Highgate Hill House School
The pupils of Highgate Hill House School each have complex and/or additional educational needs, with all pupils having a Statement of Educational Need (SEN) or an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP). The primary need of these pupils will be Social, Emotional and Mental Health with many on the autistic spectrum. Students may join the school on a full-time or part-time basis and are mainly placed in partnership with fee-paying parents and Devon and Cornwall Local Authorities.
Highgate Hill House School’s mission is to provide exciting, personalised and innovative learning opportunities to its pupils, ensuring they will become happy and successful in life. The school’s vision is to become the first-choice educational provider for children with Special Educational Needs, and as such, the organisation’s mantra is: ‘A passion for education. A vision of excellence. A mission to succeed.’
Highgate Hill House School takes a nurturing approach to instil a sense of community. Set in a natural environment in the middle of a forest, the surrounding fields and woodland enable the school to offer outdoor learning in its beautiful and extensive grounds. In this natural environment, hands-on study helps students to develop their self-esteem and confidence. The school offers a highly therapeutic and specialist wrap-around education programme for pupils with barriers to learning, enabling them to live at home with their carers and parents, while a ‘buddy’ system helps new students to quickly feel like they belong. There is also a clear incentives and reward system in place that celebrates achievements.
Highgate Hill House School was founded by Sir Peter Birkett, who is an entrepreneur and educator with more than 30 years of experience in the education sector. Sir Peter learned of a special needs school on the Devon-Cornwall border for 11-16 year olds that was closing due to poor performance, and together with Dr Julie Smith (Chair of Governors) the school was re-launched, rebranded and reopened as a Co-Ed 5-16 years school with a new vision in 2016. Since this point the school has gone from strength to strength continuing to develop and grow.