Belhaven Wins ‘Best for Outdoor Pursuits’ in The Week's 'Best of the Best Preps' Awards 2025

By Belhaven Hill School

Belhaven Hill pupils learning to surf at nearby Belhaven Bay as one of their ‘Outdoor Pursuits’ on the Belhaven Leadership Programme.

With a record-breaking number of entries this year, The Week has just announced their annual guide to the UK’s top prep schools. Belhaven Hill School in Dunbar in East Lothian was delighted to be awarded the ‘Best for Outdoor Pursuits for 2025’. 

Belhaven was also pleased to be chosen as a runner-up in the Special Educational Needs (SEN) category.

Sophie Pender-Cudlip and Amanda Constance from The Week collaborated with education experts, teachers, parents and pupils to discover some of the best British prep schools of 2025.

Belhaven Wins ‘Best for Outdoor Pursuits’

“The Leadership Programme that we offer to our top year (Year 8), in partnership with local ethical adventure company, Ocean Vertical, is a stand-out element of our outdoor co-curricular provision,” says Olly Langton, Belhaven Hill School’s Headmaster.

Given at a special rate for boarding pupils, this package offers four 3-hour sessions of team building and leadership challenges in different scenarios.

Stage 1 sees the children coasteering, paddle boarding and surfing (depending on the quality of the surf and height of the seas in winter) with every session including planning and reflective elements.

Stage 2 is an overnight expedition to put all of the skills learnt into practice. At the weekends, all boarders can enjoy similar outdoor opportunities with Ocean Vertical, as well as inflatables, zorbing, disc golf, golf lessons at the links courses on Belhaven’s doorstep, riding, sailing or skiing lessons, all within 40 minutes of the School in Dunbar.

Olly Langton from Belhaven continues: “Given the passion that people feel for East Lothian and its outstanding natural beauty, we are proud to contribute to its protection. As part of our Belhaven Award and Outdoor Education, our children help to plant hedgerows in the Community Hospital Garden, tidy Dunbar harbour, support local community groups on beach cleans – all of these have been recent opportunities for our willing volunteers.”

In 2023, as part of the School’s Centenary Year, every pupil planted a sapling in a new plantation, Eagle Wood, that will in time provide an additional outdoor learning facility for local children as well as Belhavians.

“It is safe to say that there is something outside for everyone!”

Runner-Up for ‘Special Educational Needs’ 

Belhaven was also delighted to be one of two runners-up in The Week Awards for Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision. This was a significant achievement because the winner was Bruern Abbey, a school that specialises in supporting SEN pupils. 

“Our SEN team (ASN in Scotland) is phenomenal and has been investing heavily in training in areas like Dyslexia, Literacy Support and Catch-Up Numeracy,” says Olly Langton. 

“As a result, children receiving additional support are often amongst our highest achievers when it comes to Common Entrance, and they attain these impressive results via a number of different routes. Some support is delivered in class, some in group sessions out of class, and yet more in one-to-one scenarios around the School.

“What sets us apart is the tailored nature of the support, which is highly individualised. The Learning Support Hub is at the heart of the school, literally and metaphorically and there is no sense of stigma – the classroom wall is decorated with photos of neurodivergent authors, scientists and actors amongst others, inspiring the children with the message that anything is possible.

“Our Superpowers Club encourages children to celebrate their individuality and neurodivergent talents. However, support is for everyone, whether in the form of ‘catch up’, extra help with timetables or just for a chat over a cup of tea.”

Chosen for One of its Recommended ‘Top Reads’

Belhaven was also selected for its choice of ‘Top Reads’.  Jak Purkiss, Head of English and History at Belhaven, chose ‘Wonder’, by RJ Palacio (for 10+ years) for his recommended ‘Top Read for Children and Teens’.  Jak’s choice was one of five selected ‘Top Reads’.

“This is a beautiful tale that explores the impressionable early teenage years,” Jak Purkiss says about ‘Wonder’. “RJ Palacio teaches children how to celebrate our differences instead of marginalising those who do not fit into perceived norms. This book will leave a lasting impression on young readers as they move through this often-difficult stage of life.”

You can learn more about Belhaven Hill School and their holistic educational ethos on their website.