Our School

Be Belhaven

Belhaven Hill is a leading boarding & day prep school in Scotland, offering children aged 5-13 the very best start in life.

Founded in 1923, Belhaven Hill has a long and proud history, growing from its humble beginnings with a handful of pupils and two staff in an old private house on Belhaven Hill.  Set in 20 acres of beautiful grounds, Belhaven has an idyllic, coastal setting which both children and staff treat as their playground and home. Every child enjoys regular Outdoor Education lessons and there is an encouragement to all staff to use the grounds creatively in their teaching. The beautiful expanse of Belhaven Bay extends 
the possibilities for our children to explore. 

The core values of the school are Courtesy, Courage and Creativity and these are embedded in everything that we do. Children are encouraged to be brave and give everything a go, thinking of others all the time. Belhaven has a long-standing reputation for nurturing academic excellence. Many of our boys and girls win scholarships to the top senior schools in Scotland and England, in fields as diverse
as Academia, Music, Art, Sport and as All Rounders. We are immensely proud of our finest ambassadors - our children - who are happy, well-mannered and confident. 

The children are confident and they are happy but that is also blended with them being very kind and polite and I think that’s quite a difficult balance to achieve.   

(Claire, Form 6 parent)

See what makes a Belhaven education stand out in 'Why Belhaven' and / or 'Why Belhaven Pre-Prep' and do come and see us in action! 

Email admissions@belhavenhill.com or call us on 01368 862785. You can visit us any time by appointment and don't need to wait for an Open Day.

School Structure

Children can begin their Belhaven journey aged 5, spending three years in our Pre-Prep before joining the Prep school aged 8. Year groups are known as Forms, and they are numbered in reverse order: you start in Form 8, join the Prep school in Form 5 and leave to go to Senior school at the end of Form 1 (aged 13).   

Pre-Prep 
Form 8 – 5 yrs
Form 7 – 6 yrs
Form 6 – 7 yrs

Children can join the Belhaven Pre-Prep in the term in which they turn 5. They will enter a small class (maximum 10) and be a crucial part of the team right from the very start! They will be a member of the junior version of one of our four Patrols (houses) and become a (Wolf) Pup, a (Lion) Cub, a (Woodpecker) Chick or an Owlet (Owl) and therefore create an instant connection with the children in the Prep school. The curriculum is planned to ensure that all three Forms (8, 7 and 6) are focusing on the fundamentals of literacy and numeracy on a daily basis, working on the same topics at an age-appropriate level, enjoying co-curricular opportunities that are provided for all and benefiting from the wonderful ethos of a family-run school. 

Prep
Form 5 – 8 yrs
Form 4 – 9 yrs
Form 3 – 10 yrs
Form 2 – 11 yrs
Form 1 – 12 yrs

The Prep school starts in Form 5. Those moving up from the Pre-Prep will be joined by a new intake, some of whom will be starting to board and this creates an exciting change of dynamic as the group continues to develop its identity. Although still based in their Form, Form 5 will be taught by a greater number of subject specialists, a process that will continue as they move into Form 4, where they will move from classroom to classroom for each different subject. Form 3 is the year in which many children will be assessed for senior school entry: this is the earliest stage of a 3-year process with which the school will help you to find the right school for your child. The Senior years of Forms 2 and 1 focus on preparation for the Common Entrance or Scholarship exams and opportunities for leadership in all parts of school life become more readily available. These two years, in particular, prove to be transformational and Belhavians leave well-prepared for the excitement and challenge of life at senior school. 

Girls' Boarding House & Boys' Boarding House

The boys’ and girls’ houses are warm, welcoming environments buzzing with laughter and adventure: with dedicated houseparents supported by a wonderful team of matrons and gap students, the children are treated to outstanding pastoral care in facilities that are regularly improved.  Find out more about Boarding at Belhaven

Pre-Prep Patrols (Houses) Pups, Cubs, Chicks and Owlets (linked to below)

Prep School Patrols (Houses) – Wolves, Lions, Woodpeckers and Owls

The Belhaven Ethos

• At Belhaven, we aim to create a happy and secure environment in which all children, boarders and day pupils, can thrive spiritually, emotionally, physically and academically. 
• We emphasise the hidden curriculum of courtesy, personal responsibility and community. Pupils are encouraged to aim high and ‘have a go’, with no fear of failure. School life should be inspiring and nurture a passion for life and learning! 
• Healthy competition in academia, sports and extra-curricular activities is encouraged, developing invaluable attributes for the challenges of life and the business world. 
• Against a background of Christian values, pupils are taught to show consideration for others and to respect the feelings and property of fellow pupils, staff and the wider public with a view to making a positive contribution to society. 
• The relationship between staff and pupils is one of trust and respect, where manners and everyday courtesies are the norm and where fun and good humour abounds. 
• The well-being of each boy and girl is central to the care we provide; and that care is the key to our success. 
• We accentuate the positive and we deprecate the negative. We believe there is too much emphasis these days on Rights and not enough on Duties and Responsibilities. 
• We treat our boys and girls with warmth and understanding and we value enthusiasm, tolerance and a sense of humour.