LOCAL LOVE

local love HIGHGATE

Perched high above the Capital, Highgate is the quintessential English village, with a pretty Georgian high street that is fiercely protected by local conservation body, The Highgate Society. Just five miles from central London, with its 28 hectares of wild woodland and enviable Heathside location, local residents have the best of all worlds

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Arlington Residential arlingtonresidential.com Aston Chase astonchase.com Bargets bargets.co.uk Beauchamp Estates beauchamp.com Bective bective.co.uk Behr & Butchoff behrandbutchoff.com Benham & Reeves benhams.com Chancellors chancellors.co.uk Chestertons chestertons.com Day Morris daymorris.co.uk Dexters dexters.co.uk Druce druce.com Glentree glentree.co.uk Godfrey & Barr godfreyandbarr.com Goldschmidt & Howland g-h.co.uk Hamptons hamptons.co.uk Heathgate heathgate.com Jeremy James & Company jeremy-james.co.uk Knight Frank knightfrank.co.uk Litchfields litchfields.com Parkheath parkheath.com Plaza Estates plazaestates.co.uk Sandfords sandfords.com Savills savills.co.uk TK International t-k.co.uk Vickers vickersestateagents.com Winkworth St. John’s Wood winkworth.co.uk Winkworth West End winkworth.co.uk

VILLAGE DELI, N6

For Annie May from Chancellors, longevity is a sure sign of a beloved local hero – as is keeping it in the family. “Village Deli has been in Highgate for 25 years and is the longest standing family run business in the village,” she says. “The women who run the deli make you feel so welcome and the level of service given is just outstanding. The food is amazing and the coffee is certainly better than Costa! I love it.” Situated just north of the verdant Waterlow Park, why not grab a freshly prepared sandwich and enjoy a little jaunt.

8 South Grove, N6 (020 8348 7279)

FABRIC FAVOURITES Local heroes

THE BULL, N6

Benham & Reeves’ Chris Cooper describes The Bull as “an independent gastropub with a difference. It’s a petfriendly local favourite with its own on-site brewery and a location on one of Highgate’s lovely, tree-lined main thoroughfares,” he says. “A menu of seasonal delights is expertly cooked and served with particular emphasis on the superb Sunday roast. The Bull is especially great for dropping in for a pint after an afternoon ramble on Hampstead Heath.” We’d call that nothing short of idyllic. Don’t forget to bring your furry friend.

13 North Hill, N6 (020 8341 0510; thebullhighgate.co.uk)

SACRED DISTILLERY, N6

“Established in 2008, this is a family run, award-winning boutique gin distillery and tasting shop,” says Mark Sumray from Dexters. “Proving popular with locals and internationals alike, it’s the perfect place to purchase a gift – or to test your taste buds! The staff are knowledgeable and helpful and work with organically sourced botanicals to produce a selection of gins, vodkas, whiskies and plenty more.” For true gin lovers, Sacred also offers in-house workshops teaching all you need to know about making your own. Chin chin!

50 Highgate High Street, N6 (020 8340 2817; sacredgin.com)

Say what?

Wander around Highgate Cemetery and you’ll come across some very famous names – Karl Marx, George Eliot and Douglas Adams all found their final resting place in the iconic cemetery. It’s also the burial spot of Alexander Litvinenko, perhaps the most famous murder victim of our time. The former Russian spy was poisoned with a cup of tea at a Mayfair hotel in 2006. His body is buried 12ft-deep in a lead lined coffin, to prevent visitors suffering radioactive poisoning

MEET THE LOCALS

Suzi Kalms

Manager, Hair of the Dog

“Highgate has been my home for the last 18 years and I have grown to love its wonderful variety of walks, pubs, local shops and cafés. My day usually begins with a gorgeous stroll to Hampstead Heath, around Kenwood House and the ponds with my two dogs, Parker and Rizzle. I sometimes meet friends and their dogs for a gossip and a catch up; Kenwood House’s brilliant café is a perfect place to stop for breakfast.

My go-to for an essential morning fl at white is Caffè Nero in the village, I grab one to drink as I walk to work, stopping to chat to various locals on my way. I run Hair of the Dog boutique and groomers on the high street. The go-to shop for all your doggy needs, we sell a fantastic selection of dog collars and leads, designer beds and accessories as well as food and treats for dogs and cats. Our groomers have been super busy since the start of the pandemic with so many locals getting puppies. You will often spot some of our furry friends stopping by the front door of the shop to get a tasty doggy treat and a cuddle from me.

When I have a break in the day I always love to support our local shops. The Highgate Butchers is fabulous – their meat is superb accompanied by some fresh additions from Greens of Highgate. If you’re into gin, especially when it is made locally, you should defi nitely check out Sacred Gin on the high street; it’s always fun going in and sampling a gin or two!

Aside from gin, I’m a frozen margarita girl – it’s the perfect drink at the end of a busy day. If you’re a fan, I highly recommend you swing by the Red Lion and Sun, where you certainly won’t be disappointed. The food here is always delicious, too. Highgate really is a special place. They say ‘home is where the heart is’ and mine is very much here.

