Established 1885 Headmistress Mrs Alice Phillips Phone +44 1483 893363 Founded 1885 | Religion Church of England Head of Prep School Miss Naomi Bartholomew Motto Let us go on Gender Single-sex education | |
 | ||
Type Independent day and boarding school Chaplain Rev’d Dr Benjamin McNair Scott Address Station Rd, Bramley, Guildford GU5 0DF, UK Similar Guildford High School, Tormead School, Cranleigh School, Charterh School, Royal Grammar School Profiles | ||
St Catherine's School is an independent girls' school in the village of Bramley, near Guildford, Surrey, England. The school is divided into a senior school, for ages 11–18, and a preparatory school for younger students aged 4–11.
Contents
History
St Catherine's School opened in 1885 with seventeen pupils, most of whom were boarders. Miss Susan Burnett was the founding headmistress. The school was founded during a time when various movements within the Church of England and other Christian denominations were pushing for more freedom for women, especially in matters such as participating in services and in education. St Catherine's was among a handful of schools founded by Church of England bishops. Founder Harold Browne, Bishop of Winchester, was a supporter of the "deaconess movement".
A notable feature of the campus is the chapel, which was completed in 1894 and is known for its Kempe stained glass windows and the 1899 Father Willis organ.
In September 2011 the school celebrated 125 years of education for girls and young women and in July 2011 it marked the opening of the 125th Anniversary Halls, a new set of facilities for sports and the arts.
Academics
In the year 2011, 12% of the students were admitted to Oxford or Cambridge.
Scholarships
Academic scholarships are offered for entry at 11+ and for year 11 and/or sixth form, alongside additional awards for excellence in art, sport, and music.
Extracurricular activities
The girls take part in a wide range of sports, including netball, tennis, swimming, and lacrosse. The school has four lacrosse pitches and a number of courts for netball and tennis. In the Preparatory School, hockey is played.
The school hosts a variety of creative arts, with the students regularly taking part in art, textiles, design technology, home economics, drama and music lessons.
Houses
All pupils, both day girls and boarders, are assigned to one of the six houses. The houses compete in Inter-House competitions throughout the year.
Spiritual
As a Church of England school, pupils attend chapel weekly and actively participate in the service. Some pupils sing in the Guildford Cathedral girls' choir. The school began offering organ scholarships in 2006 to encourage more girls in participating in church music.
Patron
The patron of the school since 2015 is Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, whose great-great grandfather George Cubitt, 1st Baron Ashcombe, and his wife Lady Laura were among the founders of the school.