Immersion Programme at Horris Hill School

Short stay immersion experiences help to create open-minded, resilient and flexible young people and these experiences are often reflected on by the students themselves in their adolescent years as hugely influential. Our small, nurturing community means that children are really seen and known by each of our staff and fellow students alike. We offer an education which is steeped in history and tradition, with forward-thinking twists, which our short stay students truly enjoy.

Horris Hill is part of Forfar Education and as such has benefitted from significant investment in facilities and resourcing for the benefit of our pupils. We have an ongoing and ambitious plan to further invest in our school to offer our families the very best educational excellence.

We look forward to welcoming your family to Horris Hill.

Having worked in Boarding settings for almost a decade, I have seen many examples of short stay students making great impacts on the Boarding communities they have joined. The experiences short stay students are able to gain, from cultural immersion to the creation of lifelong, international friendships, offer something truly special, unlikely to be replicated through any other experience at their age.

Jade Vidler, Head of Boarding and Pastoral Care

ABOUT HORRIS HILL

Horris Hill has always delivered academic rigour in an optimal setting, where children exercise their intellectual inquisitiveness, and are free to explore, build self-confidence and awareness in a safe and encouraging community. We keep the values of Family, Freedom and Flair at the very core of school life.

We are privileged to be in a beautiful rural setting with 65 acres of woods and open space. The school is also surrounded by sports’ pitches, a golf course, a kitchen garden and woodland.

Our pupils have a history of success and when the time is right have made the seamless transition to some of the best senior schools in the country, including Winchester, Harrow, Eton, Radley, Charterhouse, Marlborough and Sherborne. In September 2023, Horris Hill became a fully co-educational school, welcoming girls and extending our excellence in education to the sisters of existing pupils, as well as the wider community.

Across the school we offer a vibrant programme of music and sport co-curricular activities. Our music offering includes a school choir and orchestra, while our sport provision varies throughout the year; our summer offering includes cricket on dedicated pitches, and swimming in the school outdoor pool.

 

LOWER SCHOOL

In our cosy and nurturing Lower School every morning, children take part in Maths and English, and Phonics in the younger year groups. The White Rose Maths Scheme and The Jane Considine English Units are used in the Lower School curriculum.

The curriculum is based around themes and children are fully immersed into a topic. Within this, they will cover Science, History, Geography, Art, Design and Technology, PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) and ICT (Information and Communications Technology). On four days a week, the children take part in Physical Education, where they are taught the fundamental skills that prepare them for team sports.

On one day a week, the children learn French through songs and activities and on Wednesday afternoons, children in Reception to Year 2 take part in Wild Child, our outdoor learning programme. During Wild Child, children head to the woods, or the school’s kitchen garden to learn life skills and more about the natural world. The kitchen garden also provides opportunities for the children to develop their gardening skills, as well as supporting their wellbeing and developing their mindfulness.

Each week we meet as a whole school and as a Lower School for assemblies. Tuesday marks the Lower School ‘Chimp’ assembly, based on the Chimp Paradox, while on Friday ‘Huzzah’ assemblies celebrate acts of kindness and friendship, as nominated by staff and peers.

 

UPPER SCHOOL

Horris Hill offers the best of British education, with a rich and broad curriculum alongside the development of skills required to succeed at life. While the national curriculum forms its knowledge base with traditional subjects such as Maths, English, Science, Geography, History and Theology, Philosophy and Religion, we extend that knowledge to prepare children for entry to some of the most selective schools in this country.

Steeped in opportunities to engage in the issues facing the world, such as the sustainable development goals identified by the United Nations and the development of skills that Artificial Intelligence will challenge to duplicate, we are intent in preparing a generation of world leaders and change makers.

Our extensive grounds form the perfect backdrop for outdoor learning and a range of resources such as our kitchen garden provide stimuli for cross curriculum objectives. Our science labs, music school and DT studio support the development of a range of skills, ensuring that all children are challenged and given the opportunity to develop their innate talents.

 

BOARDING

We offer a family atmosphere in our stunning boarding houses, each of which encourages a close-knit, supportive community feel. After lessons are finished for the day, the children take part in extracurricular activities with dedicated session leaders, and the programme offers something for everyone to enjoy. Our Boarders then enjoy a nutritious and varied evening meal in our dining room.

The younger pupils then head upstairs to The Hill boarding house for the evening. Situated in the heart of the Main School, The Hill provides children with a nurturing home-from-home experience. It benefits from its own co-ed games room and lounge area and four single-sex dorms, fully equipped for children to feel at home. In the evenings, the children enjoy some quality time with the House staff and will do various activities such as crafts, chess, board games or enjoy some down time by relaxing however they choose. This is also a time to get their all-important music practice done, when they have the opportunity to visit the music school between 6:30 - 7:00pm.

The older year groups take part in a supervised prep (homework) hour. After 7:30pm, they return to The Wood house, which is situated a short walk across the playing fields. From here, evening activities range from sunset golf sessions, to football, dog walking or board games. The younger children in The Hill have their lights out for bed by 8:30pm, and for the older students, lights are out at 9:15pm.  

The weekends look a little different, with a more relaxed atmosphere but still plenty of fun, engaging activities to enjoy. Saturday afternoons are filled with options of ways children can enjoy our beautiful site and facilities, from swimming to ping pong tournaments. Saturday nights are more relaxed and cosier, often featuring film nights with popcorn and hot chocolate! Sundays include action packed activities, where the children are taken off site and to enjoy the local area.  

In September 2023, we welcomed girl boarders for the first time in the school’s history. Our light and modern dorms are well-equipped with everything to make your daughter feel comfortable and welcome. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive school, where children are very much welcomed into a supportive and kind family environment.

Our international community spans the globe, including children from Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Spain, Nigeria, Japan and Russia, as well as British nationals. A number of our international pupils are sponsored by us and some reside with guardians during exeats and shorter school holidays.

 

ACTIVITY PROGRAMME

Depending on your child’s personal interests, our activity programme features a choice of:

• Golf lessons (weekly)
• Tennis lessons (weekly)
• Table tennis
• Basketball
• Cricket Nets
• Chess
• Archery
• Judo
• Football
• Rugby
• Photography
• And more…

Trips and weekend programme during the Short Stay Immersion include:

• A theatre trip to London’s West End
• A day trip to LEGO Land
• Afternoon tea
• Graduation