About Highgate Hill House School

Highgate Hill House School is a Special Educational Needs (SEN) specialist provision located on the Devon and Cornwall border in Whitstone, near Holsworthy. The school supports learners aged 5-16 with a wide range of additional needs, including Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC), ADHD, Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) challenges, anxiety, learning delay, trauma, as well as learners with needs in the broad areas of Cognition and Learning, Communication and Interaction, and Sensory and Physical needs. We support both verbal and non-verbal learners, ensuring tailored support for individual requirements.

Our school is set in extensive grounds which offer learners regular opportunities to develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a natural environment.

We believe in a holistic approach to developing resilient, confident, independent and creative learners. This gives learners the opportunity to enjoy success, and supports their learning in the classroom.

We place a big focus on team building and problem solving to develop learners’ abilities to build positive relationships and develop their thinking skills.

Our learners enjoy access to our Outdoor Learning Programme and benefit from the therapeutic benefits of our Forest School approach. Our Outdoor Learning Programme also allows learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves. 

Because of our unique location, we are able to offer fantastic extra-curricular learning opportunities. These include visits to Tamar Lakes, where learners are able to take part in water sports, such as canoeing, sailing, windsurfing and fishing, visits to the coast at Widemouth Bay, and visits to Dartmoor, where learners take part in a wide range of activities such as Geocaching, mountain biking, orienteering and bouldering.

We also have a kitchen garden and learners have the opportunity to take part in our ‘field to plate project’, where they grow fruit and vegetables, which they then prepare as part of our community meal times. This offers numerous opportunities for learners to develop new skills and learn about science, nutrition and nature.

Learners can get involved in designing, planting, maintaining, harvesting and preparing, and also have the opportunity to work cooperatively in groups.

At our school, we believe in the value and importance of building positive, trusting relationships with young people to gain a deep understanding of each learner’s needs. This enables us to provide individually tailored provision which facilitates and supports each child’s unique way of learning.

We have made great steps forward in achieving a total communication approach at HHHS.  This means that we strive to value every type of communication equally, including: spoken language, Makaton signing, gestures, facial expressions, visual supports and written communication.

The aim of this approach is to empower our learners to be more able to express themselves and to be able to make connections with others.  This supportive environment has led to increased inclusiveness for all.  Our younger learners have been able to develop their social interaction skills and express their thoughts and feelings.

To support our goal, we have been following a programme of upskilling staff by providing training in Makaton, a form of communication that uses symbols, signs and speech to encourage as many opportunities for communication as possible and break down any barriers that may exist for our learners.

This is now being embedded throughout the school.

We are proud of the extensive services we provide to our learners and families, which include the following.

The school fosters an ethos of charitable work, taking part in fundraising and awareness events, including Comic Relief, Mental Health Awareness, and Cancer Research UK.

We are also committed to strengthening our connections within the local community. Learners visit a nearby residential care home, and at Christmas they create thoughtful shoebox gifts filled with handmade cards, poems, and clay decorations, which they personally deliver. They also share festive cheer by singing carols for the residents. This initiative is a wonderful opportunity to build meaningful relationships and spread joy throughout the community.

In addition, the school actively supports The Pearl Exchange, a charity founded in memory of Pearl Bamford. This organisation provides young adults with opportunities to express themselves creatively, build confidence, develop new skills, and access mental health support. Through ongoing engagement and contributions, our learners and staff help to make the charity’s wellbeing and creative programmes accessible to all.