WHAT? WHERE?

St George's Ascot girls school pupils Berkshire

St George‘s is a small girls’ secondary boarding and day school in Ascot, just 25 miles outside London for 11-18 year olds. Currently 270 girls attend, roughly half of whom board. Like many public schools, there’s a beautiful old main building with good-looking, modern additions all around.

The school dates back to 1877 when it was a prestigious boys’ prep, educating former PM Winston Churchill, it wasn’t until 1923 that it became an academic girls’ school – and marked its centenary last year.

For a town school, it has a semi-rural feel with 32 glorious acres to romp around in, but with all the convenience of its town location. Great transport links and the opportunity for the girls to enjoy a little independence. The lure of a Frappuccino with friends sounds great to me.

FACILITIES

St George’s is quite understated at first glance, but you cannot fail to be impressed by the light, bright classrooms, swish sports facilities, all the tech, as well as elegant interiors. It’s an old school, but has a thoroughly modern provision and outlook. The new state-of-the-art music technology room, recording studio, and investment in solar panels are just a couple of signs that this school is very much looking to the future.

SPORT

St George's Ascto school indoor swimming pool

One of the crown jewels is the school’s 25m indoor pool. It’s a big hit with the girls and used by the wider community, so has become a great local asset. It’s a great addition, alongside the six floodlit netball courts, eight tennis courts, three pitches, mirrored dance studio (are you keeping up?), new Technogym with running machines that connect to Netflix, grass athletics track, two squash courts, full-size sports hall. Plus, the opportunity to go offsite for riding.

St George's Ascot School Berkshire girls in sports kids playing football

It’s fair to say, sportiness is in these girls’ DNA. Netball is the school’s main sport, but there’s been a deliberate shift to offer a more progressive curriculum, with football and cricket now the norm. After the success of the Lionesses – lifting the Euro 2022 winner’s trophy in football and runners up in the cricket World Cup. The school’s most successful sportswoman is a national runner (impressive). In the past they have also had talented equestrians and swimmers, which I think demonstrates the breadth of opportunity.

MUSIC & DRAMA

The theatre complex is enormous, and a super-active drama department makes this school an attractive proposition for jazz handers. There’s a 300-seat theatre and separate drama studio giving the girls the space to flex their creativity. The annual production involving Y8 to Y13, and the Y7s Christmas panto are highlights of the school calendar. The girls heap praise on set designer and theatre technician who goes above and beyond to bring the shows to life be it for pupil projects or school productions.

Music is a big deal at SGA, with more than 50% of girls taking weekly individual music lessons or singing in the choir. The new state-of-the-art music technology room and recording studio – named after Director of Music, Ian Hiller who has been teaching at SGA for 40 years – is a cool addition to the existing 12 practice rooms, two performance spaces, four Grand pianos and more. While music tech is another string to students who sing and play an instrument, it has much broader appeal.

SGA is well known for its choral music; The Chapel Choir (audition only) sing Evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral each year, recently travelled to Salzburg and Vienna and has even sung for the Queen. In the past, they have also sung at The Vatican in Rome. Yes, they’re that good. Even the most ferocious tiger mum can’t fail to be impressed by those stats and facts! Pretty everyone gets involved in music in some way, from individual music lessons to open mic night and House Music.

SCHOOL

St George's Ascot School Berkshire Cookery Room

The cookery room looks like a scene from Masterchef with the culinary kit and space for gastro greatness. Since 2023 St George’s has introduced GCSE Food and Nutrition plus in the lower years girls have access to the facilities on a lesson carousel, so the girls learn professional cookery skills, appreciation of food, ingredients, trends and nutrition. With Michelin’s three-star role models, Clare Smyth and Hélène Darroze to inspire them, it is another feather in their facilities cap.

St George's Ascot School Berkshire pupil in classroom

The modern library has style and substance with the girls enjoying some peace and quiet or study time, under the watchful eye of new school librarian Sarah van de Weg. Obviously, we quizzed the girls on their favourite authors and reassuringly Roald Dahl, Jacqueline Wilson and Lemony Snicket are still loved alongside Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson books) and Hunger Games.

SGA is talking the talk and walk when it comes to sustainability – edging ever closer towards a zero-carbon footprint. Hundreds of solar panels and low-energy light bulbs have been fitted. The school is developing its own Arboretum, has installed bat and swallow boxes, microponds, and there’s a huge effort to reduce plastic consumption.

SIXTH FORM

Sixth Form classes are small, and the girls have the freedom to take any combination of A Level subjects. Bespoke timetables are created around pupil preferences and the subjects available to study tend to be a good mix of traditional, modern and creative. In addition to A Level maths, English and the sciences, it’s great to see computer science, politics, psychology, textiles, photography and history of art among the options. Most girls choose three (a few go for four) plus the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) – a project-based qualification that universities love.

