Our focus is you 2 3 I am delighted that you are considering Queenswood

For more than 125 years, Queenswood has delivered a truly progressive education in the most idyllic of environments. Our community is large enough that we are able to offer outstanding opportunities, yet small enough that g irls like your daughter are known personally to teaching and ssupport taff alike. Their individuality, unique potential and special qualities are nurtured and realised.

Queenswoodians achieve extraordinary academic results in a positive and happy environment. I do believe that happy girls are successful girls. Their curiosity is never constrained by the limits of the curriculum and they flourish in all that they set out to do both inside and outside the classroom.

From day one your daughter will find herself as part of a community of independent and creative thinkers. We will encourage her self-assurance so that she grasps them any opportunities on offer at Queenswood and in the world beyond school. She will feel confident t o make good life decisions based on sound values and a desire to giveb ack to her community. In short, wshe ill aspire to be the best that she can be.

Our 120-acre parkland estate, just a few minutes from all that has to offer, and our personalised learning approach, make a Queenswood education a truly exceptional experience.

If you would like to add your daughter’s name to the list of girls wishing to join the School, please complete the registration form enclosed, and return it to the Admissions Office with the registration fee.

This prospectus offers a flavour of life at Queenswood; if you would like to find out a little more from me, then please view our school video here. I hope that you will join us at a future open event or for a personal tour, to see for yourself what makes this such a remarkable school.

Mrs Joanna Cameron Principal Feed your curiosity

Step into Queenswood, aff ectionately known as “Q”, and you will enter a world of opportunities. Surrounded by encouragement and support, we will feed your curiosity about life, the world and your future.

You will be expected to work hard but equally you will be supported by specialist subject teachers who will help you achieve the best you can. Our personalised learning approach means that you will receive support tailored to your preferred learning style, needs and strengths.

Our impressive grounds aff ord opportunities ranging from conducting fi eldwork on site to trying new sports and clubs. We regularly welcome into school experts such as world- renowned scientists and visiting artists. If you love languages, you will take part in cultural visits; if you love Maths, you will be encouraged to enter Olympiads. If humanities is your thing, you might experience live theatre at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe or try your hand at debating at the Model United Nations.

Our job is to help you identify your passions, explore career paths and prepare you for your future. Become resourceful

Your time at Queenswood will enable you to become an independent learner, ready for the challenges that life and work will present.

You will, without a doubt, learn the best study skills to prepare you for any academic assessment you will face, but beyond that you will learn to lead and fulfi l your personal potential. We encourage girls to be proactive, take the initiative and think on their feet. Beyond embarking on a journey of academic discovery, you will be taught to become a truly resourceful thinker. Discover your creative passions

When you join Queenswood, you will be given boundless opportunities to express your creativity: you might attempt six instruments before you fi nd the one you love, audition for plays, take up dance, try your hand at DJing or join a choir. You might fi nd your niche sketching in the art room, designing sets for the stage or recording an album.

Wherever your strengths lie, at Queenswood we will encourage you to discover what you love and will help you fl ourish while expressing yourself in your own uniquely personal way.

We can’t wait to see what you will achieve. Grow your resilience

You may not succeed at everything you do, but participating and trying your best, then trying again, is the key. One of life’s most important lessons is learning from failures and bouncing back.

At Queenswood, you can take part in a huge range of competitive sports, learn new skills as part of the Duke of Edinburgh Award, enter debating competitions and perform. All the while you will be testing yourself to the maximum and engaging in healthy competition through our House system.

Life will always throw challenges and curve balls at you. When the time comes to face them, you’ll be prepared. Learn to refl ect

At Queenswood, we believe that taking control of your personal learning is key to success. You will be taught to evaluate your own progress to enable you to be a successful lifelong learner.

Refl ection is integral to improvement. Whatever task you undertake, within or beyond the classroom, the ability to assess your own achievements with honesty is paramount. You will be encouraged to embrace this ethos and carry it through your personal endeavours, allowing you to grow into a confi dent young woman. A personalised programme of learning

You will be given your own unique learning programme when you come to Queenswood. Our teachers specialise in tailoring the curriculum to each class member and they will give you individual help, precisely when you need it.

Specially trained personalised learning teachers are on hand to stretch and support you in class and – if required – through additional one-to-one sessions.

