Founded 1875.
Nottingham Girls’ High School is part of the GDST (Girls’ Day School Trust), the leading network of independent girls’ schools in the UK. As a charity that owns and runs 24 schools and two academies, it reinvests all its income in its schools. For further information about the Trust, visit www.gdst.net. Additional information about the school may be found on the school’s website and a detailed information pack may be obtained from the school Admissions Secretary. Number of pupils. 670. 171 in the Junior School (including Nursery), 384 in the Senior School and 115 in the Sixth Form.
A selective day school for girls aged 3 to 18, NGHS is on a single site adjacent to a park in the middle of Nottingham. The Junior School, including a Nursery for three- to four-year-olds, is housed in separate buildings on the same campus as the Senior School, and has been extended to include a library and ICT learning resources centre, as well as four additional classrooms. A major programme of refurbishment in the Senior School has included refitting the science laboratories, food technology and design technology. A state-of-the-art performing arts centre was opened in December 2016 and a brand-new professional sports centre, including a yoga studio, fitness suite and four-lane cricket nets, opened in September 2023.
There is a self-contained Sixth Form Centre providing a large coffee shop-style common room and recreational area. The tutorial rooms are light and airy, and fully equipped with the latest technology.
The school grounds include an all-weather sports pitch, climbing wall, woodland area for outdoor learning activities including a fire pit, pizza oven and low ropes course, gymnasium, sports centre and fitness suite. The modern dining hall has excellent facilities for providing a wide choice of snacks and home-cooked meals throughout the day including vegetarian, vegan, and Halal options.
Examination results are among the best in the country, featuring in the top 100 schools for A level results for all schools and the top 50 for GCSEs for girls schools. NGHS educates girls by empowering them with the skills they need for life in addition to excellent results. Leadership, confidence, passion and resilience are among the qualities increasingly demanded in today’s ever-changing society. Everyone is encouraged to embrace adventure, seize opportunities to participate fully in a wide range of enrichment activities to develop skills and qualities that will lead to a happy, successful and fulfilling life with no sense of gender stereotypes or limits to what they can achieve.
Curriculum. The curriculum is designed to give a broad academic education and due regard is paid to the National Curriculum. In the Junior School, as well as following a pattern of work designed to help develop a confident grasp of core skills, the girls benefit from a stimulating and challenging integrated creative curriculum with enrichment experiences firmly embedded into teaching and learning. Girls are tested regularly and parents receive regular feedback on their daughter's progress. There is liaison with the Senior School staff, helping to ensure continuity for pupils at 11+. In the Senior School, girls are prepared for GCSE, A level and EPQs, as well as enjoying a range of other opportunities including Advanced Mathematics, a Space Technology Diploma and a Performing Arts Technical Award. Almost all girls go to university and individuals are encouraged to play to their strengths and do what is right for them.
Girls at all ages follow a comprehensive programme of personal and social development including aspects of careers, citizenship, PHSE, current affairs and environmental issues.
Throughout the school girls are encouraged to develop their physical skills and the school has an excellent sports record; teams regularly win trophies at City and County level, with many being selected to compete at regional or national level.
Music and Drama are also an important part of the school, with many choirs, bands, orchestras and performing arts groups taking place across all year groups. The Juniors and Year 7 Da Capo programme allows students to trial up to seven instruments to see which ones they enjoy best.
Admissions. For Nursery, girls are visited at home to assess their readiness for the NGHS environment. At 4+ entry, small groups of girls are invited to come into school and take part in a number of activities together to see if they are ready for school. Entry at 11+ is by interview and written tests which include English, Mathematics and Reasoning and are designed to determine potential and understanding. Most of the existing students stay on at 16+ if they meet the entrance criteria and a number of students are admitted into the Sixth Form from other schools. The entry requirement is 8 GCSE subjects at an average of grade 6, with minimum grade 7 in some subjects as specified by the department. This is supported by individual interviews and a report from the current school. The school will consider applications for admission into most year groups if there are available places and girls pass the entrance assessments.
Fees per term (from January 2025).
Nursery: £40.50 (morning); £64.80 (all day) – 15 hours FEF can be used.
Reception: £4,641.08 (incl. VAT and lunch).
Years 1 & 2: £4,685.88 (incl. VAT and lunch).
Years 3–6: £4,773.24 (incl. VAT and lunch).
Years 7–3: £6,254.08 (incl. VAT).
The fees cover non-residential curriculum trips, school books, stationery and other materials, sports fixtures and swimming, but not optional extra subjects.
Scholarships and bursaries. The GDST makes available a substantial number of bursaries. These are means tested and intended to ensure that the school remains accessible to bright girls who would benefit from our education but who would be unable to enter the school without financial assistance. Up to 100% of the tuition fee may be awarded. Bursary application forms are available from the Admissions team at the school.
A limited number of scholarships are available for talented Year 7 and Sixth Form girls based on Academic merit, Performing Arts, Sports and Music. The value of a scholarship is up to a maximum of 10% of the current tuition fee.
Charitable status. Nottingham Girls’ High School is part of The Girls’ Day School Trust, which is a Registered Charity, number 306983.
Governors & Staff:
Chair of Local Governors: Professor E Wilson
Head: Mrs J Keller, BA
Deputy Head (Academic): Mrs R A Halse, BSc
Deputy Head (Pastoral): Mrs L M Wharton-Howett, BA
Deputy Head (Teaching and Learning): Mr James Brown
Head of Junior School: Mrs L Fowler, BA Ed
Head of Sixth Form: Mrs Maddy Sommers
Director of Finance and Operations: Mr J C Dunn, ACA
Director of Marketing: Ms C Forbes, FRSA
Admissions: Mrs C L Haddow