Queens Gate Junior School Prospectus

“Queen’s Gate creates a secure, happy and stimulating environment where individuality is nurtured and each girl can realise her academic and personal potential”

Welcome from

It is my pleasure to serve as Principal of Queen’s Gate, and enjoy the very special atmosphere created in a school where our pupils range in age from 4 to 18. Our Junior and Senior Schools are closely linked: we share the same ethos and values, many of the same facilities and, most importantly, the same aspirations that our girls will thrive here, both as learners and in their personal development.

We are proud of the warmth of our Junior School, where we achieve outstanding outcomes in a supportive, encouraging learning environment, where each girl is treated as the individual she is. The girls themselves speak with joy of the “authenticity” they are each able to bring to the school community, and enjoy the opportunities presented to be themselves, including the fact that they are not required to wear a school uniform.

As a through-school, our Junior School pupils and parents benefit from our experience of the girls’ later development. Our secondary expertise is used to inform our Junior School provision, making for a seamless educational journey. Older pupils provide leadership and sisterly guidance to our younger girls, while our Junior School pupils bring to our community a lightness of mood and unabashed enthusiasm for learning.

Ultimately, only a visit can convey what truly goes on inside our elegant walls. We very much hope you will enjoy the opportunity to come and meet us, and see for yourselves all that we are, and all that we can offer your daughter.

Miss Amy Wallace MA MPhil (Cantab), PGCE (Oxon) Principal

Queen’s Gate

When you meet our pupils you will find them intelligent, confident, happy girls who are keen to share with you their enthusiasm for Queen’s Gate. They will tell you about our talented, passionate staff with whom they have formed such close relationships; our 45 clubs; our many stimulating trips.

Our curriculum is broad and exciting. We teach twenty-two diverse subjects, including six languages, and we achieve academic excellence whilst nurturing equally important soft skills. When our pupils progress to the next stages of their academic careers, be it at 11 or 18, they are well-rounded individuals with a love of learning.

We are a small, friendly school. Within the security of our bright, airy classrooms and laboratories, pupils have the confidence to take risks. Whether they are problem solving during Mathematics lessons, creating rockets in STEM Society, or treading the boards in one of our many school plays, our girls are extremely supportive of one another and are willing to have a go at anything.

We like to keep busy and there is always a buzz around school as the next project takes shape. Codebreaking and mystery evenings during the biennial Mathematics

and Literature Festivals, explosions in Science

Week, sustainable living during British Food Fortnight, House singing, quiz, debating and sports competitions … there is never a dull moment!

Please accept our invitation to visit – you are most welcome at any time.

Mr James Denchfield BA (hons) PgCe Director of the Junior School

“I really enjoy Maths because the teachers help us understand everything and make it fun. I really liked the money project!”

Kay IIA

ACA demi C stA ndA rds A re high, and a love of learning is evident throughout the School. Our curriculum is uniquely broad, nurturing the diverse skills required by our citizens of the future; alongside the core subjects, girls learn six languages, Design and Technology, Computing, Art, Sport, Humanities, Latin, Science, Debating and Drama, amongst many other subjects.

Enrichment, which incorporates philosophy, engineering and Model United Nations, is a timetabled lesson.

Science is taught by specialist teachers in our well-equipped laboratories; our STEAM Room brings together the arts and sciences in a multi-purpose, dynamic learning environment.

We cherish the fact that girls make progress at different stages of their development. Teaching is differentiated to ensure that all are challenged and all are supported at every point on their journeys.

Our Mathematics curriculum seeks to engender a love of problem solving and creativity.

“I really like learning about microbes because it is cool to see how the world works”

Emily IIA

“Art and Computing are so much fun. I just adore creating my own games and painting vases and flowers”

Isabella IIA

y oun G W omen at the cutting edge

STEAM

s cience, t echnolo G y, e n G ineerin G , a rt & m athematics

G irls A re CAPAB le of greatness on any stage and, at Queen’s Gate, our pupils have the confidence to tackle any challenge and the will to have their voices heard.

STEM Society, run by Sixth Form scientists and the Head of Chemistry, is very popular, and our girls enjoy building rockets, cars and turbines.

