BELHAVEN HILL PREP SCHOOL

WHAT? WHERE?

Perched above a sweeping East Lothian beach, Belhaven Hill feels far removed from the usual idea of a prep school. Children move from free time to lessons to the ring of a handbell rather than a buzzer; staff dogs wander in and out; and the sea is rarely out of sight. New families are advised to send two pairs of trainers – one pair is usually drying.

This is a co-educational day and full boarding prep for ages 4 to 13, deliberately small, with around 160 pupils. Space, sky and salt air are part of daily life here, with the Pentland Hills, the Lammermuirs and the beach all forming a natural extension of the school grounds.

Belhaven has been around long enough to have a loyal alumni network, and its reputation is for producing grounded, socially confident children. Ambition exists, but it is rarely showy. As one pupil put it: “You feel like you’re one big family.”

FACILITIES

SPORT

Sport at Belhaven is expansive, muddy, salty and gloriously inclusive – the mantra is “give it a go”. The school makes the most of its setting, with acres of playing fields and regular opportunities for riding on the beach, sailing and surfing through local providers – and even, once lessons are finished, golf on the course, literally just the other side of the school wall.

More traditionally, all boys play rugby, hockey and cricket while the girls play netball, hockey and cricket as their main sports each term, with football, athletics, cross-country, swimming, tennis and lacrosse also on offer. Mixed-gender teams are the norm in football, lacrosse and cricket. The key point is that participation is expected rather than optional – the school puts out plenty of teams and everyone gets involved.

Cross-country running is a particular strength, helped by the landscape and a fortnightly 3km run for all pupils. One Form 3 pupil (Year 6) is currently the Primary 6 Scottish Schools Cross Country Champion.

Outdoor learning is supported by a partnership with ethical adventure company Ocean Vertical, and senior pupils take part in an Adventurous Leaders course designed to stretch confidence and teamwork, rather than produce elite athletes.

Equestrian sport is another standout. The school is a member of the National Schools Equestrian Association. One pupil recently won both Horse of the Year and International Horse of the Year titles in successive years on different ponies.

There’s an on-site swimming pool, which is soon to get an upgrade in the form of a roof (!) and adjacent changing rooms meaning swimming can be enjoyed all year round, rather than just in the summer months.

CREATIVE ARTS

The creative spaces at Belhaven are light, calm and inspiring, particularly the art studio, which looks straight out to sea. Facilities include a kiln and a printing press, allowing pupils to work across pottery, sculpture and mixed media. The local landscape heavily influences the work produced, and art scholarships are a regular outcome, supported by evening portfolio sessions for older pupils.

Music plays a large role in school life. Around 130 individual music lessons take place each week, and the vast majority of pupils are involved in at least one ensemble. Options include choirs, a pipe band, drum corps, guitar and string groups, plus a newer rock band for those keen on something less traditional. Music lessons and ensemble participation are encouraged rather than compulsory but almost all the children have an instrument.

There’s no dedicated theatre space on site, but drama is supported through a visiting LAMDA teacher, with around 30 pupils taking exams each week and many achieving Distinction. Whole-school productions run every other year. In the spirit of “give it a go”, this year’s performance of Oliver Twist saw every child in Forms 1-4 (Years 5-8) on stage for the ensemble numbers (nearly 100 children).

GENERAL

Wood-clad and beautiful, Belhaven’s new Makerspace brings design technology and STEM learning together in a flexible, practical environment. With areas for both ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’ work, and equipment including multiple 3D printers, it encourages problem-solving, collaboration and hands-on learning. It’s among the more ambitious DT spaces seen at prep level in Scotland and the gauntlet is down for every teacher too – they’ve all been challenged to teach a lesson there before the end of the year to see how it might help them to think differently.

Importantly, the emphasis here is on accessibility as well as innovation. Lessons are designed so that pupils who may not thrive in traditional academic settings can engage through making, experimenting and practical thinking.

Strong core academics sit alongside this approach, with teachers keen to keep learning purposeful but enjoyable. The aim, as one member of staff puts it, is that “they don’t always realise how hard they’re working – because they’re enjoying it.”

LITTLIES

Early years provision is small and nurturing, with class sizes typically around 10–12. Learning is structured but gentle, combining Read Write Inc and White Rose Maths with plenty of play-based activity. The tone is reassuring rather than pressured.

Transition into the Prep School is seamless and the ethos remains consistent: happy children learn best.

ACADEMICS

For a non-selective school, Belhaven pupils consistently punch above their weight academically. Leavers move on to a wide range of Scottish and English schools, including Ampleforth, Downe House, Eton, Fettes, Gordonstoun, Marlborough, Oundle, Radley, Rugby, Strathallan, Edinburgh Academy and Uppingham, with around 60% heading south of the border.

Scholarships and exhibitions are common across academics, sport, music, art and drama, though not every child is on a scholarship pathway. Last year, 21 leavers secured 26 awards between them, with a more typical year seeing around 15–18.

