Belhaven Hill School

Co-ed Boarding & Day School for ages 5-13

Day

Day

Day Children 

“The location for us was key, not just being right alongside a beautiful beach and very accessible to everything that East Lothian and Edinburgh has to offer, but the size of the school and the grounds itself; it has a really lovely feeling.” (Andrew, Day Parent)

Why be a Day Pupil?

Belhaven is very popular with day children who benefit from the school’s action-packed, all-round education. Most of our 5 to 8 year-olds and some older children are day pupils.

As a leading boarding and day prep school for 5 to 13 year olds, day pupils have more time and opportunities for sport, music and art & design.  Everyone benefits from the success of our 100 year-old, all-round education ethos. 

We have built a holistic curriculum which is centred around exciting, varied topics that blend traditional and modern education, indoors and outdoors, natural and digital. This ensures the children are fully engaged and love school.

In April 2022, Belhaven launched its own Pre-PrepBuilding on the expertise gathered over several years since the start of our Form 6 class (for 7 year olds), we decided to extend our excellent all-round education to 5 and 6 year olds. The After School Club provides flexible, wrap-around care for busy family life styles, from 7.45am to 6pm. Read about our Pre-Prep adventures and watch our new video!

We also operate daily minibus services to Haddington, North Berwick and Berwick-Upon-Tweed (see timetables).

Key ingredients of a day pupil education at Belhaven

  • A safe parkland campus and beaches to run, play and be children.
  • An Outdoor Education programme that builds resilience and supports mental wellbeing.
  • A solid foundation in computers, computational thinking and problem solving.
  • Small class sizes and outstanding Support for Learning, ensuring real individual attention and academic results that exceed expectations.
  • Opportunities to play sport and practice art, music and drama, supported by specialist teachers.
  • Diverse and exciting extra-curricular activities to ‘have a go’ without fear of failure.
  • A friendly, family ambience which develops happy, confident children.

Choose boarding when you want to

Children can opt into boarding at any time to gain the full benefit of the school’s wealth of activities.  We offer 'Taster boarding' experiences (typically Thursday to Sunday mornings) and 'Transition to boarding' – a longer, phased approach to full boarding, arranged to suit individual family circumstances.

Find out more about Boarding at Belhaven

Seeing the grins on the pupils' faces at evening pick-up - both those going home and the majority who are heading in for supper ... To know one's child is part of such a happy school is a real joy.

(Parent, Form 4)

Day Pupil Timings

Monday – Friday

Saturday

Form 8
(5–6 years)

8.15 am – 3.30pm
After School Club (until 4.30 or 6pm)

Form 7
(6–7 years)

8.15 am – 3.30pm
After School Club (until 4.30 or 6pm)

Form 6
(7–8 years)

8.15 am – 4.30 pm
After School Club (until 6pm)

Form 5
(8–9 years)

8.15 am – 6.00 pm
Leave after Prayers.

Form 4
(9–10 years)

8.15 am – 6.00 pm
Leave after Prayers

8.15 am – 4.30/6.00 pm 
Leave after games or match commitments.

Form 3
(10–11 years)

8.15 am – 6.00 pm
May stay for supper and prep until 7 pm or take prep home at 6.00 pm.

8.15 am – 4.30/6.00 pm
Leave after games or match commitments.

Form 2
(11–12 years)

8.15 am – 7.15 pm
Leave after supper and prep or
home at 6.00 pm after Prayers

8.15 am – 4.30/6.00 pm
Leave after games or match commitments.

Form 1
(12–13 years)

8.15 am – 7.30 pm
Leave after supper and prep.

8.15 am – 4.30/6.00 pm
Leave after games or match commitments.

Every 2 weeks the school has a 'Weekend Out', which means that we will finish at 1pm on the Friday.  If possible, we encourage Pre-Prep children to be picked up at 12.45.


Pastoral Care

Whether you choose day or boarding, the happiness and welfare of your children is of the utmost importance to us all: pastoral care is at the heart of everything that we do at Belhaven. 

The school is divided into four Patrols, each one led by a member of staff. They are aided by a boy and a girl Patrol Leader in their final year who are responsible for looking out for the other members of their patrol.

Forms 1, 2 and 3 have Tutors who meet weekly with their tutees to discuss extra-curricular commitments, ongoing academic progress and any concerns.

Pupils in Forms 4, 5 and 6 are looked after and supervised by their Form Teachers who can be approached by a child with any concerns or worries.

There is a strong network of other staff throughout the school with whom the children can talk, including other subject staff, House Parents, the Matrons or the Headmaster and his wife. The relationship between staff and pupils is of fundamental importance at Belhaven Hill and is based around a framework of mutual respect.

Our excellent team of a Nurse and 6 matrons ensure the physical welfare of each child.