Independent Schools

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Thursday, September 15, 2016
ST HELEN and St Katharine
is a school where success is
celebrated but not revered.
Pupils achieve excellent
academic results and the school’s
goal is to ensure that every girl
achieves success as she defines
it, so that she can believe in
herself, her talents and abilities,
and so that she will feel prepared
and equipped for life beyond
school.
Eager to learn, and motivated to
do their best, pupils take advan-
tage of the many opportunities
on offer.
The school encourages them to
challenge themselves and to take
risks, both academically and
beyond the classroom, and is also
committed to creating a secure
and supportive environment in
which girls feel they can make
mistakes as they learn.
Junior Department
In the Junior Department, Year 5
and Year 6 girls can explore,
discover, achieve and reflect.
A friendly, happy and vibrant
place to learn, buzzing with
activity and positive energy, this
is an ideal environment in which
pupils are nurtured and
supported to find out what they
like to do, what they are good at
and to find the best way forward.
The Junior Department is
nestled in the heart of the school.
The specialist, experienced and
inspirational teaching and
support team devotes time to
getting to know all the pupils.
Individuality is cherished and
celebrated and knowing every
girl’s strengths and potential,
recognising what delights and
motivates her, helps the team to
adapt learning to extend and
inspire pupils to enable them to
become an independent, confi-
dent, highly engaged, inquisitive
and enthusiastic learner.
Lower School
When Year 7 pupils join, the staff
make sure that they feel happy,
secure and confident in their
new environment, so that they
settle quickly, form friendships,
learn successfully and develop
fully their individual talents.
Getting to know each girl before
she joins is important; during
the summer term, the Lower
School tutor team visit the girls
in their primary schools and
invite them to an activity day,
where they meet their tutor and
form group.
Girls in all year groups are
organised into one of four
houses, for inter-house competi-
tions and social activities.
Houses are led by staff heads of
house and offer leadership roles
to girls as house captains in the
sixth form and house leaders in
other years.
The house system offers opportu-
nities for girls from different
years to spend more time
together, develop skills such as
teamwork and leadership and
foster a sense of competition
throughout the school. Lastly,
and most importantly, they are
fun.
Middle School
The Middle School comprises
Years 9-11.
On entry into Middle School,
girls are rearranged into four
new tutor groups in which they
stay for the three years. The
school welcomes a number of
new entrants at this stage who
are integrated into the newly-
formed groups.
This is a time of significant
development.
A sound understanding of the
personal ups and downs in a
girl’s life, support, encourage-
ment and good communication
are all of fundamental impor-
tance during these three
formative years and the school
is proud of its tutoring system
that enables staff to take an all-
round approach to a pupil’s
progress.
Sixth Form
The Sixth Form is an exciting
and formative experience, a
point of transition and transfor-
mation from teenage to adult life.
The vision for St Helen’s sixth
form is to create an environment
for students that will spark their
intellectual spirit and imagina-
tion.
Teaching staff foster a curiosity
about ideas and a encourage a
willingness to take risks within a
culture that nurtures self-esteem
and recognises endeavour along-
side outcome.
It is of huge social importance
that young women have the
personal and intellectual confi-
dence to play a leading role in
the complex world of the 21st
century, where opportunities and
possibilities abound, yet deter-
mination, self-reliance and
resilience are a prerequisite.
The school’s expertise is in work-
ing with aspirational young
women providing the environ-
ment and space for them to excel
and develop the necessary skills
and self-assurance to prepare
them for life beyond school.
There is so much more to St
Helen and St Katharine. Have a
look round at one of the Open
Days and discover the difference.
You will be most welcome.
St Helen and St Katharine,
Faringdon Road, Abingdon, OX14
1BE.
St Helen & St Katharine
A rich and rewarding education
Independent day school for girls aged 9-18
ABINGDON • OXFORDSHIRE
01235 530593
Please do join us at our
Open Days this Autumn.
Open Day –
Saturday 1 October
Sixth Form Open Evening –
Thursday 6 October
Junior Department
Open Afternoon –
Thursday 13 October
Time to Fly
High flying
results 2016
:
GCSE 94% A*– A A Level 92% A*– B
(66% A*– A)
Getting your daughter where she wants to go.
Dedicated school bus routes from across the Thames Valley –
Newbury Weekly News