What it’s like
Created in 1997, from the merger of two long-established and neighbouring girls’ schools: Bath High, founded in 1875, and the Royal School, founded in 1864. The senior school has an extensive campus on Lansdown Hill; the junior school is _ mile away in Hope House, an elegant Georgian mansion. There has been considerable investment in recent years with a new sports hall and science building. It is the only GDST school offering boarding. The examination results are very good. Although academically selective, the school also enjoys a reputation for success in music, drama and games. It has an extensive programme of extra-curricular activities and outdoor pursuits.

School profile

Pupils & entrance
Pupils: Total age range 3–18; 900 girls (800 day, 100 boarding). Senior department, 11–18, 600 girls.
Entrance: Main entry ages 11, 13 and 16. Own entrance tests used, plus interview and report. No special skills or religious requirements. State school entry, 40% of senior intake (few to sixth form); many pupils from own junior department.

Scholarships & bursaries 20+ pa scholarships, 17%–33% fees plus exhibitions, 8% fees.

Head & staff
Head: James Graham-Brown, appointed in 2000. Educated at Sevenoaks and at the universities of Kent (English) and Bristol (research). Previously Head of Truro High, Senior Master at Bournemouth School and Head of English at Ratcliffe. Also chief examiner for A-level English. Publications: Single-sex education; several plays.
Teaching staff: 54 full time, 25 part time. Annual turnover 5%.

Exam results
GCSE: In 2003, 96 in Year 11: 94% gained at least grade C in 8+ subjects; 6% in 5–7 subjects. Average GCSE score 67 (66 over 5 years).
A-levels: 61 in upper sixth: 56% passed in 4+ subjects, 40% in 3 subjects. Average final point score achieved by upper sixth formers 332.

University & college entrance 90% of 2003 sixth-form leavers went on to a degree course (10% after a gap year), 8% to Oxbridge. 8% took courses in medicine, dentistry & veterinary science, 20% in science & engineering, 40% in humanities & social sciences, 10% in art & design, 5% in modern languages, 16% in vocational subjects eg occupational therapy, education, accountancy.

Curriculum GCSE, AS and A-levels. 26 GCSE subjects, 22 AS/A-level.
Sixth form: Most sixth formers take 4 subjects at AS-level, 3 at A-level. 28% take science A-levels; 32% arts/humanities; 40% both. Key skills taught as discrete units.
Vocational: Work experience available in Year 11 and lower sixth.
Languages: French, German and Spanish offered to GCSE and A-level; GCSE Italian in sixth form. Regular exchanges to France and Germany. Resident foreign language assistants.
ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject (1 lesson/week) and across the curriculum. 90 computers for pupil use (14 hours a day), all networked and with email and (filtered) internet access. Most pupils take GCSE IT and short course OCR in Year 11.

The arts
Music: Over 40% of pupils learn one or more musical instrument; instrumental exams can be taken. Musical groups including 3 choirs, orchestra, wind and string ensembles, jazz group. 1 girl in National Youth Choir, 3 in its training choir; many winners at mid-Somerset Festival.
Drama & dance: Both offered; dance lessons at local studio. GCSE drama and A-level theatre studies. Majority of pupils are involved in school productions and house competitions.
Art & design: On average, 40 take GCSE, 8 A-level. Design, pottery, painting, sculpture and life drawing also offered.

Sport & activities
Sport: Hockey, lacrosse, netball, gym, athletics, swimming, tennis, rounders, dance, basketball, trampolining, aerobics, squash, women’s rugby, cricket. GCSE PE, A-level sports science and BAGA exams may be taken. International representatives in cross-county and orienteering; 8 county representatives in lacrosse, others in athletics, swimming and hockey.
Activities: Pupils take bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Community service optional. Over 50 clubs, a range of cultural, academic, recreational and sporting opportunities and Young Enterprise; outdoor activities a speciality of school life.

School life
Uniform: School uniform, except in the sixth form.
Houses & prefects: Competitive houses. Head girl and deputy, heads of houses. School Council.
Religion: Daily assembly (parents may withdraw pupils if they wish).
Social: Variety of events with other schools – Bath Society of Young Musicians, Model United Nations, concerts, conferences, film societies, social. Organised trips abroad for skiing, watersports, choir tour (recently to Florence) and sports (eg netball and hockey to Barbados) and exchanges (eg to Normandy and Berlin). Sixth form allowed to bring own car to school. Meals self-service. School shop and tuck shop. No tobacco or alcohol allowed.

Discipline Sanctions and rewards policy.

Boarding 40% have own study bedroom, 60% share (with 2). Houses of about 50, divided by age group. Resident qualified nurse, visiting doctor. Central dining room. Pupils can provide and cook own food by arrangement. 2 weekend exeats termly plus half-term. Weekend visits to local town allowed, according to age.

Alumni association Old Girls Associations, c/o the school.

Former pupils Jean Nunn (Cabinet Office; first woman to receive the Order of the Bath); Veronica Sutherland (British Ambassador to Eire); Lady Howe (Equal Opportunities Commission); Elizabeth Buchan (author); Sheila Gish (actress); Myrtle Maclagan and Audrey Collins (international cricketers); Helen Rollason (sports commentator); Dr Elizabeth Howe (writer and lecturer); Dr Elizabeth Hallam-Smith (Public Records Office).