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Sherborne School for Girls,谢伯恩女子学校, Sherborne,
Dorset DT9 3QN
Tel: 01935 818287 Fax: 01935 389444
Website: www.sherborne.com
• GIRLS, 11–18, Day & Boarding
• Pupils 360, Upper sixth 75
• Termly fees £5270 (Day), £7195 (Boarding)
• GSA, BSA
• Enquiries/application to the Registrar

What it’s like
Founded in 1899, it is on a 40-acre site on a hill overlooking open country and on the edge of the delightful town of Sherborne. Pleasant buildings and first-class accommodation. A C of E foundation, its services are compulsory but girls of other religions are welcome. A distinguished and civilised establishment with an exceptional staff:pupil ratio of 1:6. Academic standards are high and results excellent. Music, drama and art are all very strong. There are first-rate games facilities and a high standard in sports and games (a large number of representatives at county level). There is a big commitment to local community schemes, an impressive record in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme. Much activity is organised with Sherborne School, its brother school, and they have common term dates. Drama is run jointly (joint productions and common GCSE drama and A-level theatre studies courses), there are joint orchestras and girls can join the CCF at the boys’ school. Some other sixth-form teaching is also run in common. Boys and girls can visit each others’ houses at weekends and there are joint recreational activities, including discos, barbecues and ten-pin bowling.

School profile

Pupils & entrance
Pupils: Age range 11–18; 360 girls (30 day, 330 boarding).
Entrance: Main entry ages 11, 12, 13 and 16. Common Entrance and own scholarship and entrance exams used. No special skills or religious requirements (school is Anglican but pupils of other religions welcome). Girls are recruited from prep schools over a wide area.

Scholarships, bursaries & extras 11 pa scholarships and exhibitions; all-rounder awards. Parents not expected to buy textbooks; average extras £350 per term.

Parents 10+% live within 30 miles; up to 23% live overseas.

Head & staff
Headmistress: Mrs Geraldine Kerton-Johnson, in post since 1999. Educated at University of Natal (chemistry, biology, education). Previously Principal of Epworth High School, Pietermaritzburg, and taught sciences, maths and religious studies in maintained and independent schools. Also lecturer at Rhodes University School of Mathematics, Music Director and Organist at Christ Church; chaired Heads of Girls’ School Group in Natal.
Teaching staff: 58 full time, 12 part time. Annual turnover 6%. Average age 40.

Exam results
GCSE: In 2003, 58 in upper fifth: 99% gained at least grade C in 9+ subjects. Average GCSE score 69 (65 over 5 years).
A-levels: 75 in upper sixth: 13% pass in 4 subjects; 86% in 3 subjects. Average final point score achieved by upper sixth formers 372.

University & college entrance 97% 2003 sixth-form leavers went on to a degree course (8% overseas and 35% after a gap year), 7% to Oxbridge. 12% took courses in medicine, dentistry & veterinary science, 11% in science & engineering, 69% in humanities & social sciences (including 28% taking language-based courses), 8% go on to art foundation courses.

Curriculum GCSE, AS and A-levels: 30 GCSE subjects, 33 AS-level, 29 A-level.
Sixth form: Most sixth formers take 4 subjects at AS-level, 3 at A-level; general studies is not taken. 12% take science A-levels; 54% arts/social sciences; 37% combinations. Key skills integrated into sixth-form courses. Some sixth-form teaching joint with brother school.
Vocational: Work experience sometimes available.
Special provision: for mild dyslexia.
Languages: French, German and Spanish offered to GCSE and A-level (over 75% take GCSE in more than one); Italian and Russian A-level. Regular exchanges with schools in France, Russia and Germany.
ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject (1–2 lessons/week in Years 7–10) and across the curriculum (eg in textile design, science projects, illustrate and research arts projects). All pupils take a computer literacy qualification (eg Clait, IBT), many also touch-typing courses. 100 computers for pupil use (12+ hours a day) and 25% of pupils have laptops provided under a joint parent/school initiative; 170 computers networked and with e-mail and internet access (both filtered); large software bank through school intranet.

The arts
Music: Over 76% of pupils learn a musical instrument; GCSE, AS- and A-level may be taken. Musical groups include orchestras, choirs, madrigal society, jazz groups and many ensembles. Pupils in National Youth Orchestra and county youth orchestras. Madrigal Society, choir and orchestra tours overseas; public concerts in eg Sherborne Abbey; involved in eg Sherborne Musical Society annual oratorio and Dorset Opera.
Drama: Drama offered and Guildhall exams, A-level theatre studies may be taken. Many pupils are involved in school productions and some in house/other productions.
Art & design: On average, 30 take GCSE; 20 A-level. Design, pottery, textiles, photography, printmaking also offered. Girls have gone on to Ruskin and other art colleges.

Sport & activities
Sport: Lacrosse, hockey, tennis, athletics, swimming, rounders, netball, karate, volleyball, basketball, badminton, riding, polo, squash, aerobics, indoor hockey, trampolining, ballroom and Scottish dancing, fencing, sailing, cricket, lifesaving, squash awards may be taken. Junior regional lacrosse players, 18 county players; county hockey champions (U16), district winners; county schools lacrosse winners, cross-country junior team winners.
Activities: Bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, CCF and community service. 25+ clubs eg Bays, newsroom, Amnesty International, photography, debating.

School life
Uniform: School uniform replaced by dress code in sixth form.
Houses & prefects: Competitive houses. Head girl and vice heads (appointed by Headmistress), head of house and house prefects (appointed by housemistresses) and upper sixth committee (elected).
Religion: Church of England foundation. Most services compulsory.
Social: Joint orchestra, drama and cultural studies with Sherborne and St Antony’s-Leweston; weekend activities and social programme with Sherborne. Exchanges and visits abroad. Meals formal (each boarding house has own dining room and cook); self-service in upper sixth house. No tobacco or alcohol allowed.

Discipline Pupils failing to produce homework once might expect to do it in detention; those caught smoking cannabis on the premises could expect expulsion.

Boarding Upper sixth have own study bedrooms; majority of remainder in cubicles in dormitories of 6–10. Houses of 40–70 mixed ages; separate houses for juniors (11–12-year olds) and for upper sixth. Resident qualified nurse in health centre; doctor on call and 4 surgeries a week. Half term plus 2–3 exeats a term (1–2 nights); other overnight weekends by arrangement with housemistress. Visits to local towns allowed.

Alumni association is run by Mrs J Nicholson, 33 Kingsbury Street, Marlborough, Wilts
SN8 1JY.

Former pupils Dame Diana Reader Harris; Maria Aitken; Emma Kirkby; Camila Batmanghelidjh.