Highams Park is a mixed 11-18 voluntary aided comprehensive school.

Since 1st September 1997 it has been a government designated specialist Technology College. In September 2007 the government designated the school as a High Performing Specialist School (HPSS) and we added Sport to become a specialist Technology and Sports College.

Formerly a grant maintained school until the 31st August 1999, Highams Park then became a voluntary aided school. This means that the governors continue to run the school supported by a private charitable foundation. The governors are committed and highly able and they appoint and employ all the school staff and make all policy decisions for the school, subject to government guidelines and in co-operation with the Local Authority, Waltham Forest.

Being a Technology and Sports College means that the school receives a small amount of extra funding to promote the education of science, technology and physical education. We seek to produce good citizens of the future taking an active place in a technologically advanced society. The wider aims of the school are summed up in the core values of the school.

We aim to provide a calm but purposeful atmosphere with a clearly defined pattern of behaviour and dress. Considerable emphasis is placed on developing caring and considerate attitudes in our pupils. We recognise the value of the individual and make every effort to provide opportunities for children to succeed not only in academic work but also in every aspect of life. The staff have high expectations and we organise a rigorous curriculum to stretch every pupil. Children's progress is carefully monitored and their progress is reported regularly to parents. The school aims to challenge and stretch every pupil from those with learning difficulties to the talented or very able. The curriculum is carefully balanced and aims to prepare children to go out into a challenging technological society equipped with the relevant attitudes and skills.

We believe that schoolwork cannot always be completed during the school day and therefore a programme of homework is organised for all pupils, which takes account of their age and ability. Tasks are set to do at home which may include assignments and investigative work as well as more traditional work.

We place considerable emphasis on parental involvement in education and we see the whole process as a partnership. The pastoral system is organised in such a way that parents have contact throughout the five years with one tutor who will know their children's needs and problems. Any parent is welcome to discuss a problem with the tutor of the Head of Year as appropriate. As well as the usual pattern of Open Evenings there is considerable parental consultation throughout the year.

In order to achieve our aim of overall development for each pupil a comprehensive range of extra-curricular activities is organised by the staff. These include participation in every major sport, dance, drama, music and a variety of clubs. These take place before school, at lunchtime, after school and on Saturday mornings. There are also opportunities for the children to participate in residential courses, field work and educational visits.

We are extremely proud of the pupils` achievements and the facilities available for them. Their achievements are made possible through the dedicated hard work of the highly talented and professional teachers that we are lucky to have at Highams Park.

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