The King's School: Highfield Preschool

A preschool with its own site and a distinctly Christian purpose: Highfield Preschool welcomes children from 2 years old at Highfield Oval, further along Ambrose Lane in Harpenden. It is The King's School's preschool, situated approximately 800m along the road at The Oval. That distinction matters for families planning journeys: preschool and school have different locations.

The school and preschool share trustees and a vision of Christian education. Their stated aims bring spiritual development together with children's intellectual, physical, emotional and social growth. For parents, faith is therefore a central consideration in choosing this provision.

Christian belief shapes the preschool's intended approach to learning and relationships. The school and preschool describe education as both understanding the world through biblical teaching and learning to live according to that faith. Their aim is to make Christian teaching part of daily education, giving families a clear sense of the values they want children to encounter.

Childhood has an explicit place in those ambitions. The preschool and school aim for children to enjoy play, make discoveries, create and design, and develop lasting friendships. These are aims rather than a timetable, but they explain the intended balance between learning, relationships and being a young child.

Partnership with parents is another stated principle. The preschool describes Christian education as a shared undertaking between families and educators, with parents retaining responsibility for their children's upbringing. Families choosing Highfield are choosing that relationship as well as a preschool place.

Highfield's team includes group leaders and key workers, alongside EYFS classroom assistants and a special educational needs coordinator. This gives parents distinct staff roles for everyday care and additional learning needs.

The preschool manager also holds the designated safeguarding lead role and Early Years Professional Status. Safeguarding therefore has an identified leadership responsibility within the preschool team. The shared ethos emphasises respect, forgiveness and relationships, setting out how the provision aims for children and adults to treat one another.

Attendance at Highfield Preschool does not guarantee a Reception place at The King's School. Families need to make a separate application for the school's Foundation Class, its name for Reception.

Apply directly to the school by completing the Enquiry Form and emailing kings.pa@thekingsschool.com. Applications can be made at any time; processing starts in the Spring Term before the academic year in which the child turns 5. The school accepts applications from Christian families across denominations. Preschool attendance and the school application should therefore be treated as separate decisions.

Preschool applications are handled by the preschool office, with forms obtained through highfieldpreschool.co.uk. The preschool's telephone number is 01582 320566, and its email address is info@highfieldpreschool.co.uk. These are the direct contacts for pursuing a Highfield place, distinct from the school's Reception application route.