PROSPECTUS
For Girls. For Life.
Boarding in Bath
Royal High Bath (RHB) is set in beautiful, tree-lined grounds within walking distance of the centre of Bath, a UNESCO World Heritage City which combines history and tradition with a lively, contemporary culture.
Within easy reach of London, Bristol, Oxford and only 1.5 hours away from Heathrow and Gatwick Airports, our students are well placed to live, study and develop a global perspective in education.
Home from home
As a boarder, your daughter will be part of a warm and caring community offering all the support she needs to feel at home, to know that she belongs and to help her achieve her very best in school.
She will soon become part of a close-knit school ‘family’ and quickly form strong friendships which will last all the way through the Senior School and beyond.
A place to flourish
At Royal High Bath we provide the conditions for boarders to develop their individual talents and intellectual abilities through well-structured study conditions, access to dynamic, creative and caring staff, combined with participation in activities in an atmosphere which values effort as well as actual achievement.
We acknowledge the special circumstances in which a boarder is living, learning and growing up. We recognise the reality of homesickness, and every effort is made to work with parents to help our boarders settle in quickly and to make the transition as easy as possible.
Our aim in boarding is to ensure that each boarder experiences a happy and stable ‘family’ environment; a structured routine balancing the demands of school work and the need for time to relax; and the opportunity to grow and develop as an independent and self-reliant person.
Bath is ranked as one of the UK’s safest cities.
UNIVERSITY GUIDE
COMPLETE
Boarding houses
Described as ‘chic’ by The Good Schools Guide, our boarding accommodation is contemporary, comfortable, clean and attractive, and is suited to the needs of boarders whilst ensuring adequate levels of privacy.
School House, ages 11–16
A warm and nurturing home for boarders where they are supported both pastorally and academically through their formative years.
Located on the top floor of our neo-gothic Main Building, boarders in School House enjoy spacious common rooms, quiet study areas and quirky mezzanine bedrooms. There is also a sizeable kitchen for cooking and baking together where girls gather over a snack and a drink, and to chat about their day.
Gloucester House, ages 16–18
Our Sixth Form boarding house where girls benefit from greater independence and freedom to prepare for university life after school.
With single and twin study bedrooms where girls can unwind or study, Gloucester House also has comfortable communal areas, a large modern kitchen and quiet study areas. There is also a Sixth Form café attached to Gloucester House which is open for all Sixth Form students for late breakfasts, break as well as lunch, and can also be used in study periods for group study.
Weekend and evening activities
Weekend fun
Our exciting programme of weekend and evening activities encourages boarders to try new adventures, share experiences and have fun! Walk around our beautiful campus out of class hours and you’ll see girls playing badminton in the sports hall, football on the paddock or working together on extra-curricular projects or indulging their passion for piano.
In addition to this, there are opportunities to become involved with volunteering and charity work, to celebrate faith, to practise musical instruments and, importantly, to relax.
RHB Active
One of the real strengths is that we recognise that student life is about much more than academic success. We encourage our students to balance their academic work with enrichment, extension and co-curricular activities. Through being active in all aspects of school life, students will develop into happy and successful young women.
Our extensive RHB Active programme offers a diverse range of activities which allows our students to develop their skills in areas of strength, try new things to be creative and to find new ways of expressing themselves. Ranging from tennis to theatre, Biology to Bee Club, RHB Active encourages our students to be courageous and stretch themselves by taking risks in a safe and friendly environment.
What makes Royal High special?
Within our impressive buildings and tranquil grounds, our girls are adventurous in their thinking and their own ambitions – they also support each other and achieve high academic standards. This is what makes our School such a happy, secure and successful place.
We pride ourselves on a supportive, caring ethos where every girl is treated as an individual and known to all. Our girls-first approach, smaller class sizes and focus on the individual means we are able to tailor everything we do to the way girls learn best, delivering innovative learning right through to Sixth Form.
Our ethos is embedded in recognising every pupil’s potential –from the moment she walks through the doors, your daughter will be encouraged to learn without limits to ensure she makes her mark on the world.
Facilities
Our beautiful Neo Gothic building is complemented by modern and well-equipped classrooms and facilities throughout. Separate to the main complex are a Music School, an Art School, Design Technology workshops, a dedicated Science block and a Sixth Form centre with its own library and cafe.
In addition to the practice and recital rooms in our Music School, for Performing Arts, we also have a traditional ‘end-on’ auditorium, dance studios and a multi-use performing arts hall housed in a former chapel.
Our sports facilities include our sports hall, fitness suite, netball courts, tennis courts, and hockey astroturf. We also benefit from regular access to a 25-metre pool in the city centre and enjoy Sports Days on the University of Bath’s world-class athletics fields.
Academics
We use current research on how girls learn, develop and thrive. Here, every girl can do more than she thought possible, and go on to excel personally and academically.
From Music and Mathematics to Classics and Computer Science. Learning at RHSB is active and collaborative, reflecting the modern way of working in our global society. Our girls develop the ability to tackle real-world issues. We help them learn how to write with passion and precision, speak their minds effectively, and present with power.
We offer both A Levels and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in our Sixth Form, each programme contributes to a rich Sixth Form experience. Our international mindset and focus on independent learning runs through every element of teaching in our school.
Academic Extension
Girls have the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills to become leaders of the future. Our Head of Academic Extension, drives a programme designed to stretch students across all age ranges, encouraging them to become independent and intellectually curious. This programme consists of three strands: Extension clubs and activities, the Aspire Programme and Oxbridge discussion groups.
Creative thinking and academic rigour are at the heart of our teaching
Sport
Our aim is to foster a lifelong enjoyment and engagement in sport and or physical activity, so that our pupils can confidently maintain a healthy, active lifestyle beyond the school parameters.
A higher level of competition
High standards of athletes are a distinctive feature of sporting life at our school. Opportunities for training and matches are considerable and students’ timetables are tailored to accommodate their sporting interests, where relevant, and training load and energy levels are carefully monitored.
Girls regularly compete in many local and national competitions as well as against other schools in the area; and a number have gone on to represent the county and region, and more recently have gained international honours. We also have PE and coaching staff who have played sport at the highest level and hold international representative honours who can provide our girls with an insight into the life of an elite athlete and add to their learning experience.
Girls expressing themselves
Art
Housed in our beautiful modern building, bathed in natural light, our Art School boasts a variety of media, large spaces to work in and an excess of inspiration. All manner of creative endeavours are pursued and encouraged with facilities for printmaking, sculpture, drawing and painting; a dark room and Macs for film making and photography. Students are offered opportunities to visit major galleries in the UK as well as abroad.
Dance
Taught in our performing arts venue, and our specialist Dance Studio, students benefit from top quality facilities, such as barres, mirrors, a portable dance floor and a strong sound system. Teaching is personalised to the individual’s strengths and interests with varying levels of experience and ability being stretched and challenged. There are plenty of opportunities for students to perform on stage in front of an audience including our annual Dance Show.
Design Technology
Design Technology at RHB is exciting and innovative, teaching students to problem solve whilst learning both traditional and Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing skills. Students use laser cutters, 3D printers and a 4 axis router to produce work of the highest standard, and to develop strategies for creative, critical thinking to propel them towards careers in DT, Engineering and Architecture.
Drama
Drama at RHB is the perfect opportunity for students to explore their self-expression, grow their confidence and develop their unique voice. Offering a foundation in important skills for life as well as for further study, students are taught to actively use their imagination and discover the importance of bravery in a safe and collaborative environment with numerous opportunities to participate in school productions.
Music
As one of only 250 schools worldwide to hold the prestigious All-Steinway title, our students benefit from access to world-class instruments, masterclasses with top musicians and performance opportunities throughout the year. Our Steinway Music School is fully equipped with a professional standard recording studio, a beautiful recital room and practice rooms, providing a unique and contemporary learning environment for students to let their creativity flourish.
An inspiring Sixth Form
Our Sixth Form is deliberately different to earlier experiences of school; lessons have a new emphasis, with more importance placed on academic curiosity and independent research; relationships with teachers feel richer, and the classroom experience is alive with discussion and debate; a space for students to offer their own perspectives.
Students are given the independence to make their own choices. Lessons are taught in smaller seminar groups, allowing each girl to participate more actively. Greater freedom
and different ways of learning are essential preparation for university life and the teaching styles of higher education.
Students are stretched and challenged on a regular basis, feeding off the atmosphere of common purpose and academic endeavour. Academically, your daughter will grow in confidence and in terms of pastoral support, our Sixth Form is second to none.
A Levels and International Baccalaureate
We are proud to offer two distinct pathways, A Levels and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). Both pathways offer a breadth of subject choices and results are excellent in both programmes.
Our A Level students seize the advantage of studying alongside IBDP students and benefit from key IB elements such as the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). This is increasingly important for universities and holds more weight in UCAS points than a standalone AS level. They also take part in the Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) programme – where the goal is for students to enhance their personal and interpersonal development by learning through experience.
Deliberately different
There are development opportunities and events taking place each week that students can take advantage of, from lecture programmes and debating sessions, to Litlunch and GDST programmes such as LEAD (Leadership Enterprise Advanced Diploma) in association with The London School of Economics’ Generate, and the NASA affiliated GDST Space Technology Programme.
A future without limits
Year after year, our students continue to excel in their exam results. This year, an impressive 20.5% of grades secured by our A Level students were the top A* grade, with a quarter of the cohort receiving at least three A*/A grades; five students achieved straight A* grades across all their subjects. These results follow those of our IB Diploma Programme students who achieved an impressive 35-point average which is significantly above the global average of 30 points.
Going places
Our students go on to pursue different passions and specialise in exciting, innovative and important areas in their higher education and careers. The spirit and individuality of our students is demonstrated perfectly by the range of destinations and variety of the subjects they go on to study. 80% of last year’s leavers were awarded places in their first choice universities; 52% of students received offers from the prestigious Russell Group and 48% are studying Medicine or a STEM subject.
Where girls learn without limits 25 schools. One family.
As specialists in girls’ education, we tailor our teaching to the way girls learn best, and instil in them the conviction that there is no limit to what they can achieve. In our schools, academic excellence is a given. GDST girls also learn to be confident, resilient and fearless, so our girls are equipped for the opportunities and challenges of the future.
GDST girls reported that they feel more confident, less restricted by gender stereotypes, happier to take on leadership positions and more comfortable taking risks, than girls elsewhere. You can find out more at www.gdst.net
Connecting through GDST
All our students are part of the GDST Alumnae Network, a community of more than 70,000 former students and staff.
Being a GDST alumnae connects pupils to thousands of like-minded women all over the world, who are, forging their own way and making their own individual mark in the world. Opportunities range from mentoring programmes and business networking, to self-development and social events, the network offers a powerful professional community like no other.
“It’s so hard to put into words… but I know that my daughter would not be who she is today without the school. She is growing daily, and she is achieving more than I could have hoped for. I can see a very bright future for her and that is down to the staff at the Royal High, who are driving her forward to achieve her very best.”
SENIOR SCHOOL PARENT
Senior School
Lansdown Road, Bath BA1 5SZ royalhigh@rhsb.gdst.net +44 (0)1225 313877 Royal High School Bath www.royalhighbath.gdst.net
