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What it's like

Opened in 1895 and a member of the Girls' Day School Trust. It has occupied the same premises in Eskdale Terrace since 1900 and has recently completed the first phase of a major redevelopment. It offers girls the opportunity to grow in a stimulating environment that focuses on individual needs. Academic standards are high and examination results excellent; pastoral care is a priority. Music, art and drama are all encouraged. It has an excellent art school, music school, drama studio, sports hall and sixth form wing. A range of sports is available in which considerable success is achieved (at county, regional and national level); the school has twice recently been awarded a Sportsmark Gold award. Pupils are involved in a wide variety of activities including the Duke of Edinburgh Award, poetry society, Greek drama and community service.

Pupils & entrance

Pupils: Total age range 3-18; 950 day girls. Senior department 11-18, 620 girls. Entrance: Main entry ages 3, 4, 7, 9, 11 and 16. Own entrance exam used; for sixth-form entry, 6 GCSEs at least grade B, including maths and English. No special skills or religious requirements. 60% of senior intake from own junior (enquiries to the Junior School Secretary, Central Newcastle High Junior School, West Avenue, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 4ES; Tel 0191 285 1956, Email cnhsjunior@cnn.gdst.net).

Scholarships & bursaries

Some scholarships, value 10%-50% fees. Some GDST bursaries, up to 100% of fees on the basis of financial need. Parents not expected to buy textbooks; music tuition extra.

Head & staff

Headmistress: Mrs Hilary French, in post from 2006. Educated at the Convent of the Sacred Heart Grammar School, Newcastle, and at the universities of Oxford (history), Durham (PGCE) and Newcastle (MEd). Previously Headmistress of Teesside High School and Head of History at Dame Allan's Girls' School. Teaching staff: 64 full time, 24 part time.

Exam results

GCSE: 89 pupils in Year 11: average gained at least grade C in 9.9 subjects, with GCSE score of 69 (over 5 years). A-levels: 96 in upper sixth. Average final point score achieved by upper sixth formers 365.

University & college entrance

97% of sixth-form leavers go on to a degree course (12% after a gap year or art foundation course), 6% to Oxbridge. 15% took courses in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, 18% in science, engineering, IT and maths, 4% in law, 24% in humanities and social sciences, 9% in vocational subjects, eg architecture, education, 15% in art and 15% in other subjects, eg modern languages, music.

Curriculum

GCSE, AS and A-levels. 28 AS-level subjects, 27 A-level, including Greek, Latin, economics, graphic design, philosophy (taught from Year 7), psychology, theatre studies and dance. Sixth form: Most sixth formers take 4 subjects at AS-level (usually a mix of subjects), 3-4 at A-level; in addition, general studies AS and A-level are optional. 10% take all science subjects; 50% take all arts/humanities subjects; 40% take both. Vocational: Work experience available; CSLA course offered. Special provision: Some available for dyslexic pupils and those with English as an additional language. Languages: French, German and Spanish offered at GCSE, AS and A-level; also Mandarin. Regular exchanges (France, Spain and Germany), including European work experience for lower sixth. ICT: Taught both as a discrete subject to GCSE and across the curriculum, eg video conferencing used in modern languages. ICT A-level offered. 130+ computers solely for senior pupil use (up to 9 hours a day), all networked and with email and internet access. Interactive whiteboards and dataprojectors.

The arts

Music: Up to 75% of pupils learn a musical instrument; instrumental exams can be taken. Some 7 musical groups including chamber choirs, jazz band, orchestras, wind bands. Several members of National Children's Orchestra and Young Simfonia; regularly compete in local music festivals. Drama and dance: Drama and dance offered. Theatre studies and dance A-level, LAMDA and Guildhall exams may be taken. Productions in school and local theatre; many of pupils recently involved in school productions and house/other productions. Numerous successes in public-speaking and debating. Art and design: On average, 60 take GCSE, 30 A-level. Fine art, textiles, graphics, photography offered at AS and A-level.

Sports & activities

Sport: Netball, dance, swimming, tennis, athletics, hockey, cross-country, rounders, health-related fitness, gymnastics, volleyball, aerobics, badminton, squash, trampolining, basketball, football, boxercise, climbing, touch rugby. AS and A-level PE and dance may be taken. Squash team (U15) national champions 2006; national finalists in last 2 years in swimming (U14, U16), athletics (U13), netball (U14, U16), tennis (senior students), squash (U15, U19); area finalists in swimming, hockey, cross-country, athletics. Sportsmark Gold 2005. Many sports clubs; ski trips; netball and hockey tours. Activities: Pupils take bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Community service optional. Up to 30 clubs, eg gymnastics, computers, netball, hockey, Christian Union, debating, poetry, science, art, animation, history.

School life

Uniform: School uniform worn except in the sixth form. Houses and prefects: Competitive houses (for sport, music, drama). Prefects, head girl and heads of house, elected by the girls. School Council. Religion: Non-denominational assembly, based on broad Christian framework; non-Christians can opt out. Social: Senior debates, drama, musical productions and ski trips with local independent schools. Trips to Europe eg Greece (classical), Spain and to eg Bejing, New York; Tanzania (World Challenge); netball and hockey tours (eg NewZealand and Fiji 2008); 4 annual ski trips. Meals self-service.

Alumni association

is run by Mrs Helen Turnbull, 86 Polwarth Road, Brunton Park, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 5NE.

Former pupils

Miriam Stoppard.