The Good Schools' Guide - St Catherine's School, Bramley

HEADMISTRESS

Since 2000, Alice Phillips, MA (Cantab). Grammar school educated, where she recalls being seated between a dustman’s daughter and a lawyer’s daughter before heading to Cambridge to read English. Says education is her vocation and teaching is in the bones - she grew up in a boarding house at Sedbergh where her father was housemaster. She has worked in just four schools over her 35+ year career, starting at the Royal Masonic School, Rickmansworth and most recently down the road at Tormead as deputy head.

Her office is formal but calm, with textiles, paintings and other pupil artworks in abundance. Cushions are emblazoned with school mottos. It’s quietly reflective of Phillips who is gently formidable (mostly in the inspiring sense) and almost regal in manner.

She talks passionately about the school she’s steered for over two decades. ‘It’s the best school in the world,’ she exclaims. ‘A brilliant place full of successful, dynamic young girls who are all serial school lovers.’ Her favourite parts of the job are the final and first assembly of each academic year where she revels in ‘ships launched’ and the potential of the ‘squeaky clean new ones’. Parents describe her as ‘an impressive educator’ who ‘has her finger on every pulse’. Staff say she is ‘so wise’ and ‘no nonsense, in a really good way.’

While her standards are undoubtedly high, her expectations are grounded. Stands by school’s policy of sitting nine, not 10 GCSEs, and advises prospective parents to judge a school on the quality of onward destinations instead. ‘We’re quite happy not to be at the very top of the Christmas tree. Our emphasis is on a rounded education. We don’t over-test. We believe in having a life and for parents, having a human being at the breakfast table!’ Aware of her longevity (which at St Catherine’s is not unique by any stretch; just eight heads in the school’s history, with one in tenure for almost 40 years) she pre-empts any questions around

retirement and says that when the time comes, she will enjoy a ‘substantial rest’ in her Yorkshire Dales bolthole. A keen cook, she cites Jamie Oliver as an inspiration. Not only is he dyslexic (as is she) but ‘he will not take no for an answer and does it all with good humour.’

ENTRANCE

Proudly selective. Parents say the process is meticulously well organised and staff ‘helpful and professional’. Just under half of 11+ entrants came from the prep the year we visitedthe figure is usually around a third. All are required to take the school’s English, maths, science and verbal reasoning entrance assessments. A taster morning is offered in the autumn term where prospective pupils experience four mini lessons and have an opportunity to talk with current girls. School looks for ‘curious girls, interested in the world, everyone around them and education’.

A few places at 12+ and 13+ too, especially for boarders. For Sixth Form, a general paper, tests in A Level choices, cognitive abilities test and predicted GCSE grades - 7s expected in A Level subjects. Interview for potential sixth formers (in person or via Zoom if from overseas). Around 70 apply for the 10 -15 annual placesthey can afford to be very choosy.

EXIT

Loses just 10 -15 girls after GCSEs – maybe due to swanky new sixth form block, ‘The 6’ and sense that Sixth Form is the ‘best bit’ at St Cat’s, according to girls we spoke to. Results are most impressive too. Over half of Sixth Formers to Russell Group universities, one in 10 overseas (including Washington, Columbia, Peking and Texas recently) and a few to Oxbridge most years (four in 2022). Diverse study paths from robotics engineering and anthropology to microbiology and linguistics. Ten medics in 2022.

St Catherine’s School

LATEST RESULTS

In 2022, 90 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 79 per cent A*/A at A level (95 per cent A*-B). In 2019 (the last pre-pandemic results), 83 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 64 per cent A*/A at A level (88 per cent A*-B).

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons are quiet and purposeful. Girls focused and engaged. Teaching traditional. Results outstanding. Grumbles on a well-known parenting forum about St Cat’s system of banding pupils from year 7 to 9 are explained by school as simply a tool to provide girls and their parents with GCSE grade expectations from the off. ‘If anything, it helps stop competition between subjects, it certainly doesn’t drive competition between pupils,’ rebuts head, adding ‘if you want to get pupils to Russell Group Universities, the work starts in year 7 not year 10.’ Parents say, ‘You know what you’re signing up to - it’s a very results driven environment which espouses excellence alongside kindness and care’.

IGCSEs for core subjects and art, with GCSEs for RE and languages. French, German and Spanish offered at GCSE and A level, as are Latin and Greek - the former is studied in the first three years, with a short taster session in the latter in year 9. Microsoft Office Specialist Qualifications are taken before the end of year 10, as is short course religious studies. Subject and study skills clinics widely praised by parents, as were teachers in general who are described as ‘off the scale’ and ‘dedicated’. At Sixth Form, 28 subjects offered, of which each girl takes three. Science and maths by far the most popular. All sixth formers study a subsidiary subject such as Spanish film or French business ‘for fun’. It’s not all traditional academics. A culinary arts theory class we pass by are learning how to market their dishes with descriptive language. The male teacher, who clearly adores his role, was a finalist on a TV cooking competition and the classroom modelled on Masterchef kitchens.

