Highgate School Review 2026: Where Scholarship Meets 460 Years of Legacy

In 1565, when Queen Elizabeth I granted Sir Roger Cholmeley a royal charter to found a grammar school in the village of Highgate, she could not have imagined that nearly five centuries later, his institution would rank among England's elite independent schools. Founded with the mission to provide "the most liberal education and instruction of boys and young men," Highgate has evolved into a thriving all-through foundation educating over 1,400 pupils aged 4 to 18 across four divisions. Today, under the leadership of Head Adam Pettitt (who has held the position since 2006), the school occupies a distinctive position: rooted in centuries of tradition yet firmly committed to contemporary scholarship and inclusion. The 2024 ISI inspection identified Highgate's teaching expertise as a "significant strength," noting how "highly knowledgeable teachers with strong pedagogical skills have a profound impact on the learning of pupils for all ages." With GCSE results placing it in the elite tier nationally and consistent Oxbridge success, Highgate represents a rare combination of historical prestige and rigorous academic excellence.

The school's physical landscape tells its story. Victorian Gothic buildings, designed by architect Reginald Blomfield (who also designed Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford), sit comfortably alongside modern facilities including the state-of-the-art Mills Centre for Art and Design Technology and the contemporary Junior School. Dyne House, named after Reverend John Bradley Dyne (head from 1838 to 1874, who transformed Highgate into a serious academic institution), serves as the school's music and arts centre. The senior campus occupies an island site in Highgate Village, lending the school a certain insularity and focus distinct from many London schools.

The atmosphere is one of deliberate balance. The inspection report notes that leaders "strike a deliberate balance, enabling pupils to reach high academic standards whilst paying close regard to their personal wellbeing." Expectations are high, but pastoral care systems support pupils' self-esteem and confidence. The school operates a traditional house system across twelve houses (Northgate, Southgate, Westgate, Eastgate, Queensgate, Kingsgate, Midgate, Fargate, Heathgate, The Lodge, School House and Grindal), which creates structured community and encourages both academic and sporting competition. Staff commitment to inclusion is evident: the inspection team recorded how "pupils develop new skills, build self-confidence and resilience" through access to extensive co-curricular opportunities and how "pupils learn to respect diversity, challenge discrimination, and engage democratically through pupil councils."

GCSE Performance

In 2025, Highgate delivered exceptional results that place it among the highest-performing independent schools nationally. At GCSE, 95% of grades were 9-7, with 83% achieving the highest grades of 9-8. For context, the England average for grades 9-7 sits at 54%. These figures place Highgate's senior school 17th in England (FindMySchool ranking), placing it in the elite tier, top 2% nationally. Locally, the school ranks first among Haringey secondary schools. The curriculum breadth is notable: pupils take fifteen subjects through to Year 9, narrowed to ten at GCSE to allow for rigorous depth.

A-Level Performance

The sixth form maintains this trajectory. At A-level in 2025, 80% of grades were A* or A, with 96% achieving A*-B. These results place Highgate 27th in England (FindMySchool ranking), again positioning it in the elite tier. The depth of specialist teaching means pupils have access to subjects including Classical Greek, Russian, History of Art, and Further Mathematics. Subject-specific strengths emerge in sciences, mathematics, and humanities, reflecting the school's commitment to breadth alongside depth.

University Destinations

The academic pipeline extends to higher education. In 2024, 31 students secured Oxbridge places from a cohort of approximately 191 leavers. Beyond Oxbridge, around 80% of sixth form leavers progress to Russell Group universities. Popular destinations include Durham, Edinburgh, Bristol, and Exeter. The university entrance process is supported by a dedicated careers department that works closely with sixth formers from Year 12 onwards.

The ISI inspection identified teaching as a significant strength, highlighting how the school "instils an appetite for intellectual effort and fosters in the pupils an ability to think and learn for themselves." Teachers pursue their own subject knowledge research, exemplifying the scholarship they advocate for their pupils. Class sizes average 28 in lower years, dropping to smaller sets for A-level specialisation, allowing for appropriate stretch and challenge.

The curriculum is described by inspectors as "comprehensive, covering all required areas and fostering high levels of scholarship and pupils' individual talents." The teaching approach is notably inclusive: "teaching across the school is inclusive and promotes academic development without discrimination." Subject departments are well-resourced. Science benefits from dedicated laboratories; languages are taught to native or near-native speakers; and humanities departments embrace field work and residential study trips (Year 7 to Lille, Year 9 to the First World War battlefields in Belgium).

