Wakefield Girls' High School
 Wakefield Girls' High School | |
| Motto | Each For All and All For God |
|---|---|
| Established | 1878 |
| Type | Independent School |
| Headteacher | Mrs Gunson |
| Location |
Wentworth Street Wakefield West Yorkshire WF1 2QS England Coordinates: 53°41′13″N 1°30′13″W / 53.6869°N 1.5036°W |
| Local authority | City of Wakefield |
| Ages | 11–18 |
| Website |
www |
Wakefield Girls' High School (WGHS) is an independent school in Wakefield, England established in 1878 in Wentworth House, its current location. The school has grown from 59 pupils when it first began to nearly 750 in the present day (2007).
Education
In the first three years girls aged 11–14 (Year 7–9) are taught a wide and varied range of subjects. All girls study English, mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics. French is taught throughout, with the opportunity to study Spanish or German as a second modern language. Latin is taught in the last term of year seven and year eight, there is the option to study it in year nine.
Community
The school is part of the Wakefield Grammar School Foundation, comprising WGHS Senior and Junior schools, along with the nearby Queen Elizabeth Grammar School and Junior School. The current headmistress of the school is Mrs N. Gunson. The current deputy heads are Mrs Tingle, Mrs Loftus and Mr Eggleston.
Facilities
The school is very well equipped including a separate building for music, science and I.T. Also a new building for the design technology rooms, drama room, art rooms and five English rooms was opened in 2005 by Helen Fielding, the author of Bridget Jones' Diary. The Jubilee hall used for assemblies and other meetings has also recently been refurbished.
Education
The school is renowned nationally for attaining excellent pass rates in both A Levels and GCSEs. In 2006, WGHS achieved record A Level results with 82% of passes at grade A or B. 94% of passes were grade A-C, with 16 girls getting straight A grades. One student was placed in the top 5 nationally for Latin.
Notable alumnae
- Dame Barbara Hepworth, artist
- Dame Anne Mueller, British civil servant and academic. Second Permanent Secretary at the Cabinet Office from 1984 to 1987 and then at HM Treasury from 1987 to 1990. She was Chancellor of De Montfort University from 1991 until 1995.
- Monica Edwards, children's author[1]
- Helen Fielding, author of Bridget Jones' Diary
- Joanne Harris, author of Chocolat
- Katherine Kelly, actress
- Usha Prashar, member of the House of Lords
- Dame Elsie Marjorie Williamson DBE, British academic, educator, physicist and Principal of Royal Holloway College, University of London
- Elizabeth Arnold, food columnist for The Guardian, noted for her critique of food aestheticism, as she wrote in her book 'Rest in Blumenthal: The Death of a Regular Dining Experience'
- Harriet Hall, Deputy Governor Falklands and Assistant Commissioner South Georgia 2003 - 2007, Chief Exec South Georgia 2007 - 2009
References
- ↑ WGHS Archives housed at West Yorkshire Archive Service - attended from September 1920 to July 1921