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Nottingham Girls' High School is an independent selective day school for girls aged 4-18, situated just north of Nottingham city centre. The school was founded in 1875 and forms part of the Girls' Day School Trust.

History

Nottingham Girls' High School was founded on 14 September 1875 by the Girls' Public Day School Company (now the Girls' Day School Trust). It was among the first schools opened by the GDST outside London.

Before the 1870s, education for girls in Nottingham was fixed by social class, with limited opportunities for working class girls to receive any post primary schooling. The forming of girls’ education was largely due to the work of feminist reformers. Nottingham Girls' High School was originally on Oxford Street, with Mrs Bolton as Headmistress, before relocating to its current location on Arboretum Street, in a building formerly a lace manufacturer’s house. When the school first opened, it had just 34 pupils, but by the time of its relocation it had expanded to 146.

The outbreak of WWII in 1939 resulted in NGHS moving to two separate locations: Ramsdale Park and Daybrook, in order to accommodate the South Notts Hussars who were stationed in the Arboretum Street buildings. However, by 1944/5 the school was able to move back. Just 10 years later, the number of pupils reached 800 and NGHS celebrated its 80th birthday.

The 1970s saw significant building expansion at the school and in 1975 NGHS celebrated its Centenary. On 18 May 1973, the Milford Building was officially opened by HRH the Duchess of Gloucester and in 1978, HRH the Duke of Edinburgh opened the Edinburgh Library.

In 1995, the House system was introduced and named after the first four Headmistresses of NGHS: Bolton, Hastings, Luxton and Skeel. The Bowering Sports Hall was opened by Richard Bacon in 1998 and eleven years later, in May 2009, the new Sixth Form Centre opened.

A huge addition to the school came in 2016 when the Old Dining Hall building was demolished and replaced with an incredible, state-of-the-art performing arts centre know as 'The Space' named after esteemed alumna Dame Rosemary Squire (The Squire Performing Arts Centre).

Over its 140 year history, the school has been overseen by 13 Headmistresses and one acting Headmistress. Today the school is run by Head, Julie Keller.

Facilities

Originally housed in a group of Victorian houses, the school has since expanded considerably. The campus now boasts a state of the art performing arts centre, Sixth Form Centre, two libraries, lecture theatre, drama studio, music building, a modern refectory, common rooms and a separate Infant and Junior School. In recent years, the school has invested heavily in IT provision and training; for example, all girls from Year 4 upwards are issued with a personal iPad.

The school grounds also include large all-weather pitches, grass pitches, a gymnasium, sports hall, climbing wall, outdoor learning area and fitness suite. There is an additional sports ground at Aspley, due for substantial reinvestment and redevelopment in 2018.

Houses

The four school houses are named after the four first headmistresses of the school; Bolton, Hastings, Luxton and Skeel.

Academics

The school can accommodate around 1200 pupils overall, aged from 4 to 18. The Sixth Form represents nearly 30% of the Senior School and there are usually around 280 girls in the Junior School, which has its own head teacher, currently Mrs Laura Fowler. The head of whole school is Ms Julie Keller. As the largest of the 29 schools of the Girls' Day School Trust, Nottingham Girls' High School is part of an organisation which, since its foundation in 1872, has promoted and specialised in the education of girls.

Student executive

The Sixth Form elects a group of 16 girls, including Head Girl and two Deputy Head Girls, who organise social events, and there is also a senior prefect team that aid the Head Girl in her duties. Three House Captains are also appointed per House to run house events and cheer on participants.

Notable former pupils

• Gina Birch, bass player with The Raincoats
• Helen Cooper, literary scholar
• Helen Cresswell, children's author
• Janice Elliott, novelist, journalist and children's writer
• Helen Karagounis, née Thieme, Olympic athlete
• Sudha Kheterpal, percussionist
• Clare Hammond, concert pianist
• Julie Myerson, author, and writer in the Financial Times
• Stella Rimington, former Director-General of MI5
• Indhu Rubasingham, theatre director
• Molly Whittington-Egan, writer
• Rosemary Squire, theatre owner and entrepreneur

References

1. Meller, Helen Elizabeth (1971). Nottingham in the eighteen eighties: a study in social change. University of Nottingham. p. 43.
2. Carter, James (2002). Talking Books: Children's Authors Talk About the Craft, Creativity and Process of Writing, Volume 2. Routledge. pp. 114–29. ISBN 9780203025178.
3. ""Notable GDST Alumnae", Annual Review 2011 – More than an education" (PDF). Girls' Day School Trust (courtesty of Times Educational Supplement).

External links

• School Website
• Profile on the ISC website
• Profile on the GDST website
• Profile at MyDaughter

• Girls' schools in Nottinghamshire
• Educational institutions established in 1875
• Schools of the Girls' Day School Trust
• Member schools of the Girls' Schools Association
• Independent schools in Nottingham
• 1875 establishments in England
• People educated at Nottingham Girls' High School