- Originally Grove House, a small farmhouse built in the 1780s, Highdown was established as a comprehensive school in 1971 and is housed in an array of Grade II listed buildings. Unique, charming features include the walled garden and the tythe barn, dated to the 1600s and that still retains part of an original wheat-sheaf design, which is now used as the main music room.
- The head teacher, Laura Mathews, describes the school, awarded academy status in 2010, as “a place where tradition meets innovation”, highlighting Highdown’s state-of-the-art computing facilities. Specialist science labs, drama studios and a recording studio are also on site.
- Recognising the importance of learning Mandarin Chinese, the school offers an intensive Mandarin Excellence Programme, funded by the Department for Education. Students work towards HSK or equivalent A-Level qualifications, benefiting from intensive learning days that include extra language lessons and cultural activities, such as Chinese arts and dance.
- Students’ well-being is supported via the STAR Centre, which offers counselling, one-to-one mentoring and exam-season coping strategies. There is a focus on developing the building blocks of “emotional literacy”, from self-regulation to empathy.
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