South Hampstead High School is a
private day school in
Hampstead, north-west
London, England, which was founded by the
Girls' Day School Trust (GDST). It is for girls aged 4–18 with selective entry at ages 4+, 7+, 11+ and 16+ (Sixth Form).
History
The school was founded in 1876, the ninth school established by the GDST (previously known at the Girls' Public Day School Trust), with 27 pupils. Until 1886, the school was led by Rita/Rebecca Allen Olney; she left to found another school nearby with her sister Sarah Allen Olney who had been an assistant head at this school.[2] The cross-dressing
Mary Benton returned as headmistress when morale was low. The "Brigadier-General" built up the school until in the 1920s it was claimed that half of the school's students then at university were studying scientific subjects.[1]
From 1946 until the late 1970s, it was a girls'
direct grant grammar school, with around half the intake paid for by the local council.[3]
In January 2015, alumna Helena Bonham Carter, opened a new 7-storey building for the Senior School, designed by Hopkins Architects.[4] In January 2020, the school unveiled a new state-of-the-art performance space, Waterlow Hall.[5]
Staff
Head teachers
Anna Paul (2023-present)
Victoria Bingham (2017–2023)
Helen Pike (2013–2016)
Jenny Stephen (2005–2013)
Vivien Ainley (2001–2004)
Jean Scott (1993–2001)
Averil Burgess (1975–1993)
Sheila Wiltshire (1969–1974)
Prunella Bodington (1954–1969)
Muriel Potter (1927–1953 )
Dorothy Walker (1918–1926) (Miss McGonigle 1926 one term)
Marie Orliac, who taught French in 1907–1910, founder of the University des Lettres Francaises (1910, Marble Arch, West London) that would become in 1913 the
Institut Francais du Royaume-Uni.
Academic results
In 2019, South Hampstead High School was ranked 13th in the country for A Level results, based on data collated by the
Independent Schools Council (ISC).
Typically around one fifth of the student body goes on to study at the universities of
Oxford and
Cambridge.[7]
This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's
verifiability policy. Please
improve this article by removing names that do not have independent
reliable sources showing they merit inclusion in this article AND are alumni, or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate
citations.(November 2014)