Meeting Individual Needs - In Detail

Academic

Highclare offers small teaching groups with supportive, experienced staff who work closely with individual pupils and provide extra help where necessary. Class work is structured to enable each child to achieve at his or her own level within a well-balanced curriculum, which is available to every pupil.

Welfare

Highclare provides a continuous education for girls from 18 months to 18 years and boys from 18 months to 11 years. We also welcome boys into our Sixth Form. The Highclare service includes caring for your child, with extended day and holiday facilities (TOPS Scheme) from 7.30 am to 6.00 pm for 47 weeks per year.

The School Council listens to the needs and views of pupils, valuing the contribution of individuals.

Health care is carried out by the School Nurse who caters for the health needs of all pupils, carrying out regular reviews and immunization programmes.

Pastoral

Highclare operates a unique system in the Senior School with each pupil having their own personal tutor, who remains with them through their life at the school, arranging regular individual meetings and overseeing pastoral care.

Personal, Health and Social Education is included in the curriculum and gives pupils opportunities to explore ideas, or express views on a wide range of topics. Staff work with individual pupils to build self-confidence that then reflects in other areas of school life.

Ethnic and Religious

Highclare celebrates a range of religious festivals throughout the school and holds regular assemblies, which also provide opportunities to recognise individual achievements in sport, music, and other extra-curricular activities.
There is a balanced Religious Education syllabus, including visits for pupils of all ages, giving them the opportunity to experience different religions and beliefs.

Teaching

Highclare provides high quality teaching and encourages independent learning. This is evident in the excellent exam results achieved by individuals at 11+, GCSE, and A-level.

> To view latest external exam results click here

Our dedicated, committed staff are all qualified in their subject specialities and support every pupil to achieve his or her own level of excellence.

At Junior and Senior levels, single sex education enables both boys and girls to thrive and develop into confident individuals. In this way, Highclare pupils are equipped for life-long learning from an early age. Highclare follows the latest OFSTED guidelines relating to nursery-age children - ‘Birth to 3 Matters’.

Highclare is regularly inspected by the ISI (Independent Schools Inspectorate) which is the body approved by the Secretary of State for Education and Skills for the purpose of inspecting independent schools.

> To view the latest report click here

Pupil Participation

With its Personalised Learning Strategies Highclare ensures that learning methods are varied to suit the needs of individual pupils.

Pupils are encouraged to participate in a wide range of Enrichment activities outside the classroom, including:

Drama
Music
Sport
Clubs: Spanish, Reading, ICT, Ignite (RE), Debating
Activity Weekends
Foreign Language Exchanges
Foreign Holidays
Wide Variety of Trips and Visits

Visitors are regularly invited to run activities, such as drama workshops, career guidance, and music workshops.

Individual Development

All pupils are seen as individuals and are valued as such.

It is a key school aim to motivate each pupil to achieve his or her potential. This is true not only in the classroom, but beyond, and reinforced by the Highclare pastoral system.

Pupils in Year 8 are able to attend PGL weekends which include a variety of outdoor activities that build self-confidence and encourage teamwork. Younger pupils are given the opportunity in Year 6 to attend a similar residential weekend.

Sixth Form pupils are able to take part in World Challenge trips, which are based at various outdoor centres and provide a range of activities and new experiences that develop the individual.

Leadership opportunities are given at all levels with Junior, Senior & Sixth form pupils being given responsibilities as Prefects, Junior Prefects, House Captains, Form Captains and School Council representatives.

All pupils in Year 11 are required to undertake Work Experience for two weeks which is often their first taste of the working environment.

Within the Junior and Senior School, pupils provide a volunteer resource to a number of institutions in the local area, such as helping with reading in a special school and visiting residential homes and nursing homes. Charitable fund raising is also carried out on a regular basis and pupils are encouraged to be proactive in their organisation of these events.

We encourage pupils to take part in as wide a variety of extra-curricular activities as possible, knowing that such activities enrich their lives and develop self-confidence.

Life Skills

Highclare pupils are well equipped for life beyond school. The personal attention and encouragement they receive, in combination with the personal skills they acquire, produce confident and articulate individuals. They are good team players and well prepared for the challenges of adult life.

The school provides well-developed career guidance, including aptitude assessments, so that Senior pupils have a clear idea of their forward plan.

School Standards and Expectations

Highclare has high standards with respect to dress and personal grooming. Each child is expected to wear his or her uniform with pride and be a worthy ambassador for the school. Regular uniform checks are carried out to ensure that standards are maintained. The aim of the School is to show tolerance and consideration for others and this underpins the whole school philosophy and is clearly evident among the whole school community. Each individual is expected to show self-discipline and good behaviour is rewarded. Highclare pupils learn to respect others, work in teams, and celebrate the success of all individuals when they achieve their own excellence and this lays the roots for life long friendships.