Welcome to Hipperholme Grammar School. The school has a long and proud tradition of educating children in this part of Yorkshire since 1648. We are a co-educational independent school catering for children aged 3-16, drawn mainly from the surrounding towns of Halifax, Brighouse, Bradford and Huddersfield.
“Nurturing care is characteristic of a culture which is inclusive and supportive of all pupils whatever their background and ability”
ISI Report 2024
Children thrive when they are known, valued and understood as individuals, and a high degree of continuity in their social and academic development creates a strong sense of belonging. We believe that our “through school” model is a great strength. Pupils join us as young as nursery age, and can stay with us until their GCSEs. Of course, others join us partway through the journey and are always given a warm welcome to the school community. We sum up our purpose in the phrase Nurture, Inspire, Achieve: we look after your child’s well-being and help them develop and flourish; we inspire them both in and beyond the classroom; in turn, they achieve – both academically and in terms of personal development.
We challenge our pupils to have high expectations of themselves, and our smaller class sizes are invaluable in offering them the proper support needed to achieve this. We offer a broad and balanced curriculum with a wide range of subjects – and extracurricular activities – available to cater for every interest and talent. GCSEs start a year early at Hipperholme Grammar; today’s qualifications have more content than was the case when they were originally conceived as two-year courses, so we feel the advantage of an extra year of study lessens the risk of anxiety and burnout.
The 21st century exerts relentless pressure on young people; above all, we strive as a school to equip our pupils with the resilience to thrive in an uncertain world. We offer them a safe and supportive environment in which to develop the self-confidence and social skills that will give them an immeasurable advantage in later life; whether this be through joining the cast of a drama or musical production, singing in a choir, playing an instrument, being in a netball or rugby team, or completing a gruelling Duke of Edinburgh expedition. These opportunities are undoubtedly part of what makes a Hipperholme education distinctive, and ensure that we develop the whole child into a confident and well-rounded young person.
I hope that through our website you will be inspired to come and see more of what we have to offer at one of our regular open events, and I look forward to welcoming you to our wonderful school in person.
“The school provides dedicated and compassionate care“
“Pupils of all abilities make good progress“
“Pupils engage in the extensive programme of … co-curricular activities“
ISI Report 2024