With 30 specialist sports coaches and teachers on staff, over 100 co-curricular clubs and societies, and six major drama productions staged annually, Highgate's extracurricular programme is genuinely extensive and represents a defining feature of school life.

Music: A Historic Strength

The school's musical heritage runs deep. Dyne House, the dedicated music and arts centre, houses rehearsal spaces, practice rooms, and performance facilities. Music lessons are individually available at 35 minutes for £43.56 or 50 minutes for £62.28 (2025-26 prices). Ensembles include the Senior School Orchestra, multiple choirs spanning different ability levels, brass ensemble (Buccina Brass), and jazz bands. The school choir has performed at venues including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Musical scholars are welcomed at 11+ and 16+ entry points.

Drama and Creative Arts

Highgate's drama programme is professional in scope. Six major productions run annually, drawing on pupils across all year groups in front-and-backstage roles. Recent productions have included transfers to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The Mills Centre for Art and Design Technology provides dedicated studio and workshop space. Visual art exhibitions feature throughout the year.

Sports: Facilities and Pathways

The Mallinson Sports Centre includes a 25-metre swimming pool, squash courts, and extensive playing fields on the Bishopswood Road site (acquired in the 1860s). Thirty specialist coaches deliver programmes in rugby, cricket, netball, hockey, football, tennis, and other sports. Pathways exist for both participation and elite performance. All pupils undertake at least one afternoon per week of sport and exercise; those in specialist pathways receive additional training. Regular residential tours take place: Year 7 and 8 tours to Austria (skiing), Year 9/10 biennial tours to Europe for netball/football/hockey, and Year 11-13 triennial performance tours.

STEM and Technology

VEX Robotics is a named club offering hands-on engineering challenges. Pupils participate in problem-solving competitions. The Chemistry Experiments Club, led by staff member Dr Szydlo, provides a laboratory space for pure curiosity outside the exam curriculum. Computer science and coding pathways exist for those interested in software development or digital design.

Duke of Edinburgh's Award and Combined Cadet Force

Over 270 pupils currently work towards their DofE (Bronze, Silver, Gold levels), the largest number for any school in Haringey. The scheme teaches teamwork, resilience, and community volunteering through outdoor expeditions. The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) develops leadership through climbing, kayaking, abseiling, walking, and caving expeditions, run by dedicated staff with support from army officials.

Additional Named Clubs and Societies

Pupils can join the Debating Society, Automobile Society, Chemistry Club, Sign Language Club, Bee Keeping, Puzzle Club, Gardening Club, Law Society, Anime Society, Feminist Society, African and Caribbean Society, Pride Society, Charity Committee, and Environment Committee. Specialist travel opportunities include language exchanges to China, France, Spain, and Germany; Geography trips to Iceland and Norway; Classics trips to Italy and Greece; and History trips to Berlin and Belgium. Around 35 residential trips operate each year.

For the 2025-26 academic year, tuition fees are £10,525 per term for the Senior School (Years 7-13), £9,643 per term for the Junior School (Years 3-6), and £9,103 per term for the Pre-Preparatory School (Reception to Year 2). These figures include VAT and an obligatory termly lunch charge of £355. Additional costs include individual music lessons (from £37.32 to £62.28 per term depending on length and year group), examination fees (charged as a supplement depending on examination board costs), and optional residential trips.

Application fees are £210 (or £420 if sitting exams abroad). A deposit of £4,800 (rising to £5,000 for sixth form entry) is payable on accepting a place and retained until the pupil leaves the school.

Beyond the immediate results, the school's role in preparing students for life beyond school is evident in the care taken with university applications. Most students progress to Russell Group universities, with the Oxbridge pipeline particularly strong. The careers department works with sixth formers throughout Years 12-13, offering guidance on competitive university courses including medicine, law, and engineering.

Leavers destinations in 2024 saw 75% progressing to university, with smaller cohorts entering further education, apprenticeships, and employment. The school reports that former pupils have gone on to careers across art, design, music, literature, theatre, film, television, business, law, medicine, engineering, science, the military, politics, and public service.

Adam Pettitt has led the school since 2006, providing continuity amid change. The teaching body includes subject specialists, many of whom pursue their own research. The recent ISI inspection praised staff recruitment procedures as "exemplary." Inclusion leadership spans all three schools (Pre-Prep, Junior, Senior), with strategic inclusion embedded into curriculum and pastoral structures.

