Sherborne Girls, founded in 1899, provides an outstanding education for 11 to 18 year olds in the beautiful county of Dorset and is proud of its co-curricular programme and exceptional pastoral care. Girls are welcomed at 11+, 12+, 13+ and into the Sixth Form. There are 465 girls: 423 boarders, 42 day girls. A close relationship with Sherborne School allows co-ed opportunities including music, drama, activities, clubs and societies and social occasions. The schools have the same term dates.
Terms. Three terms of approximately 12 weeks each. Christmas holidays: 3 weeks; Easter holidays: 3 weeks; Summer holidays: 9 weeks. Term dates are in common with those of Sherborne School.
Admission. Assessments in Year 6 plus interviews at the School (usually in November), or remotely where necessary. Girls should be registered in advance and reports will be requested from their current school. For entry into the Sixth Form, girls are required to gain six good passes (grade six or above) in relevant subjects. See the ‘entry at 16+’ page on the website for more details regarding the GCSE points.
Registration fee: £300 including VAT (non-refundable). A deposit of £2,000 is required before entry (a term’s fees for overseas pupils).
Scholarships and bursaries. Academic Scholarships are awarded at 11+, 13+ and 16+ annually as a result of examination and interview. There are also scholarships offered for outstanding promise in Music, Art and Design, Drama and Sport. All examinations are held in January and February apart from Sixth Form, which are held in November. Scholarship awards are made on merit. Scholarships may be combined with means-tested bursaries which may increase the effective amount of an award. Bursarial support (up to 100%) may be available in cases of demonstrable need. Bursary applications are administered by an external specialist agency and girls must be registered to apply for a bursary. Dates for bursary application deadlines can be found on the website.
Music Awards (11+, 13+ and 16+): Music scholars receive free music tuition for up to three lessons per week. Music Exhibitions offer free music tuition for up to three lessons per week.
Art and Design Scholarships (13+ and 16+): Candidates will be required to bring a portfolio with them and will be asked to undertake some relevant activities in the Art Department while they are here.
Sport Scholarships (13+ and 16+): Candidates should offer one or more sports, preferably reaching county standard or higher.
Drama Awards (13+): Drama scholars receive free drama tuition for one lesson per week. Drama Exhibitions also offer free drama tuition for one lesson per week.
Fees per term (2024-2025)*. 13+: Boarders £17,880, Day boarders** £14,658, Day girls £11,490.
11+: Boarders £14,658, Day girls £11,490.
**Day boarders are girls who wish to stay overnight (£55 per night) on the odd occasion and for whom a bed space will be made available on request.
Houses. There are five houses for 13–17 year olds and one Upper Sixth house. Girls who are aged 11 and 12 years old spend their first two years together in Aldhelmsted West House, our junior boarding house.
Religion. The School has a Church of England foundation, but it values the presence and contribution of members of all the Christian traditions and of other faiths. Regular services are held in the Abbey, some jointly with Sherborne School.
Examinations. Girls are prepared for I/GCSE and A levels. There is a wide choice of subjects to be studied.
Games. Hockey and lacrosse/netball are played in the Michaelmas and Lent terms and tennis, rounders, cricket and athletics during the Trinity term. Oxley Sports Centre in partnership with Sherborne Girls contains a 25-metre pool and state-of-the-art fitness suite. There are squash courts, floodlit Astroturf, sports hall, dance studio and climbing wall. Riding, badminton, cross-country running, golf, aerobics, sailing, trampolining are some of the alternative games.
Sherborne Old Girls. All enquiries should be made to Mrs Fiona James at the School, Tel: 01935 818329.
Prospective parents and their daughters are invited to the School’s tour events or private visits by appointment. Please visit the school’s website or telephone the Admissions department on 01935 818224 for further details.
Charitable status. Sherborne Schools Group is charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, (company number: 4002575) and registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (registration and number: 1081228).
Governors & Staff:
Council:
Executive Chair: Christopher Samler
Members:
Ms J Blanch
Mrs S Craig-McFeely
Canon N Edwards
Mrs A Harris
Mrs A Hughes
Mr N Isaac
Mr N Jones
Mrs A Lane
Mr R A L Leach
The Rt Revd M Lee
Mr G Marsh
Mrs J Massey
Mr A Pralle
Mr M Spearing
Mr M Taylor
Dr P Williams
Mr M Wilson
Clerk to the Council: Mr David Cole
Senior Staff:
Head: Dr Ruth Sullivan, BSc, PGCE Edinburgh, MSc, PhD London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Bursar: Dr David Cole, BSc St Andrews, MSc Southampton, PhD Southampton
Senior Deputy Head: Mrs Jessica Briggs, BA Hons Reading
Deputy Head (Academic): Dr Rebecca Stone, BSc University of Bristol, PhD
University of Birmingham
Deputy Head (Co-Curricular and Operations): Mrs Jayne Dart, BSc Hons Oxford Brookes
Director of Sixth Form: Mr David Banks, BSc Cardiff, PGCE
Director of Studies: Mrs Sophie Blewitt, BA Hons Bath, MSc Oxon, PGCE
Director of Admissions: Mrs Karen Williams, MBA Henley Business School, Brunel