Highgate is a finalist in 4 categories at the Independent School of the Year awards this year.
•Community Outreach
•Contribution to Social Mobility
•Student Careers Programme
•Rising Star – Kira Rothwell
We were thrilled to win Independent School of the Year for Social Mobility. Independent School of the Year Judge, Dr. Helen Wright, said Highgate had won due to their “…outstanding contribution to student experience in their own school and beyond, positively changing the lives of their own students and the lives of young people across the whole of our capital city and further afield.”
Highgate also won the overall award for Independent School of the Year! This prestigious accolade celebrates our extensive contribution to the educational growth and wellbeing of children across London and beyond. We have been recognised as a school dedicated to the promotion of social mobility, as well as being able to claim some of the top academic results across the UK.
Our Head, Adam Pettitt said:
“It’s my fervent hope that other independent schools will be able to use this and other models of partnership to build on what we and others have been able to do. I’m absolutely delighted by these awards, and hugely proud – thank you very much.”
With 76% of Year 13 pupils achieving A* or A in 2019, and 25 places gained at Oxbridge, Highgate’s results speak for themselves. However, as our website says, the School “does not exist in a bubble” and is “connected to, and part of, a community.” We are proud to have been recognised for our Chrysalis partnership with over 50 state schools across 7 London boroughs, as well as co-founding free sixth form school LAET in collaboration with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
Our Community Partnerships Director, Sarah Butterworth, says giving back is inextricably part of Highgate’s ethos: “When you have so many different diverse people in your community, it is hard to think that only certain people have access here and only certain people have access there. It’s really hard to even consider a school not doing this.”
LAET proved its success in providing opportunities for teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds, with first cohort pupils achieving 70% A*-B in their A-Levels, in August 2019. Also, more than half the year group went on to study at Russell Group universities; this is a sharp rise in comparison to 1% of Tottenham school leavers in 2017.
During 2018-19, Highgate provided LAET with the FTE of 6.6 members of teaching staff in English, geography, chemistry, physics, mathematics, art, design technology and engineering, French, Spanish and learning support. Seconding teachers is the principal way Highgate supports LAET (in addition to governance, since four LAET governors are Highgate governors or Senior Team). Not only does this make LAET’s budget work (Highgate’s secondments ‘save’ LAET £200,000 pa) but it also embeds the Highgate experience and academic DNA in the classroom itself.
Donna-Maria Cullen, Executive Director, Tottenham Hotspur said: “The Club should like to congratulate Highgate on its fantastic achievements at the Independent Schools of the Year awards. We share a passion for using education as a tool to drive achievement, social mobility and prosperity amongst young people in our communities. As such, we are proud to partner with Highgate in delivering the London Academy of Excellence Tottenham – an educational opportunity that provides Tottenham’s brightest students the best possible chance of attending leading Universities.”
LAET pupil, Luqman Liaquat, achieved an outstanding 4 A*s and is heading to Imperial University to study Computer science, and Nurgul Sahin achieved A*A*A B and is heading to Oxford University to read History. Tam Le, one of the fist cohort of LAET students said “LAET has provided me with the means to recognise and achieve my goal.”
LAET Head, Jan Balon, said:
“We are delighted that Highgate has been recognised for their work as our education sponsor. Their support is integral to creating an academic offer for young people in Tottenham, an experience which is life changing for many and therefore this award is richly deserved.”
