Highlands Private School, Grange Park

• Location: Enfield, England,
• Year of foundation: 2000,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of studying: mixed.

Highlands School is a co-educational school for boys and girls from 11 to 18 years old. Programs for grades 7-13 are taught here: Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and Sixth Form.

For more than 20 years of educational activity, Highlands School has earned the highest ranking positions from reputable national agencies, becoming one of the leading schools in England. Since 2000, Highlands School has been following changing academic standards to provide the most up-to-date conditions and up-to-date knowledge to its students. Teaching is conducted by a team of highly qualified teachers who receive more than 80 hours of professional preparation provided by the school and external experts each academic year. Teachers provide not only specialized subject classes, but also extracurricular support for each student, which includes additional lessons to analyze difficult topics, preparation for the exam, advice on adapting the academic plan. Administrative staff also works on the comprehensive development of students, providing a solution to any complexity: from the admission process to Highlands School to applying to the chosen university.

Students will have a balanced schedule - both subject classes and various extracurricular clubs, sports sections, travel opportunities. A diverse academic environment allows students to broaden their horizons, improve their personal qualities, and acquire skills that will be useful to them in their future academic path.

Highlands School's program goes beyond the requirements of the National Curriculum by exposing students to carefully organized core knowledge and ideas that will enable them to continue their education at top universities. The main emphasis is on mathematical knowledge, the level of English proficiency, an interdisciplinary approach to all subjects, which gives an understanding of the applicability of knowledge in real life.

Teachers use various methods to assess knowledge, including mini-tests without grades, quizzes. Feedback is provided to students in the form of individual comments.

Teachers carefully plan how they teach new information to students, the presentation of new material is broken down into parts to avoid cognitive overload. Students actively use pair work to discuss and practice new information, and after the knowledge is consolidated, they work independently. Students with special educational needs are provided with carefully adapted resources, additional support from teachers.

Highlands Sixth Form is committed to ensuring that all high school students have the opportunity to enter top universities, so every student receives:

• Two days of ad hoc support with guest speakers from higher education,
• Visiting higher education fairs,
• Access to a specialized career counselor,
• A dedicated team of faculty experienced in assisting students in writing personal statements,
• PSHE curriculum to support higher education pathways.

There are three academic programs of school education taught at Highlands School:

• Key Stage 3 — Grades 7-9,
• Key Stage 4 – Grades 10-11,
• Sixth Form – Grades 12-13.

Highlands School has an Advanced Placement Program (ARP) for Deaf Students, providing a specialized environment that allows deaf students to develop their language, academic, and life skills. Currently, 20 students with such disabilities study at the school.

Highlands School does not have residencies, providing education only in a full-time form.

Hot meals and healthy snacks are served daily in the dining room, prepared according to a balanced menu. The team of chefs is available to cater to any special food preference, be it dietary, medical, or religious needs.

Since the opening of Highlands School in 2000, students and staff have been assigned to four Houses: Beech, Oak, Rowan and Willow. The House system encourages students to work in a team, learn to support each other, and express leadership qualities. The activities of the Maisons are based on six areas:

• Environment
• Equality, diversity,
• Performance
• Social activities: charity, fundraising,
• Sport
• Well-being.

Each year, two high school students from each House are appointed captain and vice-captain of each of the areas - they manage the work of the House, organize events, supervise younger students during the academic year.

From September to July, an inter-faculty competition is held, during which each House and its participant collect general, individual points in order to receive awards. Points are earned through participation in a various activities of school life:

• Achievements in the classroom,
• Fundraising events for charity, such as baked goods sales,
• Organization and participation in special non-standard days, such as the Day of Culture and Heritage,
• Volunteering in leadership and other positions,
• Sports competitions,
• Academic performance on school-wide grades,
• Interfaculty quizzes.

The inter-faculty competition ends on Sports Day, after which the winning House is announced, who travels to Thorpe Park as a prize.

