The Highfield School

The Highfield School is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form located in Letchworth, Hertfordshire. The Highfield School teaches from Year 7 through to Year 12 or 13 The school is part of the Letchworth Sixth Form Consortium with Fearnhill School. It received a with outstanding features OFSTED grade.

The Highfield School
The Highfield School in 2017
Location
Letchworth Garden City
,
Hertfordshire
,
SG6 3QA

England
Coordinates51°58′07″N 0°14′28″W
Information
TypeFoundation school
MottoOur school, our future
Established1965
Local authorityHertfordshire
Department for Education URN117537 Tables
OfstedReports
HeadteacherMrs Lucy Miles
GenderCoeducational
Age11 to 18
Enrolment1059
HousesBabbage, Curie, Armstrong and Einstein
Websitehttp://www.highfield.herts.sch.uk/

Highfield runs a vertical tutoring system, meaning that students are put into registration groups with tutors who are specialised in dealing with Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11.

Houses

Students are allocated to tutor groups which form houses. There are four houses: Babbage, Curie, Armstrong and Einstein, which have the house colours of yellow, red, blue and green, respectively; the houses are named after famous scientists as the school's speciality is science. The houses were previously known as Anglia, Mercia, Northumbria and Wessex before they were changed in 2008.

Students can earn house points and the house with the most house points at the end of the year win the house cup.

Throughout the year there are inter-house competitions including various small tournaments that are held in timetabled P.E lessons, dance competitions and a sports day (at the end of the school year).

Science

Highfield School specialises in Science, and there are many Science and Maths events including a Science Festival. Students at Highfield, alongside Fearnhill School and many local primaries, take part in Science-related events, including a celebration evening. The school also works closely to develop science and maths in their partner primary schools throughout the year.

Original buildings

The original school buildings were designed using a system of standard prefabricated components, and construction work started in May 1964. The prefabrication system used was SEAC Mark 1 (2' 8" Steel).[1]

New building

In January 2017 the school moved into a new purpose-built £15 million building beside the old one, the latter being consequently demolished. The new building was fully financed by the Education Funding Agency.[2] Originally North Hertfordshire District Council turned down the application on the grounds that the development would have a detrimental effect on neighbouring residential areas "due to its size and proximity to nearby buildings." They also raised concerns regarding the quality of the design. However, the planning inspector dismissed these claims stating that the building would not have an adverse effect on the locale.[3]

Foundation and partnership

The Highfield School is a foundation school and is part of The Letchworth Garden City Education Partnership.[4] The partnership pairs Highfield with Fearnhill School; the sixth form students can pick subjects which are taught at Fearnhill as opposed to Highfield.

References
  1. Keath, Michael P K (March 1983). "Appendix 5". The Development of School Construction Systems in Hertfordshire 1946-64 (PDF) (PhD thesis). Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  2. The school of tomorrow, today – Letchworth’s Highfield School set to hold open day as £15 million rebuild nears completion - The Comet 24 November 2016
  3. Multi-million pound rebuild of Highfield School, Letchworth, given green light - Hertfordshire Mercury 15 January 2015
  4. https://www.highfield.herts.sch.uk/page/?title=Co%2Doperative+Partnership&pid=28
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