The core of a Heathside education is “teaching children how to learn rather than just what to learn,” says Sara, highlighting an incredibly important attitude when it comes to preparing children for their next steps. “These are transferable skills that you take with you when you leave us. I’ve spent the bulk of my career working in secondary education and I think that a child knowing how to learn, and loving that process, removes a lot of the stress and anxiety that can come with balancing hormones and educational transitions.”
The school’s key values: nature, nurture and knowledge run through daily life. As a small school that focuses on children’s well-being, Heathside makes full use of its position “just steps from Hampstead Heath,” treating the Heath as an outdoor classroom and visiting several times a week. Assemblies often explore the natural world, from trees on the Heath to questions as whimsical as what a group of ferrets is called, and Sara believes this time outdoors transforms children’s learning, mental health and “joy of life.”
Alongside the curriculum, which features all traditional subjects and Spanish as the main language, children have a lot of opportunities to partake in after-school clubs. From the performing arts and sports to coding, cooking, and even a rock band, there’s a real range to keep them occupied. Sara is also keen that the school site should serve Hampstead beyond the school day and is looking to welcome Brownies or Scouts to the facilities in the evenings.
Championing a ‘yes’ mentality, Sara says: “I always try and say yes when children come up with ideas because knowledge can be found in everything they do. They might ask for a tuck shop and think they’re just getting snacks, but actually during that process they’ve learnt how to look at loss and profit, they’ve spoken about allergies with our first aid officer, written to parents and presented in assembly. It’s about looking for teaching opportunities that go beyond lessons.”
Heathside’s small size is a deliberate strength, with fewer pupils equating to more time and attention for each child. The school prides itself on intrinsically knowing every individual, personally guiding each child toward the senior school transition that best matches their personality and pace, from highly academic environments to gentler settings.
Children address staff by their first names, which Sara believes helps to reduce an unnecessary “them and us” divide, making relationships feel more approachable while still maintaining clear professional boundaries. These boundaries are reinforced through the updated behaviour policy, introduced last year, which is applied consistently and fairly, always underpinned by kindness and compassion. “You learn from everything, so it’s incredibly important that children know they can make mistakes and not feel judged. Pastoral care is very much about knowing the children, supporting them and understanding that different children have different needs.”
The emphasis is not on turning learning into a pressurised environment, but on equipping pupils with transferable habits they will carry forward into the rest of their lives. Nurture, Sara says, “is at the heart of everything we do because if a child doesn’t feel in the right place emotionally, they don’t learn.”
Heathside currently has a small nursery, but Sara has listened closely to families asking about wraparound care, especially for younger children, so is partnering with Little Dukes to expand the provision. Already part of the Dukes’ educational group, Sara tells us this felt like the ‘natural next step’, especially as the school already has an additional building which can be transformed into a dedicated nursery space. Parents frequently ask what care is available before and after the main school day, particularly if they are working; the new Pippa Poppins nursery will be closely linked to Heathside, but designed to meet that need with bespoke, high‑quality facilities.
Another central priority has been to rebuild close ties with the local area. “We are very keen to bring Heathside back to the heart of Hampstead,” says Sara, “we want to build a community where we all know of and support each other.” The idea is a genuine two‑way relationship. Staff want to understand what makes each local business distinctive, and in turn help families who are new to the area or visiting for taster days, knowing where to send them to find a trusted coffee shop, breakfast spot or estate agent.
As the first stepping stone to building these relationships, the school is hosting a Heathside Friends event on Wednesday, May 13, from 5:00–6:00pm; inviting local businesses into the school for canapés, a glass of wine, a tour and a chance to learn about one another. “It’s for us to have an understanding of the village and for the village to have knowledge of what we’re about now,” Sara explains.
Having been the head of Heathside School Hampstead for just over a year, Sara’s aim for the future is to continue bringing about a period of stability and calm. Her final reflection was: “I’ve been welcomed very warmly to a gorgeous school where the staff, families and children are all really, really lovely, I’m extremely grateful to be here and looking forward to the next chapter.”
To find out more about this incredible institution and all it has to offer, simply head over to the website.
Rooted in nature, guided by nurture, driven by knowledge
Heathside School Hampstead, 84a Heath St, London NW3 1DN
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 02030 584011
Web: heathsideschoolhampstead.com
