Senior School
In the Senior School, small class sizes and highly qualified, experienced and dedicated staff make it possible for pupils to maximise their potential. This results in high expectations in every area and a very high standard of academic success. Examination results are among the best in the country.
Sport, music, creative arts, charitable work and the development of leadership skills all play key roles in the life of the Senior School. Our aim is to help pupils develop in as many directions as possible, to encourage excellence, and to prepare them for their lives beyond school.
Pupils are helped in their endeavours by superb facilities throughout the school, including a stunning Sixth Form Centre, a purpose-built Music School, 25 acres of playing fields and AstroTurf, a theatre, a large Library and numerous well equipped classrooms and computer suites.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
In Years 7 and 8, pupils enjoy a broad yet challenging curriculum and expert teaching, allowing them to discover the joys of more mature study and the importance of having high expectations of themselves. From Year 9, pupils follow a core curriculum while choosing from a large number of additional subjects.
English, Mathematics, Sciences and Modern Languages are all important parts of the Senior School curriculum, while pupils can also enjoy a significant level of variety, encompassing subjects as different as Computing and Philosophy, Politics and Ethics, Economics and Latin, Psychology and Business Studies. Pupils normally sit nine or ten GCSEs, and 3 or 4 A levels. Hill House is the top school in the area for GCSE and A Level results, and almost all Upper Sixth Form leavers gain places at their chosen university.
KNOWLEDGE OF THE INDIVIDUAL
Hill House is a special community built on outstanding relationships. Teachers know the pupils very well, so that every child is known as an individual, for their strengths and for how they need to improve.
The House system is central to the life of the Senior School. Each House is led by an experienced Housemaster or Housemistress, assisted by a dedicated team of tutors, who ensure that every pupil is cared for and valued. Inter House rivalry is strong, with many opportunities for competition including the annual House Music, House Debating and numerous House sporting events.
An excellent partnership with parents is central to success, which includes a 3 weekly reporting system and a minimum of 2 parents’ evenings each year.
MUSIC, SPORT, AND CREATIVE ARTS
The Music Department incorporates a large number of visiting specialists who give individual tuition in a very wide range of instruments in our purpose built Music School. With 6 choirs, 3 orchestras and numerous ensembles, a remarkable number of pupils are able to enjoy and excel in Music, and many achieve very high grades in music examinations. A vibrant calendar of concerts allows pupils from expert to beginner to perform regularly.
There are four large productions in the Theatre each year, and Drama is taught at both GCSE and A level. Recent works have included ‘Les Miserables’, ‘West Side Story’, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Blood Brothers’.
The school plays a full fixture list in many sports, with very large numbers of pupils having the opportunity to represent the school. We are local and regional champions in a number of areas, and Hill House pupils have won county and national honours in many sports in recent years. All students have a number of sports lessons including a full Games’ Afternoon each week, and there are many opportunities to represent the school.
Our renowned Art Department is housed in its own, light rooms, and provides a wonderful opportunity for the exhibition of students’ work in our stunning Gallery.
BENEFITS OF AN INDEPENDENT SCHOOL EDUCATION
Over half a million children are educated at independent schools in Great Britain. Research tells us that:
The average independent school graduate will earn in their lives 33% more than their state counterparts.
The average independent school teacher teaches almost half the number of children than a colleague in a state school.
A FULL AND REWARDING DAY
There is so much more to do at Hill House; early morning, lunchtime and after school clubs include an exceptional array of opportunities, with over 100 extra-curricular activities taking place each week, from fencing to the Duke of Edinburgh Award, chess to debating, gardening to ancient Greek, allowing children to develop existing interests and discover new talents.
To encourage academic and social development, there are numerous school trips, whether sporting, social, academic or theatrical. Recent years have also seen overseas trips to Italy and Holland for sport, Spain and France for languages and skiing, and expeditions to Vietnam and Botswana.
Central to a Hill House education is the encouragement to all pupils to participate in the wonderful opportunities available them. All pupils are given significant chances to develop leadership skills, and all are involved in the school’s much valued charity work. The school’s ethos is such that we ensure that for pupils, every day is both full and rewarding.