A lot of thought goes into teaching life skills needed for their adventures after SGA and there’s support with university applications, leadership, talks, careers, and community service. PE continues to be compulsory, which is pretty rare at this stage in the educational game. As for university destinations, the vast majority head off to Russell Group unis. But there’s a pool of talented creatives who scoop places at Central Saint Martins, RADA, LIPA and the University of the Arts, London.

ACADEMICS

St George's Ascot School Berkshire science lesson

It’s hard to compare school to school sometimes, but value added is a good marker. St George’s, placed 7th out of 344 UK schools at GCSE in a recent Cambridge University measure (at least one grade higher than expected in GCSE), puts on 26 subject clinics each week and specialist support for English as an Additional Language students.

Of course, the proof is in the pudding. GCSE results are consistently impressive – 99% getting grades 9-4 (old school A*-C). The A level results aren’t too shabby either – 71% of A Level grades were awarded at A*-B. Competition for uni places was fierce this year, but 67% got their first choice to study subjects like Psychology, Medicine, International Relations, Fashion Marketing, Fine Art, and Filmmaking. Not everyone’s a 10 A* genius, but the quality teaching, facilities and approach to learning, certainly create an environment where the girls thrive.

It’s worth noting, you get a modern, progressive education. Traditional values, yes, but SGA is very much looking to the future. Over the last few years, St George’s has not only embraced technology, they have immersed themselves in it – and was recently awarded Google Education for Reference School status, a kite mark of excellence. All pupils from Y7-Y11 and staff are given Chromebooks and Google apps are used for teaching, learning, admin and communication. It’s created a more efficient, creative and connected environment.

Led by Elodie Pierre the Learning Innovation Lead, all teachers are trained to Level 1 Google Educator status and blend tech and traditional teaching in the classroom – so not at the expense of actual writing, obvs. I loved the sounds of the SGA Googlies – who work towards an SGA diploma and act as peer mentors and there’s also Lower Sixth IT ambassadors helping to steer the school’s digital strategy. The school has also signed up for GCSE Pod, offering revision resources for the YouTube-podcast generation. Brilliant.

THE HEAD

It’s the end of an era, Liz Hewer will be vacating her throne at the end of the summer term 2025. She’s been in the hot seat since September 2016 and has transformed St George’s to the polished, successful school it is today. Liz’s fun, forward-thinking and fabulous approach to education can be seen from top to bottom.

As we arrived there was a Mexican wave of high fives, as St George’s had won its first award for ‘Innovation in Nutrition or Food’ (we can confirm the food is excellent). They’ve been finalists and highly commended for their eco initiative, innovation, marketing campaigns and outstanding Sixth Form. It’s fair to say, Liz is competitive (you’ll hear her shouting from the sporting sidelines, too), but it comes from an unwavering belief in the girls and the staff – and she will celebrate every single success.

We love her positivity and you instantly pick up on the rapport she has with the girls. The fabulous extends to her team too – the Bursar James Anderson has a flair for interior design (affectionately known as SGA’s Lawrence Llewelyn Bowen) and has been heavily involved in any redecoration of the school. Think floral wallpaper and elegant furnishings, with a flounce. A new Head of Philanthropy, Rachelle Barnett, has been appointed to drive a culture of philanthropy within the school community. It’s not all about names on buildings, but developing social responsibility and service, community connections and generating charitable income and Karen Semple is the new Director of Admissions. The SGA community has always been strong, but this takes it to the next level.

Liz, with her wonderful bursar James, has taken the business of running the school seriously and invested in big and small projects, from the swish indoor pool and music recording studio to the hundreds of solar panels fitted to bring down energy costs, are all designed to benefit the pupils, community and future of the school.

She takes up her position as head of St Paul’s Girls’ School in London in Sept 2025. SGA’s yet-to-be-appointed new head has big trendy cowboy boots to fill, but will inherit a brilliant school in rude health.

PASTORAL CARE

Pastoral care St George's Ascot berkshire girls hugging

Girls check in with their personal tutor twice a day, while peer mentors look out for the younger pupils. There’s a head of pastoral care and school counsellor, but in a school of this size, every member of staff from the classroom to the kitchen gets to know and keep an eye on every individual. Girls earn their privileges through academic achievement, extra-curricular contributions and manners (no wonder the girls we met had phenomenal social skills). Doors are opened for you, chat is relaxed and charm is effortless. We also love the ambassadors awards scheme to encourage the girls to connect outside the St George’s bubble – touring prospective parents, participating in charity events, linking up with other schools or supporting others.

