Founded over 450 years ago, Highgate is one of the UK’s leading co-educational independent schools, located close to Highgate village and Hampstead Heath. Our Senior School was awarded the Sunday Times London Independent Secondary School of the Decade in 2021 and was placed in the Top 10 independent London schools and Top 20 national schools in the 2024 Sunday Times Schools Guide.
Our pupils come from a diverse range of backgrounds across North London and beyond and attend our Pre-Preparatory School (ages 4-7), Junior School (ages 7-11) and Senior School, including the Sixth Form (ages 11-18). Our Senior School was awarded The Sunday Times London Independent Secondary School of the Decade in 2021.
Our teachers are enthusiastic, experienced and well-qualified subject specialists. Pastoral care is at the heart of all we do, and we provide extensive co-curricular activities, including sport, music and drama.
Our School has three principal aims:
•To be a place for learning and scholarship
Learning at Highgate is not about meeting other people’s expectations but discovering and pursuing intellectual passions. Helping pupils pursue subjects they love gives them the experiences of using discretionary effort to succeed and makes them brilliantly employable: they choose to go beyond to fulfil their own dreams.
•To be a reflective community
We encourage our pupils to take responsibility for themselves and for their role in society. Through community action groups, volunteering, fundraising, bursaries, local school partnerships and sustainability actions, we strive together as a School to make a positive impact on the world around us.
•To be an exemplar for the healthy life
We want our pupils to enjoy their childhood to the full, to develop and pursue their academic and co-curricular passions, and to lead fulfilling exciting lives as thoughtful and open-minded young adults. Pupils leaving school will be intellectually, emotionally and practically equipped for the world of work and the challenges of day-to-day life.
Admissions. Prospective pupils are assessed at the different entry points. Pre-Prep children are invited to a group assessment; Junior School entry is normally at the age of 7, with candidates taking an entrance examination, with a proportion interviewed in groups. For pupils joining our Senior School at 11, there are tests and a significant proportion are then interviewed. Pupils from other schools are admitted to our Sixth Form following an interview. We offer means-tested bursaries at 7+, 11+ and 16+ and music scholarships (11+ and 16+).
Wellbeing is at the heart of our school. We understand that developing the whole person, a child who feels happy, healthy and confident in themselves, with skills to manage ups and downs, is of utmost importance, not only during their time here but when they leave and move into the adult world. We nurture confidence and strength of character, supporting pupils to grow and thrive in their emotional, mental and physical health.
Sport and Exercise is taught by specialist coaches and teachers to ensure a high-quality experience with 25 different sporting pathways available. We have a High Performance Programme for top pupil-athletes and currently have 43 pupils playing sport at County level and 9 at National level. Our extensive playing fields are complemented by indoor facilities in the Mallinson Sports Centre which includes a 25-metre swimming pool and sports courts, all-weather pitches for football, netball and hockey and cricket nets. We are fortunate to be within a short distance of Hampstead Heath for walks and cross country running.
Co-curricular activities provide countless opportunities for pupils to have fun, make new friends and learn something new. With over 150 clubs, societies and activities to choose from and that continue to evolve and develop in response to the changing interests of our pupils and the world around us.
Community partnerships are integral to our school’s ethos. We encourage pupils to play an active role in their community, both in school and wider society. Within the Senior School, there are several pupil working groups to help steer and drive initiatives, along with a wide-reaching programme of community engagement, from volunteering with local charities to fundraising events.
Buildings and Facilities. The main Senior School site is on North Road and combines historic buildings (Chapel, central classrooms and Sir Martin Gilbert Library) with modern facilities such as a 200-seat auditorium, music recital spaces, drama studio, science laboratories, modern language classrooms, and ICT suites. Our Mills Centre for Art and Design on Bishopswood Road provides studio and gallery space, with facilities for printmaking, sculpture and filmmaking, plus an IT suite for graphics and computer aided design. The well-equipped design and engineering workshops features 3D printers, laser cutters, an electro-pneumatic lap and an automotive workshop.
Junior School is on Bishopswood Road in a spacious, modern building which opened in 2016. Offering specialist facilities for computing, science, art, DTE, drama and music, as well as a large retractable-seat hall, outside play spaces and a small amphitheatre.
Pre-Prep School is on Bishopswood Road in an airy and colourful building which underwent an extension and refurbishment in 2022. Overlooking our sports grounds, pupils benefit from their own playground, dining hall, a library with enclosed terrace, and secure area to observe a green planted roof. Within the safety of our grounds, we have a woodland area where pupils explore the natural world through Forest School lessons.
Transport links include several bus routes and the Northern line on London Underground, with central London 15-20 minutes away. We also offer a school bus service for Junior and Senior School pupils.
Pupil Numbers. 1,930 (985 boys, 945 girls).
Fees per term (2023–2024). Senior School: £8,505; Junior School: £7,800; Pre-Preparatory School: £7,365 (Reception–Year 2).
Bursaries. Our website has further information about applying for bursary places and our Admissions team can answer any specific questions.
Charitable status. Highgate School is a Registered Charity, number 312765