Puneet Varma (Editor)

Farnborough Hill

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Established
  
1889

Religion
  
Roman Catholic

DfE number
  
850/6020

Founded
  
1889

Colors
  
Purple, Green

Type
  
Independent day school

Headmistress
  
Mrs Alexandra Neil

Phone
  
+44 1252 545197

Number of students
  
550

Farnborough Hill

Location
  
FarnboroughHampshireGU14 8ATEngland

Address
  
312 Farnborough Rd, Farnborough GU14 8AT, UK

Motto
  
Educating the whole person

Profiles

Farnborough hill from the air


Farnborough Hill is an independent Catholic day school for 550 girls aged 11–18 located on the Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire border.

Contents

Farnborough hill do 1d


History

Thomas Longman, the publisher, began building the house at Farnborough Hill in 1860.

Farnborough Hill's most famous resident, however, was the exiled Empress Eugénie, widow of Emperor Napoleon III of France. Empress Eugénie lived here from 1880 until her death in 1920.

The history of the school itself began in 1889 when the Religious of Christian Education established a convent school in Farnborough. They purchased the house at Farnborough Hill in 1927 and commissioned Adrian Gilbert Scott to design additional school buildings which included the school chapel. Over the years there has been further expansion, all of it in keeping with this Grade One listed building. In 1994, the Religious of Christian Education transferred ownership to The Farnborough Hill Trust and the school is now under lay management.

Headmistresses

  • 1891-1927 Mother Roantree
  • 1927-1935 Mother Mason
  • 1935-1958 Mother Horan
  • 1958-1973 Mother Rosemary Alexander
  • 1973-1983 Sister Mary Dawson
  • 1983-1986 Sister Sylvia Cousins
  • 1986-1996 Sister Elizabeth McCormack
  • 1996-1997 Miss Rita McGeogh
  • 1997-2007 Miss Jacqueline Thomas
  • 2007-2016 Mrs Sarah Buckle
  • 2016-present Mrs Alexandra Neil
  • Facilities

    The school has a mixture of historic and modern buildings. The house, built in Victorian times is used for offices and teaching rooms. The school chapel was built in 1932, a classroom block was opened in 1953 and further extensions to teaching facilities were added in the 1960s including a gymnasium and science laboratories. The school has continued to expand and develop its facilities. The Alexander Sports Hall was opened in 2005 and the swimming pool refurbished, new art studios and refurbished laboratories were opened in 2009 and the gymnasium was converted to a theatre, 'Theatre on the Hill'. The St Joseph's Courtyard development, incorporating a large multi-purpose building that includes a dance studio, a new geography classroom, a Sixth Form science laboratory and a new science office, was completed in 2011. A new music suite, St Cecilia's, was opened in 2014.

    Farnborough Hill is set in 65 acres of parkland and uses much of this for sports including tennis, hockey, netball, football, rounders, athletics and cross-country. In 2015 the Alex Danson Pitch, an all-weather, flood-lit hockey pitch was opened.

    Farnborough Hill's use of information technology has also developed during this time with the adoption of electronic whiteboards in every classroom, music technology facilities and Farnborough Hill's own radio station, 'F'Hill Radio'.

    Extracurricular activities

    Farnborough Hill is a very busy school and aims to 'educate the whole person'. A wide range of extracurricular activities are on offer from Sport, Music and Drama to Sixth Form Expeditions and trips abroad.

    Old Girls' Association

    Farnborough Hill has an active old girls' association. A reunion is held every year in September and other events are arranged during the year. Members keep in touch via an annual newsletter and active Facebook group. FHOGA sponsors a sixth form scholarship each year and helps current students by providing networking opportunities.

    Notable former pupils

  • Raquel Cassidy, English actress
  • Alex Danson, England and GB hockey player, gold medallist in the 2016 Rio Olympics and bronze medallist in the 2012 London Olympics
  • Dame Helen Ghosh, Director General of the National Trust and former British civil servant
  • Anne Robinson, English television presenter and journalist
  • Helene Raynsford, British rower who competed at the 2008 Summer Paralympics
  • Juliet Aubrey, award-winning English actress
  • Rose Keegan, English actress
  • References

    Farnborough Hill Wikipedia