Notting Hill & Ealing High School

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Nottting Hill and Ealing High School
Established 1873
Type Independent, girls day school
Headteacher Mrs Susan Whitfield
Location 2 Cleveland Road
Ealing
London
England
Students 850
Ages 4 to 18
Website http://www.nhehs.gdst.net

Notting Hill and Ealing High School is a selective, independent school for girls aged 4 - 18 located in West Ealing, a suburb of London. Founded in 1873 it is one of the 29 schools that make up the Girls' Day School Trust. It has a Junior Department of some 290 girls (ages 4-11) and a Senior Department of some 550 girls (ages 11-18).

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[edit] History

Since being founded in 1873 the school has changed both its location and its name. When the Girls' Day School Trust was formed in 1872 it established its first two schools in West London. In January 1873, the Trust opened Chelsea High School (later Kensington and Chelsea) to serve the area immediately to the west of the centre of the city and nine months later, Notting Hill and Bayswater High School which was to serve families in the area to the north of Hyde Park.

The school originally occupied premises in Norland Square. These had been built for a boys' school in 1867 and consisted of a basement cloakroom, a hall and at least one classroom.

The first headmistress was Miss Harriet Morant Jones; she was born in 1833 and had had a school in Guernsey. Little else about her background is known but she made her mark at Notting Hill. She began with one assistant and ten children. She retired in 1900 leaving a school of 400 girls and 20 teachers and a steady stream of Cambridge, Oxford and London University entrants.

The premises in Norland Square, despite some acquisition of neighbouring properties, became increasingly unsuitable and in 1930 it was decided to move to Ealing. Already there were a number of girls travelling from Ealing to Notting Hill. The existing headmistress resigned and a new headmistress oversaw the move. Jessie Margaret Hunter McCraig was forty and had a first in modern languages from Edinburgh University. According to all reports, staff and pupils, she was formidable.

Notting Hill opened at its Ealing premises at the beginning of 1931 and became known as Notting Hill and Ealing High School.

[edit] Buildings

The site of the school included one of the large houses common to this part of Ealing. The house was converted to form the centre of the new school - entrance hall, headmistress's study, library and some classrooms. The panelling from the old school hall was transported from Norland Square and re-erected around the entrance hall and the exterior of the headmistress's study; the oak furniture was transferred to the library.

Over the past seventy years remodelling has transformed the interior but there are still features of the original hall and rooms and the entrance steps remain the same as in 1931. Later additions to the site include further classrooms, a science block, hall and gymnasium and most recently (2003) a music recital hall and associated music facilities and an indoor swimming pool.

[edit] Present day

The school numbers 829 girls in 2006/07. Former pupils keep in touch with each other through the Old Girls’ Association. Entry to the school is by interview or examination normally at ages 4, 7 or 11 with a small number also joining at 16. The school has a strong academic tradition. In 2006, girls achieved 100% pass rate at GCSE with 88% of grades being A* or A. There was also a 100% pass rate at A Level with 87% of A level grades being A or B. In 2006 the Junior School was placed 4th nationally among UK preparatory schools in the Sunday Times Parent Power Survey. [1]

In keeping with its mission to be at the forefront of education the school will be introducing Chinese from September 2007. All Year 7 will be studying Chinese for at least a year, alongside a European language. Many girls from the Junior and Senior schools already study Chinese in after-school clubs.

[edit] School Fees, Scholarships and Bursaries

As part of the large group of Girls’ Day School Trust Schools the school benefits from considerable economies of scale and cost-effective central services. As a result, fees compare favourably with other independent schools. In 2007/08 fees are £2716 per term (Junior School) and £3490 per term (Senior School). There is a wide range of bursaries and scholarships awarded at 11+ and 16+ on the basis of scholastic merit or economic need. These aim to ensure that the school continues to be accessible to all students.

[edit] Notable alumnae

[edit] Affiliations and memberships

Girls' Schools Association
Independent Schools Council

[edit] External links