24 Highgate High Street, N6 (020 8340 4030; hairofthedoglondon.com)

TAKE 3 Streethearts

FITZROY PARK

Some of the area’s fi nest homes are set on this quiet, countrifi ed lane that meanders down from the centre of the village to the Heath’s edge

THE GROVE

Highgate is famous for its Georgian architecture, and some of the best examples are on this pretty street, which was once home to George Michael

HILLWAY

This smart boulevard of 1930s family homes runs through the centre of the Holly Lodge Estate, and is perfectly placed for Swain’s Lane, the Village and the Heath

1. Sam Gould, Chestertons

“The name Highgate entered historical records as early as 1318. Today, the area is one of the most desirable places to live in north London. Highgate offers a lovely village feel and is located close to Kenwood. The Grove is probably the most desirable road in the neighbourhood and has seen numerous celebrity homeowners both past and present.”

2. Nathan Taylor, Goldschmidt & Howland

“Highgate is home to an array of properties, from grand Georgian townhouses to world-famous modernist buildings, along with what’s rumoured to be the second largest family home after Buckingham Palace. The true beauty of Highgate is its green spaces, independent high street and its residents. Over the past 18 months we have been busiest with the family house market, and particularly sales between £1.5 and £4.5 million.”

3. James Diaper, Savills

“Market activity in Highgate has been strong over the course of the last year. This highly desirable and happening part of north London is home to an abundance of independent shops and boutiques, as well as excellent schools, drawing in families who traditionally seek larger homes. Popular property types include Georgian townhouses and Victorian terraces. I’d expect to see activity levels remain strong for the remainder of the year, as we welcome back international buyers and as restrictions continue to ease.”

COMMENT From our agents

Schools

WORDS by LIZ SKONE JAMES

THOUGHT fl ipping awesome

As the name suggests, the ‘fl ipped

classroom’ learning model essentially fl ips the traditional ‘class work/homework’ arrangement

so that students consume lessons and course content at home via video and online platforms, and then ask questions, engage in discussions and complete exercises (that is, traditional homework activities) via interactive sessions with the teacher and other students in the classroom.

The fl ipped classroom has been widely adopted at university level, but there is growing evidence that secondary school students also benefi t from this method.

In one survey, teachers reported that the fl ipped classroom allowed them to do more activities with students that were high impact. They could guide discussions, supervise group work, and target support to learners who need it – instead of spending class time explaining concepts in a onesize-fi ts-all way, which can be too slow for some learners and too fast for others. Meanwhile, each student can learn the concepts at home, at their own pace. One school that takes this approach is Pearson Online Academy UK Global, a fully online school for 14–18-year-olds. Jo Vigneron, Principal, says: “Our students work through materials independently at a time and pace that suits them. Our online platform facilitates assessments that generate deep insights into our students’ learning. Our teachers use this data to plan dynamic, tailored lessons that target misconceptions and gaps in knowledge, and push learning on with no wasted time. Additionally, this frees up our teachers, making them available for individual sessions with students to further accelerate progress and help them with any questions or uncertainties they may have. Each teacher has at least an hour a day available for drop-in sessions with students.”

There are clearly benefi ts in the fl ipped classroom approach, which Pearson Online Academy, as a fully online school, has been able to put at the forefront of their teaching approach.

Jo says: “We couldn’t do this effectively without investing in technology that helps to make a smooth and engaging experience.” The platform they are powered by is used by over 105,000 full time online school pupils worldwide.

It is clear that the education landscape has changed more in our post-pandemic world than ever before. And the research shows that innovative and dynamic learning models like the fl ipped classroom are exceptionally well placed to meet the needs and preferences of our more agile online society.

ukglobal.pearsononlineacademy.com

Avenue Pre-Prep and Nursery School Co-ed nursery and pre-prep school for children aged 2.5 to 7 years (020 8348 6815; avenuepreprep.co.uk)

THE SHORTLIST: HIGHGATE

State co-ed day school for pupils aged 4 to 11 years (020 7561 0113; whitehallparkschool. co.uk)

Highgate School Co-ed independent day school for pupils aged 3 to 18 years (020 8347 2105; highgateschool.org.uk)

Ladybird Montessori School Co-ed nursery for children aged 2 to 5 years – mornings only (020 8348 3054; montessori-ladybird. co.uk)

Channing School Independent day school for girls ages 4 to 18 years (020 8340 2328; channing.co.uk) MEET THE HEAD

Mary Fysh

Avenue Pre-Prep & Nursery School

What makes the school different?

Our strong arts-based curriculum, with music playing a distinctive role.

Describe the atmosphere

Happy, relaxed, friendly, supportive and buzzing with activity and enthusiasm! I’m so proud of our home from home environment with a committed and long-standing staff.

How do you look after wellbeing?

We are able to get to know the children very well. We value and respect our relationships with all the children and with their parents. For children with particular concerns, the Worry Monster works well. It is a puppet into whose mouth children can feed their written worries. He eats them and they disappear!

Which extra curriculum activities

are you proud of? Our strings initiative, which we started in 2016 with the help of the London Music Masters, run by Rob Adediran. I wish I had begun this years ago as it has been a great success, with some children showing real talent, interest and ability with an instrument.

