Notting Hill and Ealing High School


Notting Hill and Ealing High School is an independent school for girls aged 4 – 18 in Ealing, London. Founded in 1873, it is one of the 26 schools that make up the Girls' Day School Trust. It has a Junior Department of 310 girls and a Senior Department of 600 girls. The current Headmaster is Mr Matthew Shoults. Mrs Silvana Silva is Head of the Junior School.

History

Since being founded in 1873, the school has changed both its location and its name. When the Girls' Day School Trust, then the Girls' Public Day School Trust, was formed in 1872, it established its first two schools in West London. In January 1873, the Trust opened Chelsea High School to serve the area immediately to the west of the centre of the city and nine months later, Notting Hill High School which was to serve families in the area to the north of Hyde Park.
The school originally occupied premises in Norland Square but eventually outgrew these and moved to Ealing in 1931 and became known as Notting Hill and Ealing High School for Girls. Following the Education Act 1944 it became a direct grant grammar school in 1946. When the direct grant scheme was abolished in 1976, it became an independent school.

Facilities

Extensive remodelling over the years has enabled the School to incorporate a number of facilities. Sympathetically revised, the School has retained its period facade and a sleek glass extension, the West Wing, was added in 2003 with a 25 metre indoor pool, a spacious library, ultra-modern assembly hall, music recital hall, recording studio, music practice rooms, new classroom space, three art studios and a 10 metre high sports hall with trampolines.
In 2006 new classrooms, a new design and art room as well as a science lab were added to the facilities in the Junior School. A new Sixth Form Centre with its own gym opened in 2010 and the following year a spacious, light and airy dining room which is used by all girls and staff.
Further additions in 2013 included a multi-function hall for assemblies, whole-school gatherings, plays and events, 4-court sports hall built to Sport England standards, 100-seat studio theatre with state-of-the-art lighting and sound, a drama workshop area, dance studio with a separate area for rowing machines and all-weather courts and pitch were opened.

Present day

The school numbers 910 girls in 2018/19. Entry to the school is by assessment normally at ages 4+, 7+, 11+ or 16+. The school has a strong academic tradition. In 2018, 91.65% of grades at GCSE were A*/A and 98.84% were A*-B. At A Level 65% of grades were A*/A and 94% were A*-B.
In the 2019 Times School League Tables, NHEHS featured in the Top 20 for both GCSE and A-Levels and is one of only 10 schools in the country to achieve this accolade.
In 2017 the Junior School was awarded "Independent Prep School of the Year" by the Sunday Times' Parent Power Guide, observing that the school "proves you can have both outstanding academic success and a relaxed, happy school where girls are encouraged to be individuals and to express themselves".
And in their last report, the ISI inspectors reported, "pupils' achievement in curricular and extra-curricular activities and their learning is exceptional as is their attainment in national tests at age 11 and at A Level".
Former pupils keep in touch with each other through the Old Girls' Association.

School fees

In 2018/19 fees are £4,771 per term and £6,187 per term. Academic and Music Scholarships are awarded at 11+ and 16+ and there are further scholarships at 16+. Means tested bursaries are awarded in the senior school only.

Notable former pupils