We run entrepreneurship challenges and our pupils enjoy competing in many disciplines including chess, fencing, debating and general knowledge competitions. Visiting speakers include successful women from all backgrounds, including science and engineering.

“We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained”

Marie Curie

“All the girls at Queen’s Gate are warm-hearted and cheerful. Our motto is ‘Once a Queen’s Gate girl, always a Queen’s Gate girl’” Erika III Form

India III Form

A lthough we AC hieve excellent results, we are not a hot house. Because of the kindness, care and mutual support that pervades our buildings, our pupils emerge at eleven as confident, resilient, well-balanced girls with a sense of perspective.

Personal success is celebrated on a regular basis, and the annual Prize Giving provides the opportunity for parents to share in this celebration. Our House system enables us to provide an additional support network based on a vertical division of the School.

“Queen’s Gate is a place where everyone is kind and the most amazing things can happen. The chances and possibilities are endless and the girls and teachers inspire everyone”

A n APP re C i Ation of the Arts is evident throughout the School. A music specialist teaches all year groups. We have three choirs and three orchestras, as well as a range of other musical ensembles in which girls are encouraged to develop their musicianship. Each term, we enjoy hearing our musicians in large and small concerts at school and beyond.

For a School with so many distinguished actresses as part of its alumnae, it is no surprise that Drama is a real strength at Queen’s Gate. Our annual School Play takes place at a prestigious London theatre and is a lavish, vibrant, highquality production. In recent years, we have staged The Sound of Music, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Wind in the Willows and Singin’ in the Rain

“I love the school play because it teaches us how real theatres work. You can express how you feel on stage”

Sophie IIA

“I have enjoyed learning about the Renaissance in music. I like how we get to perform”

Cecily IIA

A s A C entr A l London school, we are fortunate to have such marvellous sporting facilities to hand. We make full use of the gymnasium in the Senior School building for lessons, as well as Battersea and Hyde Parks, and Fulham and Imperial College pools.

A wide range of before and after school clubs are on offer, including fencing, rowing, climbing, cross country, dance and yoga. Our young sportswomen enjoy competing against other schools in regular team and individual fixtures including netball, hockey, cricket, gymnastics, cross country and biathlon.

“My favourite thing about Queen’s Gate is fencing. I like fencing because you get to go to competitions. It’s also good for your muscles”

Imogen IIA

“My favourite thing about Queen’s Gate is going to Kensington Gardens and playing with my friends”

Rania IA

A huge vA riety of activities takes place throughout the day and after school. The clubs on offer vary from year to year but may include Debating, Current Affairs, Art History, Philosophy, Chess, Science Enrichment, Coding, Musical Theatre, STEM, Art and Craft, Creative Writing, Drama and Music.

Residential trips are important for enrichment and for personal development: IIB (Year 4) visit New Barn in Dorset, IIA (Year 5) spend a week on the Isle of Wight and III Form (Year 6) spend five days in Norfolk.

Our setting in South Kensington

S outh Kensington is a diverse, exciting and historical area of London. We are very fortunate to be at the heart of ‘Albertopolis’, a hub of education, culture and endeavour since the 1850s.

Our excellent location enables us to take advantage of all that London has to offer. Within walking distance we have the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Kensington Palace, the Royal Albert Hall and the Design Museum. We also visit the National Gallery, the

London Transport Museum, the Globe Theatre, the Florence Nightingale Museum and the Wetlands Centre.

We maintain strong links with our vibrant community. We have partnerships with local businesses, such as bookshops during our Literature Festival; we support local charities through initiatives such as Food Bank Friday; we host regular events which are open to all, such as ‘Super Saturdays’ for toddlers; and we take part in local ventures such as the South Ken Kids’ Festival.