The extracurricular program at Highlands School consists of two parts:

• Compulsory clubs, Wednesday activities for all students in grades 7-8,
• Other clubs and activities held on other days of the week for groups of all ages.

Every week, on Wednesdays, students take part in two-hour professional development classes with a focus on STEM: science, technology, engineering and mathematics, sports, creative subjects, and music. Examples of clubs include coding, judo, musical theater and Science Sparks, as well as:

• Debate
• Homework Club,
• Subject clubs focused on extracurricular academic support, deepening knowledge and eliminating problems in understanding topics.

Sports at school are represented by several popular areas:

• Soccer
• Basketball
• Netball.

A variety of trips are organized annually for pupils. In 2021, the school launched the DARE Days program, where all staff and students go to off-site events for four days - over previous years, Highlands School students have visited places such as:

• London Zoo,
• Specialized seminars teaching public speaking,
• Trenches of the First World War,
• St. Albans Cathedral.

Some trips are outside the scope of DARE, such as a recent school expedition to Morocco.

• One of the schools included in the TOP-10% of the UK's top secondary education institutions,
• The "Outstanding" ranking from Ofsted was received twice – in 2011 and 2014,
• Individual attention to each student both in the process of academic classes and outside of school hours,
• An extensive list of extracurricular activities, clubs and sections for talent development,
• Comprehensive support, including psychological and career assistance,
• A high percentage of graduates enter leading universities in the UK, USA and other countries, including Russell Group universities, Oxbridge universities,
• Continuous professional development of teachers,
• Lots of subjects to pass at GCSE, A-Level.

The Highlands School campus is located in Grange Park, Enfield. Proximity to London and its attractions, good transport facilities, beautiful green terrain make the school attractive for both local and international students.

The studying area includes several buildings with many modern rooms for study, entertainment, and recreation. The academic process takes place in lecture classes, specialized scientific laboratories, a library and computer rooms, and creativity studios, common areas with board games, and sports infrastructure are provided for extracurricular development.

The academic calendar of Highlands School includes three semesters:

• Autumn: September-December,
• Spring: January-April,
• Summer: April-July.

Students attend classes on weekdays: Monday to Friday, in the morning and afternoon from 8:20 to 15:15, followed by extracurricular activities in clubs, sports sections, events. Rest is provided during seasonal vacations, international and national holidays, on weekends.

The annual cost covers the studying, most extracurricular activities, and the use of campus infrastructure. In addition, the families of students will have to pay:

• Registration fee,
• Nutrition
• School uniform,
• Some extracurricular activities, such as excursions,
• Individual academic support,
• Personal learning materials: stationery, some textbooks,
• Personal expenses.

The admissions committee provides applicants with the opportunity to visit the campus before applying, communicate with teachers, and inspect the campus. If a candidate wants to enroll, he will have to:

• Fill out a detailed questionnaire, provide the required documents,
• Pay the application fee,
• Pass entrance exams: interview, tests in mathematics and English,
• Wait for an official letter of readiness for enrollment,
• Arrive on campus to begin your studies.

The statistics of graduates entering leading universities in the UK, the USA and other countries annually confirms the quality of the programs taught at Highlands School: according to the results of recent years, 89% of high school students entered the first-choice university, only 13% entered the "reserve" university. The list of higher educational institutions where graduates study includes many famous names:

• University of Oxford,
• University of Cambridge,
• King's College London,
• University of Central Lancashire,
• University College London,
• University of Nottingham.

Admission of new students is based on the following criteria:

• A complete package of personal documents, including an identity card, health insurance, visa or residence permit,
• Academic certificates from the previous place of study for the last academic year, report cards,
• Individual achievements, letters of recommendation.

Teaching is conducted in English, so the candidate needs a level of B2 and above (the applicant can take the language test in advance and provide a certificate or pass the entrance test during the admission process).

If a child is eligible for free meals, a certain amount will go into their school account to pay for lunches, snacks, and drinks each day. Free meals are provided to children whose families are in an unstable financial situation.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision