Welcome…

Founded in 1882 and

Of

Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST),

At Portsmouth High School the well-being of all our girls is the first priority. Girls learn best when they feel safe, secure and happy in a school environment where they know professional help, advice and guidance is at hand every day. Each girl is nurtured, encouraged and challenged. We take time to get to know each one of our pupils as an individual, helping to build her confidence and leadership skills in preparation for the future.

I can proudly say that Portsmouth High School also has an enviable reputation for academic success whether that is at the prep or senior school. Each summer we celebrate impressive examination results both at A Level and GCSE. We credit our success to the hard work of our girls, specialist teachers, disciplined classes and highly regarded, traditional courses, which give our girls a firm foundation for academic excellence.

We aim to foster an atmosphere of ambition and enterprise. We encourage every pupil to develop her own voice and her own views; we enable them to build on their strengths and above all we inspire in our girls the confidence to take risks and tackle new challenges. We recognise our pupils as individuals and aim to nurture not only their intellect but their wellbeing too.

Our prep school is set in wonderful grounds with plenty of space for the girls to play and discover the outdoor classroom.

This lively environment is an exciting place to learn and there are many opportunities to participate in clubs and activities that extend and enrich the school day. During their time here girls are prepared very well for the next stage of senior school.

Our senior school is a vibrant and thriving environment for creative arts, music and sports. A year round calendar of drama productions and art exhibitions showcases the girls’ creative abilities whilst ensembles, orchestras and choirs cater for all levels of musical talent. Girls excel in all areas of the curriculum and, unencumbered by subject stereotyping, are just as likely to choose sciences and mathematics as they are arts based subjects.

We nurture the talents of our upand-coming sports stars and offer a huge variety of sporting options from trampolining to cricket, as well as making the most of our location by the sea by offering popular sailing courses.

Life at Portsmouth High School is busy, always enjoyable and tremendous fun. Do come and visit and discover this stimulating environment and just what makes our school different and so special.

Jane Prescott Headmistress, Portsmouth High School

This is a school where curiosity, confidence and courage is developed and where girls enjoy learning through a huge range of opportunities, both inside and outside the classroom. The Prep School team use their considerable expertise to ensure that the girls in our school are explorers, using thinking skills that apply across the curriculum and beyond into sport, music and drama.

To learn we need to have a variety of skills. Our ability to think, problem solve and apply knowledge is essential to making progress. At Portsmouth High Prep School we work with the girls to create curious explorers. Not just children who are mere attenders dividing their day into different subjects, but those who think imaginatively and are resilient when faced with a problem. They make links between topics and are encouraged to be independent in thought. They are collaborative, resilient and work together in teams to accomplish their goals.

We are fortunate to have outstanding grounds at our disposal. An oasis in the heart of the city, our gardens allow the girls to express themselves, have space to roam and enjoy a range of outdoor activities including forest and beach schools. The family atmosphere promotes exceptional pastoral carealongsidehigh-levelacademic performance. Girls here are confident, composed, committed and courageous.

Quite simply, this is a school where girls learn without limits.

Paul Marshallsay Headmaster, Portsmouth High Prep School