“I like debating because you really get to show your opinions and say what you believe”

Gioia IIA

“I am so excited about my class trip to the Natural History

“What I like about Queen’s Gate is all the trips we do, for example to New Barn. I also really like the clubs at school, like story-telling club, karate club and hockey club”

Anjuli IIA

Museum”

Jessie Transition

“I like being Form Captain because it involves a lot of responsibility. It has taught me leadership skills” Victoria IIA

A happy school

The most im P ortA nt question that any parents need to ask themselves after visiting a school is, ‘Will my daughter be happy here?’ Our girls’ happiness is our greatest priority. When you visit, your confident, articulate tour guide will be pleased to tell you about the ways in which she has been fulfilled by her time at Queen’s Gate.

The School was founded on the ethos of nurturing individuality, and this is as important today as it was in the 1890s when Queen’s Gate first opened. We believe that self-esteem, self-discipline, and respect and care for others are core values which lie at the heart of personal development.

“My favourite thing about Queen’s Gate is that it’s a small school and everyone knows the other girls. The teachers are very kind and we always have lots of fun wherever we are”

Ava III Form

“In School Council you gather all the ideas from your class and put them forward. I enjoy being a representative because I like speaking about how we feel and how we can benefit the School”

Kaitlyn IIA

O ur tA rget is set well beyond the 11+. We aim to ensure that our girls are prepared for all that life has in store and we are very privileged to be able to see them continue confidently on their journeys if they choose to remain at Queen’s Gate for the Senior School.

On a daily basis, Sixth Formers visit lessons and assist with reading and playing games; some run clubs; all build strong relationships, and our girls benefit greatly from spending time with older role models.

We are also fortunate to have specialist Senior School teachers in many subjects including Mathematics, Science, Art, Design and Technology, Computing and languages.

The majority of girls move on to the Senior School at 11+, but girls are fully prepared for entrance examinations at any schools to which they apply in III Form, including St Paul’s, Godolphin and Latymer, Latymer Upper, Wimbledon and boarding schools.

“I love reading stories and playing in the home corner and with the puppet show. My teachers are helpful and kind and teach me what to do”

Rebecca Preliminary

W ith parents

A ll o f our families are important to us and there are close relationships between staff and parents. A girl’s educational journey is a shared experience and we encourage parents to take active roles in their daughters’ academic development.

We have a hard-working and committed PTA which organises fundraising and social events, ranging from afternoon tea receptions to quiz nights to lecture evenings with notable personalities.

Scholarships & Bursaries

W e A re K een to welcome all families to apply for a place at the School, regardless of their background or financial circumstances.

A limited number of means-tested bursaries, of up to 100% of the value of school fees, are available to applicants of all ages. If you would like to apply for a bursary, you are invited to register and follow our admissions process. Further details are available from the Registrar or the Bursar.

Scholarships are available at both 7+ and 11+. These are based on examination and an interview with the Principal.

“I love the lunches, they are really delicious. I also love Kickboxing Club with my friends”

Serena IB

Entry at 4+ is dependent on an assessment and a parental interview with the Director of the Junior School. Interviews take place during the Autumn Term prior to entry. Entry into other Forms is dependent on availability of places, an interview with the Director of the Junior School and the results of examinations in Mathematics and English as well as a report from pupils’ current schools.

For further enquiries or to visit the school, contact our Registrar:

Telephone 020 7594 4982

Email registrar@queensgate.org.uk

Wraparound Care

W e understA nd th At many of our parents live busy lives and we are keen to assist them as they juggle multiple commitments. School is open from 8 am each day and we have a range of after-school clubs which allow parents a later pick-up as well as providing stimulating opportunities for pupils. We also operate two school bus routes. Ask us more about our wraparound care provision when you visit us.

an invitation t o visit

At-home Receptions

W e would B e delighted to welcome you to our school. During our intimate At-home Receptions, you will discover more about Queen’s Gate in conversation with the Principal and the Director of the Junior School. You will meet our Head Girl and current parents before being taken on a tour of our elegant buildings by our pupils.

Taster Afternoons for Nursery Girls

W e A re K een to extend our invitation to visit to your daughter. If you have completed a registration form, you are invited to bring your daughter to experience an afternoon of fun and creativity in our Preliminary classroom, where she will make some new friends and receive a warm welcome from our caring pupils and teachers.

For dates of our receptions and taster afternoons, please contact the Registrar or check the website.

www.queensgate.org.uk