How does this support the academic side?

Learning a stringed instrument, singing, dancing, acting and painting are all fundamental to the development of a child – involving so many components needed not just in the classroom, but in life generally. Intense focus is required, plus physical coordination, control and careful listening. Puzzle solving is all important as a child begins to translate notation into sound – in the same way a child translates letters and words into sound when learning to read. The social aspect cannot be ignored either.

Music and the arts provide what is required by every child for successful learning, for happiness and for life. Our school motto – Anima Mea Cantabit (My Soul Will Sing) – says it all!

Made-to-measure

Octagon Bespoke offer customers the opportunity to build their dream home: one lucky couple tell us about their outstanding experience with the luxury developer

With the help of Octagon Bespoke, Poornima and Giri built their dream home on the plot of their existing house, a location they already knew and loved Made-to-measure is the name

of the game when it comes

to high-end fashion, travel and interior design, yet the property market has been slow to cotton on.

Breaking this tradition, Octagon Bespoke offers a truly personal service for clients seeking to realise their dream home. Taking them on a journey from finding a plot through to handing over the keys, Octagon Bespoke offers the opportunity to partner with one of Britain’s most respected luxury developers to build a one-of-a-kind property.

Recent Bespoke clients include Poornima and Giri, who had long aspired to own an Octagon home. When the time was right, they selected Octagon Bespoke to replace their existing property with a brand new, made-to-measure home on the same plot in Northwood.

Poornima comments: “We had long hoped to have our own Octagon property, as there really is no match in the sector when it comes to quality of build and attention to detail. Over the years, we had viewed many Octagon homes, however none had been in quite the right location for us. Octagon’s Bespoke service turned out to be the perfect option, as it meant we could build our dream home, in the location we already knew and loved.”

Their chosen design was a three-storey property with five en suite bedrooms, four reception rooms and a beautifully landscaped garden.

Navigating through a challenging planning process, the Octagon Bespoke team helped at every stage of the project.

Poornima comments: “The Octagon team managed a lot of the work during the planning stages, from liaising with neighbours to attending council meetings on our behalf. This was really valuable as it would have been a very timeconsuming procedure for us to carry out ourselves.”

Following a year and eight months of construction, stepping into their new home was everything they hoped it would be, and more.

“As soon as you step into the property, the sense of light and space immediately hits you. Opening the front door, you can see all the way to the back garden, with the reflective marble flooring and glass windows creating this spa-like atmosphere; it’s both peaceful and wonderfully indulgent.”

To the ground floor, the property features an open-plan kitchen/living/dining area, an elegant formal reception room, and separate dining room reserved for entertaining. A TV room is a particular family favourite, with a supersized sofa and television creating the perfect setting for a night in.

Taking a striking marble spiral staircase up to the first floor, a large landing connects four bedrooms, each with dedicated dressing areas and en suite bathrooms. To the top floor, a bedroom, lounge, study and bathroom provides the perfect teenager’s retreat.

Discussing their experience with Octagon Bespoke, Poornima concludes: “We couldn’t be happier in our new home, it really is a joy to live here and we’re incredibly proud to call it ours. Octagon Bespoke managed to capture exactly what we were seeking in our dream home. We would recommend them to anyone looking to start a similar journey.”

Octagon Bespoke undertake projects from £1 million across London and the South-East, and are currently completing projects in Hampstead, Highgate, Knightsbridge and Surrey. To find out more, visit octagonbespoke.com

On the market

This month’s hottest properties

FOR SALE BISHOPSWOOD ROAD, N6

Mixing classic and contemporary style with aplomb is this grand, restored Victorian residence, situated on the peaceful, crescent-shaped – and highly desirable – Bishopswood Road. Cleverly modernised for 21st century living, the six-bed red-brick house features sleek bathrooms, an ultra-modern family kitchen, spa and indoor pool, and a cosy cinema room with the latest state-of-theart technology. But all of this has been sympathetically designed to complement the stately period features – which are plentiful here.

Guide price: £12.5 million, Glentree (020 8458 7311; glentree.co.uk)

FOR SALE HIGHGATE WEST HILL, N6

London properties don’t get much prettier than this. The double fronted Grade II listed residence boasts a picture-perfect façade and is a fine example of early Georgian architecture. Located just a quarter of a mile from Hampstead Heath, the five-bed, three-bathroom house boasts original features aplenty, including grand marble fireplaces, interior archways, and the comeliest sash windows. Outside space comes in the form of a sprawling lawn complete with a mature climbing tree that little ones will adore.

£5.25 million, Dexters (020 8545 8584; dexters.co.uk)

FOR SALE NORTH GROVE, N6

This is your chance to purchase a uniquely characterful period property. The spacious four bed house makes an ideal family home with plenty of entertaining space. Its Mediterranean style arched windows and doors award it a charming villa feel, while its pretty south-westerly facing garden and off-street parking add to the numerous benefits. And talking of benefits, the house is situated a stone’s throw from Highgate’s vibrant High Street and its verdant Waterlow Park. A win in every respect.

£2.85 million, Day Morris (020 8346 8131; daymorris.co.uk)