’t always work like that. Sometimes there’s a clear answer. Other times, there isn’t one at all! And that’s the tricky bit, isn’t it? When you’re faced with something you haven’t done before, where do you even start? What if your first idea doesn’t work? It’s tempting to want someone to tell you what to do next, but there’s so much to be gained from having a go and working things out for yourself. At Highfield, we see this in all sorts of ways. It’s our Reception children figuring out how to build a shelter strong enough to keep Baby Bear dry. It’s Year 4 exploring digestion using a pair of tights in Science! And it’s our U9 footballers rethinking their tactics to help their team. As Suzannah explains, sometimes it’s how you get from A to Z that’s more interesting than the answer itself! #independentschool #problemsolving #progress #criticalthinking #futureskills Independent school Liphook | Prep school Hampshire | Nursery Liphook | Independent school Surrey | Pre prep school Hampshire | Highfield School
Our Year 8s have been busy preparing their canvases with diluted inks in different colours, ready for a mixed-media project exploring the theme of identity. 🎨 It’s a lovely example of how art encourages children to adapt. You might start with one idea in mind, but as colours blend and materials behave in unexpected ways, you have to think on your feet and try something different. And who knows? Sometimes those unexpected results turn out to be your favourite part of the finished piece! @olgahoughtonart #independentschool #highfieldschool #adaptability #creativelearning #prepschool Independent school Liphook | Prep school Hampshire | Independent school Surrey | Highfield School
Things don’t always go to plan. So, what do you do next? At Highfield, we want our children to feel able to give things another go, even when it may feel difficult or be a struggle. Sometimes that means trying a different approach to reach their goal. We asked some of our Year 7s what adapting means to them… #independentschool #highfieldschool #adaptability #resilience #pupilvoice Independent school Liphook | Prep school Hampshire | Independent school Surrey | Highfield School
Young musicians from St Bart’s, Beacon Hill, Camelsdale, Liphook Juniors and Highfield came together yesterday as one orchestra, rehearsing and performing alongside professional musicians from the Royal Military School of Music. 🎶 With music specially arranged for every child’s level, they spent the day in sectionals and rehearsals before performing The Traitors theme, March of the Toreadors and Pirates of the Caribbean. It was wonderful to see them adapt so quickly to playing alongside musicians from other schools, many of whom they had only just met. The progress they made in just one day was remarkable! It’s all part of a collaboration between Highfield and Haslemere Festival, which will culminate in the young musicians performing at a special Gala Concert at the Haslemere Festival next year. A HUGE thank you to our Director of Music, Jessica Harman, for bringing the day together, to Captain Ben James and the RMSM band, to our sectional leaders Matt Gunner, Helen Downham and Sarah Craven, and to everyone behind the scenes who made it such a success. 👏 #schoolorchestra #royalmilitaryschoolofmusic #youngmusicians #militarymusic #musiceducation
Young musicians from St Bart’s, Beacon Hill, Camelsdale, Liphook Juniors and Highfield came together yesterday as one orchestra, rehearsing and performing alongside professional musicians from the Royal Military School of Music. 🎶 With music specially arranged for every child’s level, they spent the day in sectionals and rehearsals before performing The Traitors theme, March of the Toreadors and Pirates of the Caribbean. It was wonderful to see them adapt so quickly to playing alongside musicians from other schools, many of whom they had only just met. The progress they made in just one day was remarkable! It’s all part of a collaboration between Highfield and @haslemerefest, which will culminate in the young musicians performing at a special Gala Concert at the Haslemere Festival next year. A HUGE thank you to our Director of Music, Jessica Harman, for bringing the day together, to Captain Ben James and the RMSM band, to our sectional leaders Matt Gunner, Helen Downham and Sarah Craven, and to everyone behind the scenes who made it such a success. 👏 #schoolorchestra #royalmilitaryschoolofmusic #youngmusicians #militarymusic #musiceducation #armymusic
It’s been a busy few weeks of sport, with football, hockey and netball fixtures all underway! ⚽🏑 We’ve loved watching our pupils rise to every challenge, whether that’s switching positions mid-match or picking themselves up after conceding a goal. A great example came when the girls U13s 1st team travelled to Bede’s for their IAPS qualifier. 1-0 down after 4 mins in their opening game, they regrouped and answered back with 3 goals to take the victory! They battled their way to the quarter final, where a draw against @edgeboroughschool went to shuffles, ending in a narrow 2-1 loss. Our footballers showed the same spirit at the 7-a-side tournament. After a semi-final defeat to @twyfordschool on penalties, they bounced back to win their play-off and finish 3rd out of 12 teams! 🥉 Win or lose, our teams keep showing what it means to adapt and keep going! #independentschool #highfieldschool #adaptability #teamspirit #resilience Independent school Liphook | Prep school Hampshire | Independent school Surrey | Highfield School
Year 5 stepped back in time at the Weald & Downland Living Museum! ⏳ Two themed workshops brought their Anglo-Saxon topic to life, with dressing up proving especially popular. They also tried knucklebones, a game of dexterity, skill and chance played with animal anklebones. Quite a change from today’s games! The children loved finding out what everyday life was like back then and imagining how they might have done things centuries ago. It’s such a great way for them to practise adapting, stepping into someone else’s shoes and thinking about how they’d manage with very different tools and routines. A skill that will serve them well in our ever-changing world!
October half term is almost here (we can’t quite believe it either)! If you’re looking for activities for your child during the break, we still have a few places available on our Holiday Clubs here at Highfield, with sessions to suit different ages and interests. Find out what’s on offer and book a place here 👉 https://highfieldschool.com/schoo…/holiday-activity-clubs/