Admission to Highfield
Mrs Jenny Croucher, the Headmaster's Secretary and Registrar, handles the lists of prospective pupils. Providing there is a place in the appropriate year, children can join Highfield at any stage in their educational career and in any term. Most children join in Year 4 but there is also a significant intake into Year 7. Children who join at different times are always made to feel very welcome and settle very quickly.
Visits/Open Mornings
We understand that making the decision over your child's school is a vital one, so for this reason we are always happy to see prospective parents as often as they wish. Likewise, we are always happy for prospective pupils to experience 'taster days' at Highfield so that they can experience how we work, and these visits can be arranged through our Admissions Registrar.
Highfield also holds Open Mornings, where prospective parents are invited to 'see the school in operation' These are not 'show' days they are a real opportunity to get a feel for life at Highfield. Dates for 2008/09 are as follows:
Autumn Term: Saturday 11th October 9.30am -12pm
Summer Term: Saturday 17th May 9.30am - 12pm
Registration
Your child is registered upon receipt of the completed Registration Form and Registration Fee of £50 per child. This form can be found in the Prospectus information or can be downloaded from the website.
Assessment
Following Registration, your child will then be invited to sit a straightforward Assessment. This takes the form of age appropriate standardised NFER Assessments in Reading, Spelling and Mathematics. Highfield takes pupils with broad ranges of ability which we believe is an essential element of the School's strength and gives it its great character and atmosphere.
Deposit
Following the Assessments, formal Letters of Offer are sent to parents who are then asked to pay a Deposit of £1,000 (of which £600 is refunded against the first term's fees and the balance is refunded when the child leaves the school).
Joining from Brookham Pre-Prep
Children who join Brookham Pre-Prep are automatically registered for Highfield and will move on to Highfield in Year 4 at 8+ if that is what their parents wish. Parents of Brookham children are encouraged to meet the Headmaster and have a tour of Highfield at any time.
If the Head of Brookham feels that Highfield would not be the 'best fit' for their child, she will have raised her concerns with parents before the start of Year 3, so giving parents plenty of opportunity to consider alternatives. There is extremely close liaison between the two schools at all times and the Head of Year 4 at Highfield meets the Head of Brookham each week to discuss a whole range of issues, including pupils' development and progress. It is for this reason that it is unnecessary for Brookham children to take a formal Assessment for entry to Highfield.