LEARNING SUPPORT AND SEN

Learning support is known as ‘academic mentoring’ and supports those with diagnosed additional needs alongside those who have just hit ‘a bump in the road’. Department works closely with pastoral and teaching staff to ‘level the playing field’ for around 80 girls with additional needs, ranging from mild dyslexia to autism and hearing impairments. Learning difficulties not seen as a barrier. If the pupil has the ‘academic potential and ability, and will enjoy our lively and exciting environment,’ they will succeed at the school.

THE ARTS AND EXTRACURRICULAR

Not short on facilities here. There’s a huge well-equipped DT studio, dedicated history of art classroom, photography studio complete with dark room, the Masterchef style kitchen classroom, two textiles studios and even an artist in residence. Standard of output for all disciplines is excellent. Ceramics are clearly a strength, and we were impressed by some eye-catching textiles; Sixth Formers stage a fashion show every year. Performing arts is well catered for with dedicated dance studio and professional standard 350 seater auditorium, behind which there’s the drama studio which has an audio relay system to ensure no missed cues. An adjoining ‘dressing room’ - complete with spot-lit mirrors - adds further pizzazz. Around 20 girls take GCSE drama each year and 100 do LAMDA. Those who prefer to stay out of the spotlight are encouraged to join the tech crew. Opportunities for musical performances warrant their own leaflet with an event most weeks. Highlights include choral evensong at Winchester Cathedral and the annual carol service at Guildford Cathedral. Our guides tell us house singing is ‘the best thing, so much fun!’ Over 600 music lessons each week (piano most popular, strings ‘thriving’) and 12 choirs across both the senior and prep school.

PASTORAL CARE, INCLUSIVITY AND DISCIPLINE

A place where heavyweight academic expectations truly are balanced with robust pastoral care, at the heart of which is a strong house system through which girls quickly bond. Parents say it is ‘genuinely woven into the fabric of the school’ and we see proof of such throughout our visit with house events celebrated on notice and display boards. House activities, including all sports, are ringfenced for two lunchtimes a week. Girls we meet are happy and have no complaints, except for - and this was universal - the food (seemed fine to us but school is aware and addressing) and, for one or two, the problem of ‘just too many clubs to choose from’. When things hit a more serious rocky patch there is a resident clinical psychologist and three school counsellors on the staff to provide expert support.

School’s ‘no blame’ bullying policy is enforced as first course of action for ‘low level’ incidents. ‘Both parties are heard, apologise, usually cry and we move on,’ explains head. However, reports of more serious misdemeanours leading to a set of expulsions in one year group recently, prompts a more detailed but candid response: ‘It was post lockdown and mostly behaviour that happened outside my school, but it spilt over and was frankly the biggest thing I have ever dealt with in my career,’ she says. Parents praise the school’s ‘swift, fair and decisive action’ and head affirms, ‘I will not shy away from difficult decisions because this (behaviour) is not what happens in my school’.

All the girls we met were on very best behaviour and appeared baffled when asked about disruptive behaviour. ‘There’s not a lot of that here,’ they assured us, adding they’ve ‘never known anyone to even get a detention’.

‘All cool’ for the LGBTQ+ community, though the student formed and led SAGA (Sexuality and Gender Alliance) group only available from year 10.

PUPILS AND PARENTS

Bright, wholesome girls with academically ambitious middle class professional parents from Surrey, SW London and Hampshire. Plus a generous sprinkling of overseas boarders, which makes for a more diverse mix of pupils than might be the case otherwise. School hosts lots of community and parent events from book clubs to talks on ‘reversing social breakdown in Britain’.

MONEY MATTERS

Competitively priced among a bunch of emulous independents in the vicinity. All parents declared the school ‘exceptional value,’ one adding ‘I’m surprised they don’t charge more!’ Only four scholarships available at 11+ worth 10-20 per cent of fees. More at Sixth Form including a small number specifically for new entrants. A few generous bursaries available too.

THE LAST WORD

An academic powerhouse that suits smart self-starters and is ideal for parents seeking a traditional single sex education without ‘sharp elbows’. Niggles from girls about the food, and parents about over lengthy email communications, are about as bad as it gets here. More than one mother told us fondly, ‘It reminds me of my own school’.

A place where heavyweight academic expectations truly are balanced with robust pastoral care, at the heart of which is a strong house system through which girls quickly bond.

Good Schools’ Guide