South Hampstead High School


South Hampstead High School is an independent day school in Hampstead, north-west London, England, which was founded by the Girls' Day School Trust. It is for girls aged 4–18 with selective entry at ages 4+, 7+, 11+ and 16+.

History

The school was founded in 1876, the ninth school established by the GDST, as the St John's Wood School, with 27 pupils. In 1886 the school was still led by Rita/Rebecca Allen Olney. She left to found another school nearby with her sister Sarah Allen Olney who had been an assistant head at this school. In 1887, it changed its name to South Hampstead High School. From 1946 until the late 1970s, it was a girls' direct grant grammar school, with around half the intake paid for by the local council. In January 2015, alumna Helena Bonham Carter officially opened a new 7-storey building for the Senior School, designed by Hopkins Architects. In January 2020, the school unveiled a new state-of-the-art performance space, Waterlow Hall.

Staff

Head Teachers

In 2019, South Hampstead High School was ranked 13th in the country for A Level results, based on data collated by the Independent Schools Council.
Typically around one fifth of the student body goes on to study at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

School motto