Even in a digital world, the human need for connection hasn’t changed. For families considering an online school, one of the most common questions is: will my child still have opportunities to socialise, make friends, and build meaningful relationships?
At Highgrove Online School, the answer is a clear and enthusiastic yes.
While our pupils are based all around the world, we place real importance on giving pupils every opportunity to forge friendships and we regularly hold events to bring our community together in person. Online learning offers flexibility, independence, and access to exceptional teaching, and gives pupils the chance to make friends from across the world. In person meet ups provide the opportunity to reinforce those friendships through the joy of shared experience. Throughout the school year, we organise a wide range of meetups, trips, and events designed to strengthen friendships and create lasting memories.
There’s something special about meeting someone face-to-face after getting to know them online. Conversations flow easily, laughter comes naturally, and connections deepen in a way that feels both exciting and reassuring. These in-person moments help cement friendships and ensure everyone knows just how tall (or short!) their classmates are.
Our calendar is filled with these opportunities to connect. One of the highlights each year is our Speech Day, which brings together pupils, families, alumni, and staff for a celebration of achievement and a chance to send off our leavers in style at the end of the school year. We normally host this special event at the historic Oxford Union at Oxford University. It’s always a joyous occasion, with alumni sharing their tips and advice on life at university and beyond, and leavers sharing their personal journeys and reflecting on how their time at Highgrove prepared them for the future. Events like these are not just milestones; they are powerful reminders that our pupils are part of a community that doesn’t end at sixth form.
Beyond formal celebrations, we also organise a variety of trips and excursions that combine social connection with cultural enrichment. London, with its world-class attractions, has provided the perfect backdrop for many of these gatherings. From trips to traditional tourist spots such as the British Museum and London Zoo, to more contemporary experiences such as visiting the immersive Lightroom experience in King’s Cross to watch “Vogue: Inventing the Runway”, these outings allow students to engage with ideas beyond the classroom while spending valuable time together.
Of course, not every meet-up needs to be educational. Sometimes, it’s simply about enjoying each other’s company. Our trip to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park was a perfect example of a festive day filled with laughter, rides, and shared moments that helped friendships flourish, and our various visits to Pizza Express have primarily served to establish who can eat the most Italian food.
Trips coming up include a visit to the London Eye with a river cruise along the Thames, and a visit to Hyde Park. We also have overseas excursions planned. Next in line is a trip to Greece in February, taking in Athens and some of the key historical sites on the mainland coast. Future plans include taking a group of pupils to visit one of our partner schools out in northern India, near the Himalayas.
Not all of our pupils can join us in person, and for those who can’t we actively help pupils connect with others who live nearby, especially when families relocate to a new country. Through introductions, students can arrange local meetups and build supportive networks close to home as well as within the wider global community.
For many families, this blend of online learning and in-person connection offers the best of both worlds. Pupils benefit from a flexible, personalised education while still enjoying the social richness traditionally associated with school life. They learn not only from their studies, but from each other through shared experiences, conversations, and friendships that extend beyond the screen.
Choosing an online school doesn’t mean choosing isolation. At Highgrove Online School, it means joining a vibrant, connected community that values both independence and togetherness. Whether it’s a formal celebration in Oxford, a cultural visit in London, or a festive day out with friends, our pupils have countless opportunities to meet, connect, and grow both online and in person.
