Lady Eleanor Holles School
| Motto | Spes Audacem Adjuvat |
|---|---|
| Established | 1711 |
| Type | Independent school |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Headmistress | Gillian Lowe |
| Location | Hanworth Road Hampton, London Middlesex TW12 3HF England  |
| Local authority | London Borough of Richmond upon Thames |
| DfE number | 318/6002 |
| DfE URN | 102932 |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Students | c. 890 |
| Gender | Girls |
| Ages | 7–18 |
| Website | LEHS |
Coordinates: 51°25′39″N 0°22′07″W / 51.4275°N 0.3687°W
The Lady Eleanor Holles School (often abbreviated to LEH or LEHS) is an independent school for girls in Hampton, London, England. The school was founded in 1711.
Contents |
[edit] Admissions
The school has a Junior Department with around 190 students aged 7–11 and a Senior Department for ages 11–18 with around 700 pupils. There is an Entrance Examination to the school at the age of 11. It is a member of the Girls' Schools Association [1] and a MyDaughter school.
[edit] History
The school was established in 1711, when a trust for its endowment as a Christian foundation was created under the will of Lady Eleanor Holles, daughter of John Holles, 2nd Earl of Clare, which prescribed that money from her estate should be used to set up a school. First located in St Gile's, in the Cripplegate Ward of the City of London, its original site is marked by a plaque on one of the Barbican walkways. The school went on to occupy other premises in the City until 1878, when it moved to Mare Street in east Hackney. The building is now home to The London College of Fashion.
The current premises in Hampton were purpose built, and were opened on 7 December 1937 by HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester. The building was designed in the shape of an E.
The school was thought to have been founded in 1711, but records show the school functioning in 1710 and earlier.
The school recently celebrated it's 300 anniversary, with a service at St Paul's Cathedral, London.
[edit] Head teachers
- Gillian Low 2004- (Headmistress from 1998-2004 of Francis Holland School), President from 2010-11 of the Girls' Schools Association
- Elizabeth Candy 1981-2004
- Nora Nickells 1915-44
[edit] Former teachers
- Pauline Cox, Head Teacher from 1994-2010 of the Tiffin Girls' School (taught Geography from 1976-7)
- Dr Margaret Hustler, Headmistress from 1996-2007 of Harrogate Ladies' College and from 1989-96 of St Michael's School, Limpsfield (taught from 1977-85)
- Frances King, Headmistress since 2008 of Roedean School and from 2003-7 of Heathfield School, Ascot (taught RE from 1984-5)
[edit] Reputation
According to the Good Schools Guide, Lady Eleanor Holles School is "Deservedly one of the top girls' schools in the country". It also states that the school is "Highly sought-after for its academic delivery, celebration of female success, top of the range facilities and cream of the crop intake."[2]
[edit] Facilities and extra-curricular opportunities
The school's facilities include a sports hall, swimming pool, boat house on the Thames, playing fields, tennis courts, netball courts, athletics facilities, science laboratories, modern languages laboratory, design and technology suite, music and art suites, computer rooms and a Learning Resources Centre.
Clubs within the school include Amnesty International, Chess Club, Debating Society, Christian Union, Choirs, Orchestral and Chamber groups.
[edit] Sport
The school is known for success in rowing, tennis and lacrosse.
There are also several sports teams including trampolining, lacrosse, netball, tennis, gymnastics, athletics, rounders, swimming, rowing and fencing.
[edit] Academic performance
The local LEA, Richmond upon Thames is a comparatively high-performing area (for London) at GCSE, but quite low at A level, not helped by the fact that there are no 11-18 schools, and only one college - Richmond upon Thames College. There are no grammar schools, unlike neighbouring Kingston upon Thames. The school gets the second best A level results in the borough, for all types of school, with some of the best exam results in England.
There is very little comparison between what the school has to offer at A level and what local state schools have to offer. This is not true for other outer London boroughs, such as Sutton.
The school is often in the top of leader boards formerly being placed 2nd in the 2010 GCSE league table.
In 2010 the Holles Singers, a choir at the school, won the BBC Youth Choir of the Year.
[edit] Notable former pupils
- Pamela Alexander, Chief Executive since 2004 of the South East England Development Agency, and from 1997-2001 of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England (English Heritage)
- Charlotte Attenborough, daughter of Richard Attenborough
- Lynn Barber, journalist - her time at the school was featured in the film An Education
- Caroline Bird, published poet
- Aida Cable, daughter of Vince Cable (the local MP)
- Beatie Edney, actress and daughter of Sylvia Syms
- Carola Hicks, art historian
- Stephanie Hilborne OBE, Chief Executive since 2004 of The Wildlife Trusts, and from 2000-4 of Wildlife and Countryside Link[3]
- Jay Hunt, former Controller of BBC One from 2008-10
- Vivien Jones, lacrosse player[4]
- Clare Lawrence Moody, actress and daughter of TV director Laurence Moody
- Iris Loveridge, concert pianist
- Juliet Morris, television presenter
- Annie Nightingale, BBC journalist
- Sue Owen CB, Director General for Welfare and Wellbeing since 2009 at the DWP[5]
- Barbara Pearse, biological scientist at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
- Katie Pearson,
- Saskia Reeves, actress
- Pamela Schwerdt, joint head gardener at Sissinghurst Castle Garden, and pioneering horticulturalist
- Gail Trimble, captain of the victorious (later disqualified) Corpus Christi College, Oxford, University Challenge team in 2009
[edit] References
- ^ "Girls' Schools Association - School Town Day/Board". About GSA. Girls' Schools Association. http://www.gsa.uk.com/NR/exeres/FAFA2E6D-0914-4A99-9991-D87D7C7E4A11. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
- ^ Good School Guide
- ^ Stephanie Hilborne
- ^ Clayton, Midge (4 January 2011). "Vivien Jones 1951-2010 – Lacrosse legend". English Lacrosse Association. http://www.sportcentric.com/vsite/vcontent/content/transnews/0,10869,5106-163779-19728-34661-311914-14391-5301-layout172-180996-news-item,00.html. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
- ^ Sue Owen
- Daily Telegraph 20 March 2001
