Founded in 2006 from the merger of two well-established girls' schools, Heathfield School in Ascot (founded in 1899) and St Mary's Wantage (1872), and is one of the few remaining girls' schools where every pupil is a full boarder. Set in 35 acres, the original, handsome Georgian house has been extended to include a modern, well-equipped science block, art school, sports hall, indoor swimming pool. All girls except the upper sixth are housed and taught in the one building. The boarding accommodation and pastoral care are of a high standard. Girls of all religious denominations are accepted but attendance at C of E services is compulsory. There is a highly qualified teaching staff and a staff pupil ratio of 1:6. Examination results are very good, and emphasis is always on individual achievement and breadth. There is considerable strength in music, drama and art. Games and sports are well catered for and there is a very wide range of extra-curricular activities, especially at weekends. Frequent trips are made to London and elsewhere.
Pupils: Age range 11-18;195 boarding girls. Entrance: Main entry ages 11, 13 and 16 . Common Entrance for entry at 11 and 13; own exam for other entrants and those from overseas. For sixth-form entry, interview, report from present school and 5 GCSEs at least grade C (grade B in sixth-form subjects).
Scholarships awarded at 11, 13 and 16, value 10%-20% of fees - academic and performing arts (art, music, drama, sport); all scholarships are means-tested. Also academic bursaries awarded at 11 and 13, means-tested up to 50% of fees. Some discounts available for daughters of clergy, armed forces, diplomatic service.
Acting Headmistress: Mrs Jo Heywood. Educated at Kingston University (applied chemistry). Previously Head of House at St Mary's (Ascot).
GCSE: 32 pupils in Year 11: all gained at least grade C in 5+ subjects. A-levels: 28 in upper sixth, passing an average of 3 subjects.
All sixth form leavers typically go on to degree courses (50% after a gap year). 5% take courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, 10% in science and engineering, 60% in humanities and social sciences, 15% in law, 10% in art and design.
GCSE, AS and A-levels. 22 AS, 20 A-level subjects. Sixth form: Most sixth formers take 5 subjects at AS-level, 3 at A-level; science/arts mix of A-levels preferred. Vocational: Work experience abroad available to linguists. Leith's Certificate of cookery, Young Enterprise etc. Special provision: Extra English periods for EFL; little for dyslexia. Languages: all study French and Spanish; both languages, plus German, Italian, Portuguese and Chinese offered to GCSE, AS and A-level. Private lessons available in eg Greek, Dutch and Welsh. Exchanges to France. ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject and across the curriculum. Many computers for pupil use, all networked and with email and internet access. 70% of pupils own laptops. All pupils take OCR Clait level I or II in IT.
Music: Over 75% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams can be taken. Musical groups including orchestra, choirs, various string and wind groups. Strong choral tradition. Some pupils attend Junior Royal College of Music on Saturdays. Drama and dance: Both offered; drama part of core curriculuml for first 3 years. GCSE drama and A-level theatre studies and LAMDA exams may be taken. Majority of pupils are involved in school productions and all in house/other productions. Art and design: On average, 35 take GCSE, 20 A-level. Fine art, ceramics, textiles, photography, art history, print-making offered.
Sport: GCSE PE offered. Lacrosse, netball, gymnastics, health-related exercise, dance, swimming, tennis, athletics, rounders compulsory. Optional: fitness training, squash, basketball, trampolining, badminton, volleyball. Additional options for seniors include pilates, golf, ice-skating, skiing, tae kwon do. GCSE PE may be taken. Activities: Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, Young Enterprise. Charity events throughout the year. Regular craft and drama workshops. Clubs from Scottish dancing to Spanish cooking.
Uniform: School uniform worn, except in upper sixth. Houses and prefects: Competitive houses. All sixth form are prefects; also head girl and deputy, heads of house, appointed by Headmistress after election by school and staff. Religion: Church of England. Attendance at religious worship compulsory. Social: Theatrical productions, debating, discos, dinner parties and Caledonian society evenings jointly with boys' schools (eg Eton, Harrow, Wellington College). Meals formal. School shop.
Pupils failing to produce prep expect evening detention to complete it (repeated offences incur an order mark, then weekend detention). 'Any girl found in possession of drugs, under the influence of drugs or passing drugs to other girls must have, as her first expectation, that she will be expelled immediately' (extract from school policy document).
60% have own study bedroom; 20% in rooms of up to 5; remainder in rooms of 6-9. Dormitories are age-based. Resident qualified nurses; doctor visits twice a week. Senior pupils can provide and cook some own food. 2 compulsory exeats, 2 further weekend days each term and one Sunday lunchtime; extra overnight stays for sixth form. Visits to local towns allowed from age 14 in groups of 3, on Saturday afternoons.
Baroness Emma Nicholson (poiltician); Lucinda Green (3-day eventer); Dame Ruth Railton (founder, National Youth Orchestra); Presily Baxendale, QC; Dr Alice Parshall (psychiatrist).
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