ethos
Mrs Taryn Lombard, originally from South Africa, joined four years ago from Wimbledon High. She is passionate about all-girls, non-selective schools owned by charities rather than private equity. She champions both classroom learning and extracurricular activities, and has significantly improved the PE and games offering. The school's stated aim is that 'you can get to wherever you want from here, while being wholesome and grounded.'
teaching
Class sizes are 20 maximum with two-form entry. There is a very high adult-to-child ratio in early years with substantial one-to-one teaching. Specialist teachers for French, music and sport begin from Nursery. From Year 3, pupils have specialist teachers for IT and science; from Year 4, some English and maths lessons are taught by specialists. Grouping is based on learning style as well as ability. Oracy is a priority: show and tell for younger years, then annual English Speaking Board exams from Year 3. Outdoor learning sessions in Regent's Park take place twice per term for every class. The school prepares pupils for the 11+ without requiring extra tutoring. About 98% of this year's Year …
pastoral
Pastoral care is described as excellent, with timetabled check-in sessions, a staffed pastoral room off the playground, and weekly meetings of the SENCO, pastoral and safeguarding teams. A school council includes all year groups and meets weekly with senior staff. The school dog, Dexter, is a popular fixture. Wraparound care runs from 8am to 6pm, with flexible sign-up on a regular or ad-hoc basis – highly valued by the many two-working-parent families. About 50% of pupils have a non-native English-speaking parent, reflecting a lively and diverse parent body.