The school welcomes applications at 4+ (Pre-Prep), 7+ (Junior), 11+ (Senior), and 16+ (Sixth Form). Entry is academically selective. At 11+, pupils sit entrance examinations in English and mathematics, followed by activity and interview days where they attend taster lessons and group interviews. For 16+ entry to the sixth form, candidates must demonstrate strong GCSE grades and genuine passion for their chosen A-level subjects.

Bursary support is generous. Bursaries covering up to 100% of fees are available at 7+, 11+, and 16+ entry for eligible families assessed on financial need. The school's charitable status (charity number 312765) means it prioritises widening access. Beyond its own pupils, Highgate runs the Chrysalis Partnership, supporting 26 state schools across six London boroughs, and it is the lead education sponsor of London Academy of Excellence Tottenham (opened in 2017, co‑sponsored by Tottenham Hotspur FC).

The inspection team recorded that the school's "pastoral care systems and the wellbeing arrangements further support the development of pupils' self-esteem and confidence." A dedicated Director of Pupil Wellbeing oversees support structures. Form tutors know pupils well and maintain close contact. Peer mental health champion training is provided to pupil leaders. The school has appointed a dedicated Director of Safeguarding, and inspectors found "a robust safeguarding culture" in place.

Inclusion is actively promoted through staff-led committees, pupil voice structures (Anti-Bullying Committee, Environment Committee, Charity and Community Action Committee), and celebration of cultural diversity. The school notes that "pupils show exceptional respect for, and appreciate diversity within the school and wider community." Pride Society, one of the first of its kind in a school when founded in 2009, provides a safe space for LGBTQ+ pupils. The broader commitment to belonging is reflected in the motto, which encapsulates the school's long tradition: pupils are encouraged to become "learning and scholarship" advocates, to operate as a "reflective community," and to embody "healthy life" principles.

School hours: 8:50am to 3:20pm (Senior School). The school day is structured around form time, lessons, breaks, and lunch. Wraparound care is not typically required given the day-school model, though the school sits within London's robust public transport network. The nearest Underground stations are Highgate (Northern Line) and Archway (Northern Line), both within walking distance. Public transport options mean that families across North London and beyond can access the school.

Academic selectivity and pressure. Highgate is genuinely academically ambitious. Pupils are selected on entrance exam performance, and expectations remain high throughout their time at school. Families should be confident that their child can manage intellectual stretch and enjoys competitive academic environments. The school is explicit that it is "a place for learning, enquiry and scholarship," not for those seeking a light-touch approach to academics.

Entry competitiveness. Admission to Highgate is competitive. Entrance examinations test reasoning, reading comprehension, and mathematical thinking. The 11+ entrance process includes interviews where schools assess whether candidates have "lively minds" and intellectual curiosity. Families should prepare thoroughly for entrance assessments.

All-through progression not automatic. While many Junior School pupils progress to Senior School, entry to Year 7 is not automatic. The school maintains academic standards at each transition point, meaning that pupils must meet entrance criteria at 11+ even if they attended the Junior School.

Church of England foundation. Highgate is a Church of England school, open to all faiths and none. The school chapel hosts services and formal occasions. Pupils of all backgrounds are welcomed, but families should be aware of the school's historical Christian character and its integration into daily life (assemblies may include religious reflection, though the school actively celebrates religious diversity).

Highgate School represents one of England's most established and consistently high-performing independent schools. The combination of 460 years of institutional heritage, contemporary academic excellence, and genuine commitment to inclusion makes it a distinctive choice. With 95% of GCSE entries graded 9-7 and 80% of A-level grades at A* or A, the school delivers results that rival the most selective institutions nationally. The 2024 ISI inspection's identification of teaching as a "significant strength" confirms that this isn't merely grade-chasing; pupils are developing "deep connection to their work" and learning to "think and learn for themselves."

The school suits families seeking academically rigorous education within a supportive pastoral framework, combined with rich extracurricular opportunities. Entry is selective and competitive, requiring strong academic credentials. For those who gain admission, the school offers a rare blend of tradition and innovation, positioned firmly in the elite tier of independent schools in England. The substantial fee structure (£31,575 per year before additional costs) places it at the premium end of independent education, but generous bursary support makes admission possible for families of varying means who meet the school's academic standards.