QUIRKS

St George's Ascot Berkshire silly selfie

House competitions – like the aptly named team run, the Georgian Gallop – and some co-curricular activities encourage integration between the years. I had lunch with several sixth formers who were lovely – confident, charming girls who absolutely love their school. They feel they have been given every opportunity whether they are sporty, arty, theatrical or have grand plans in science, engineering or law. The girls are the biggest advocates for SGA – funny, bright, ambitious and honest. Rude kids are the worst, so it’s refreshing to find teenagers who talk to adults with such ease.

Famous alumni include Winston Churchill – no, Winston’s parents weren’t a bit bonkers. It was in fact a boys’ school up until 1904. Over the years, Princess Beatrice, TV sports presenter Kirsty Gallacher, and Isobel Waller-Bridge, the St George’s former head girl, may not be a household name but she wrote the music score for Sunday night period drama, Vanity Fair.

There be dragons! Not the teachers (rude), but this beautiful sculpture painted but the pupils. It was a project started to celebrate the centenary of the school and is now perched at the top of the hill, keeping a watchful eye on the girls as they arrive, leave and move between classes. Take a closer look and you’ll find all sorts of SGA references.

It’s contentious, but the school houses are all named after men: Churchill, Alexander, Becket, and Darwin (an historical anomaly). There has been much debate about changing them to inspirational females, and this continues to be a work in progress led by the JEDI Council (Justice, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion), but getting 270 students to democratically agree is always going to be a challenge. If they want Muddy’s ballot, we’d vote for change.

BOARDING

When it comes to boarding houses, in truth, most schools are the same – high street sofas and large TVs and games in the communal areas, plus oak veneer bunk beds in the rooms. But there are plenty of posters on the walls and cute personal touches to ensure the rooms feel homely. Tailored boarding is a really popular option, enabling parents to choose for their girls to sleep over four, five or six nights a week, usually based on what activities they’re doing. When the day starts at 8.15am and ends as late as 6.45pm, it makes sense.

St George's Ascot Berkshire house sports comp

There’s a busy programme of activities and residential trips to fill the days and terms. It is also worth noting, the girls are encouraged – strongly – to step back from over-focusing on pure academics to forge interests in sport, music, anything co-curricular. It’s all about balance and the teachers have made it clear here that girls have to offer more than brains and academic results to compete for places at university and in the workplace. With the trend towards anxiety in teens, that’s good to hear.

ISI REPORT

Inspectors paid St George’s Ascot a visit in 2022 and rated it excellent for academic standards and personal development. You can read the report here.

TRANSPORT

Ascot train station is less than a mile away, with direct trains to London Waterloo. St George’s attracts local, London and international girls – and they operate seven bus routes: a daily bus runs to and from Richmond and West London (stops include Hammersmith, Chriswick & South Kensington), plus a weekly London bus for boarders. Locally, girls are scooped up on routes to Eton, Windsor, Maidenhead, Beaconsfield and Virginia Water. Heathrow Airport is also just 11 miles down the road.

FEES

St George's Ascot Berkshire girls wearing headphones looking at a laptop

The full boarding fee is £15,145 per term. If you choose to board 4, 5 and 6 nights, the fees are slightly lower. Day fees are £9,520 per term. Overall it’s on a par with local independent senior schools. Value for money? Hard to say, but the girls seem very happy, confident, ambitious for themselves and there seems to be an absence of meanness and vanity. A result at this age.

WORD ON THE GROUND

Very happy parents at St George’s. The school is small (average class sizes only around 15), but not so tiny that the girls don’t have room to grow. Word is the school is nurturing, not too claustrophobic and that the girls exude confidence and individuality. They are kept in the loop, feel part of the SGA community. Often Senior schools keep parents at arms length, but not here. A big tick. And if they want a window into their daughter’s world, scroll over to SGA’s Instagram and you can follow the fun.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Anyone looking for an outstanding all-round school that manages to juggle academic ambition, progression and traditional values with a sense of fun. Tricky to pull off.

Not for: The interview process will weed out those who prefer a more laid-back school experience, but everyone I talked to, from the head to the pupils said that this is a school for kids who want to have-a-go.

Dare to disagree?! Have a look for yourself. Take a virtual tour of the school and arrange a private visit. Or book yourself on to one of their upcoming Open Days: 5 Nov. They’re small, intimate visits to help you get a feel for the school, including a pupil tour and a talk from head Liz Hewer. Spaces are limited, so be sure to book.

St George’s School, Wells Lane, Ascot Berkshire SL5 7DZ. Tel 01344 629904

St George’s School, Ascot

You may also like