Queen Anne's School

Queen Anne's School
Motto Quietness and Strength
Established 1894
Type Independent Boarding and day school
Religion Church of England
Headmistress Mrs Julia Harrington
Location Henley Road
Caversham
Reading
Berkshire
RG4 6DX
England
Coordinates: 51°28′14″N 0°58′06″W / 51.4705°N 0.9683°W / 51.4705; -0.9683
Local authority Reading
DfE number 870/6000
DfE URN 110109 Tables
Students 450
Gender Girls
Ages 11–18
Houses 4 Boarding Houses and 3 Day Houses
Colours Navy & Maroon          
Website www.qas.org.uk

Queen Anne's School is an independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18, situated in the suburb of Caversham just north of the River Thames and Reading town centre and occupying a 35-acre (14 ha) campus. There are around 450 pupils. Nearly half are boarders. Some stay seven nights a week; others stay during the working week (weekly boarders) or two, three or four nights a week (flexi boarders). Saturday morning lessons were replaced in 2009 by a programme of optional sport, hobbies and extended learning activities, including rowing, horse riding, textiles and first aid. The school awards scholarships in academic subjects, sport, music, art and drama at ages 11 and 13 and at sixth form entry.

The 2011 Ofsted Social Care report[1] rated the school as 'outstanding', which Ofsted translates as "The main inspection finding is that this is an outstanding boarding school. The outcomes for boarders as described in the Every Child Matters document and underpinned by the nationally agreed standards are excellent. The school has an exceptionally high commitment towards enabling girls to fulfil their potential."

The Independent Schools Inspectorate's Inspection Report 2011[2] said: "The pupils’ overall achievement is excellent. The school meets highly successfully its aim to enable pupils to go onto higher education, and develop their talents fully." and "The quality of the pupils’ personal development is excellent, ensuring that the school’s aim to enable them to become confident, well-balanced individuals is met with resounding success."

Queen Anne's is a member of the Girls' Schools Association and the Boarding Schools' Association.[3] Queen Anne's was chosen as one of Tatler magazine's Top 225 prep and public schools 2010.[4]

History

A group of girls carry out some private study in the library of Queen Anne's School in 1945

In 1698 eight merchants founded the Grey Coat Hospital, a Christian foundation. In 1706 the foundation received a royal charter from Queen Anne. In 1874 Grey Coat Hospital became a girls' school. The Grey Coat Hospital Foundation used part of its endowment to buy a mansion in Henley Road in Caversham which became Queen Anne's School in 1894. The site was previously occupied by Amersham Hall School. The social history of the school is described in detail in a 2008 book by Daniel Talbot, former head of history, 'The Scarlet Runners: A Social History of Queen Anne's, Caversham'.

Facilities

Queen Anne's campus is a 35-acre (14 ha) site with landscaped gardens and playing fields immediately adjacent to the teaching and boarding accommodation. The facilities include a café for sixth formers and parents (opened 2009) and a Chapel, designed by Reginald Blomfield. In 2016, the school will open a new Sixth Form Centre.

The Main Block and Chapel at Queen Anne's School are Grade II listed buildings.[5]

Sport

Lacrosse, tennis, swimming and netball are major sports at Queen Anne's and there is provision for most other sports either at the school or at local clubs. The school has produced Olympic and national-level sportswomen.[4]

Music

The school's own groups include: Chamber Choir, Consort Choir, Saxoholics, Saxability, Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Wind Quartet, Flute Group, Swing Band and Junior Wind Band. The Chamber Choir, Saxoholics and Consort Choir have performed in New York, London and Rome.

Drama

The school puts on three full-scale productions a year, and organises masterclasses and workshops with professional practitioners.

Queen Anne's drama pupils have won places at the National Youth Theatre in London to train with professionals and places at RADA.

In 2007, a Queen Anne's student featured in the St Trinians film.

Debating and public speaking

Queen Anne's School was a founder of the World Individual Debating and Public Speaking Championships and its students participate in the competition every year. It has also hosted the event on a number of occasions, most recently in 2003.

Academic performance

In 2015 GCSE results were 97% at grades A* to C, 63% of pupils gaining straight A*/A grades with 50% of girls achieving 7 or more A*/A grades in their results. Having introduced Mandarin into the curriculum six years ago, all 8 girls studying this subject achieved a pass at A* grade. In Biology 88% of grades were A*/A, in Physics 85% A*/A, and in Chemistry 67%.

At A level in 2015 93% were A* to C grades.

University destinations

Almost all Queen Anne's students go on to study at degree level at university, including Oxford and Cambridge, and many go on to do postgraduate work. The courses they take range from art, drama and classics to medicine, civil and chemical engineering, material sciences, modern languages and management.

Notable former pupils

References

  1. ↑ "Queen Anne's School". Ofsted. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  2. ↑ "Queen Anne's School". ISI. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  3. ↑ "Welcome to the Boarding Schools' Association – BSA". Boarding.org.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Schools Guide 2011 – Tatler". Guides.tatler.co.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  5. ↑ "Main Block and Chapel at Queen Anne's School, Reading". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
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