Staff emphasise that the value-added is not purely academic. Pupils leave with confidence, independence and strong organisational skills.

SEND AND LEARNING SUPPORT

The school refers to SEND as ASN (Additional Support Needs), in line with Scottish terminology. Provision is notably well integrated for a school of this size. The Learning Support Hub sits centrally within the classroom block and the Head of Learning Support also acts as Curriculum Lead.

Support ranges from in-class assistance to one-to-one work, covering diagnosed needs, study skills and extension for scholarship candidates. Around 35% of pupils receive some form of weekly support, reflecting a proactive, early-intervention approach rather than high-level need. The school is clear that it will only admit children whose needs it is confident it can meet.

PASTORAL CARE

Pastoral care is the school’s quiet superpower. Every child has a tutor and a buddy, and new pupils receive welcome letters before arrival. There is an on-site play therapist and strong links with external professionals.

Parents of children who arrive having lost confidence elsewhere often report rapid turnarounds. As one pupil explains: “There’s always someone trying to help you or guide you.” The Care Inspectorate described the school’s pastoral approach as “innovative and sector-leading” in its most recent inspection.

BOARDING

Belhaven is firmly committed to full boarding, something increasingly rare at prep level. Between 55% and 75% of pupils board during the year, with numbers rising as the year progresses. Children can start boarding from age seven, in their final Pre-Prep year.

Weekends are busy and inclusive, with film nights, baking, dorm competitions and match afternoons. On Sundays in the Autumn Term children sail; in spring they ski and in the summer they can surf and play golf. Boarding houses are cosy and personal – joyfully chaotic, if in need of a fresh lick of paint in some places, though there is a rolling programme of refurbishment currently taking place.

Boarding is flexible enough for modern family life, with regular weekends out and parents welcome on site throughout the week. Every fortnight, the whole school goes home, with international pupils staying with guardians or friends.

THE HEAD

Olly Langton has led the school for the past six years, embedding its core values of Courtesy, Courage and Creativity. He moves on at the end of this academic year to Radley to be Director of Education for the Radley Schools Group.

From August 2026, the school will be led by Neil Tomlin OBE, who joins from Hall Grove School and brings a background in military service. Parents can expect continuity of ethos alongside personal knowledge of the support needed for military families.

QUIRKS

Belhaven leans into tradition without taking itself too seriously. Highlights include the annual Reels Party, where senior pupils and parents share a ceilidh, and Belhaven Bay Day, when lessons are abandoned in favour of a spontaneous afternoon at the beach.

There’s also the Three Rivers Run, a non-competitive loop through the local countryside that emphasises participation over pace.

WRAPAROUND CARE

Wraparound care is well thought through, particularly for younger pupils. Breakfast Club and After School Club are available for Pre-Prep children, with Breakfast Club also open to Prep day pupils. After School Club runs until 6pm and costs £10 per session, including food.

There’s a busy afternoon programme, with around 30 activities running across the week. Alongside the expected sports and music options, more unusual choices include fly-tying, Airfix modelling, engineering and repair club, crochet and sewing, and competitive puzzle clubs. A recent pupil-led addition has been model car building, with plans to develop a pump track in the woods once the kits are finished.

EDUCATION SCOTLAND

Education Scotland visited the school in December 2025 and found it broadly to be very good. The inspectors particularly praised how well staff know the children and young people, the strong focus on promoting children’s wellbeing and how they’re supported to succeed. Senior leaders and teachers were encouraged to continue working to ensure all students receive high-quality learning, teaching and assessment. Read the full report here.

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

Smartphones are not permitted for pupils. Children can contact home via supervised landlines in boarding houses, and PSHE lessons cover digital literacy and social media use. Pupils use school-issued iPads, with internet access filtered and monitored.

TRANSPORT

Dunbar is well serviced by national and local trains – less than 25 minutes away from Edinburgh and on cross-country routes to Dundee, Glasgow and Aberdeen in Scotland, and Penzance, Plymouth and London King’s Cross in England.

Edinburgh airport is 45 minutes away and the town is just off the main road south, the A1.

FEES

Day fees range from £5,000 to £10,500 per term depending on age. Boarding fees are £13,150 per term, placing Belhaven competitively among full-boarding prep schools in Scotland.

WORD ON THE GROUND

Parents describe Belhaven as “a home from home where each child is truly known,” praising the way it allows children time to grow without pressure. Several mention the freedom children have to be imaginative, outdoors and unselfconscious – “there’s no rush to grow up here.”

MUDDY VERDICT

GOOD FOR: Families looking for full boarding, strong pastoral care and solid academic outcomes without relentless pressure. “They let us run,” said one pupil, neatly summing up Belhaven Hill.

NOT FOR: This is not a hot-house prep, nor a school for children who dislike mud, dogs or being outdoors most of the day. Children here are busy, salty-haired and happy – and for the right child, that balance is exactly the point.

Dare to disagree? The next open morning is 28 February.

Belhaven Hill School Trust, Dunbar

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