Our Personalised Learning Centre lies at the heart of the School. It is a unique and airy space that is conducive to learning. This central hub is one of the places you can come to for advice from our expert staff . Senior scholars meet here for one to one and group sessions, to explore options for stretch and challenge and to discuss current aff airs. Girls also use it as a drop-in centre to seek advice on planning study and revision schedules and it is used as an additional quiet space in which to study.

You will have the best access to the tools and strategies you need to study eff ectively throughout your time at school, not just for exams, but for daily and life-long learning too. Be courageous

What some girls fi nd easy, others may struggle with. Trying takes courage and we are proud that our girls work hard to inspire each other, across the year groups, to achieve the best they can. Queenswood will teach you to embrace sporting challenges, and take you out of your comfort zone by conversing in another language abroad or speaking in public. As your confi dence grows you will feel able to challenge ideas and concepts presented to you within the classroom and beyond.

By testing yourself you will discover your true potential. Your journey as a Queenswood girl

As you grow as a Queenswood girl, so will your needs. We are here to adapt with you. We will help you embrace new challenges and present you with opportunities you may not have encountered before. As you progress through the School, you will be given an increasing amount of responsibility. That might involve co-ordinating House events or even starting a new club. You will also work more independently and have time for extended study in preparation for life in the Sixth Form and beyond. As you progress to the Upper Sixth, you may aspire to become one of our Senior Prefects, taking on additional responsibilities right across the School; or you may have your sights set on becoming Head Girl.

We have a dedicated careers team who will ensure that you make the right choices as you progress on your academic journey. You may be determined to secure your place at a top university – if so, we will ensure you have all the help you need to write a personal statement and prepare for the variety of interviews you will undertake. Alternatively, you may choose a vocational path in which case the same level of support will be available to you. We deliver the right guidance to ensure a happy and successful future, whatever decision you make. Boarding

If you choose to board at Queenswood, you will discover a world full of fun and friendship. More than half of our pupils are boarders, either boarding full-time or more fl exibly. In fact, we off er one-, two- and three-night fl exible boarding options. Both boarders and day girls share Houses and you will make friends with others across year groups. No doubt, the friends you make will be friends for life.

Our grounds will allow you space to spread your wings but also enable you to feel relaxed and at home wherever you are.

Boarders’ days are structured, but you are still given choices about how you spend your free time, what activities you will take part in and how to balance your free time with work.

You will have much more independence than you may be used to at home, but you will also be expected to be responsible for your actions. You will of course be supported by an extended family of friends, teachers and boarding staff along the way. Each of the four boarding Houses (Stamp for Years 7 and 8, Centre for Years 9-11, Trew for the Lower Sixth and Senior for the Upper Sixth) have Houseparents and Boarding Assistants who live in the boarding Houses and create a school family for girls.

As a boarder, you will become independent, but also develop key attributes, such as empathy, resilience, curiosity and enthusiasm. House spirit

In addition to your boarding House you will join one of the four competitive Houses. Led by a team of elected girls and with a Head of House too, each House has its own personality. You will be made to feel like a real family member in your House. Throughout the year, there is a range of House competitions. Depending on your talents, you will be encouraged to enter and represent your House and contribute to the House point tally. It’s not all about competing though: there are also regular events and outings that you can take part in with your fellow House members throughout the school year.

The four Houses are Clapham North, Clapham South, Hartley and Waller. Their names have their origins in the founding of the School in the late 19th century and you will learn more about them when you arrive. Chapel

As a Methodist school, we have services twice a week in our beautiful chapel. These services off er an opportunity to come together as a school community to refl ect on our school life, celebrate success and receive spiritual guidance.

We are very proud of our pastoral care at Wellbeing Centre, a Resident School Pastoral Queenswood. Its aim is to ensure you will Counsellor and other highly experienced always feel safe, happy, healthy and that you staff , so you will always have someone care are achieving your full potential. to discuss issues with. New arrivals are ‘buddied’ with older girls who look out for You will be assigned a Tutor group and them and help them to settle in during the will be cared for by your Tutor and fi rst few weeks. Houseparent. These people will be the fi rst you should turn to with any worries All staff , including the Principal, have an you may have. You will also have access open-door policy to ensure you always feel to registered nurses in the Health and that you can talk to the right person. 120-acre campus

Queenswood provides the ideal environment in which to learn and develop. Our idyllic 120-acre parkland estate, set in the stunning countryside, is a haven of tranquility, yet we are just a few miles from the enriching cultural life of London. Door-to-door transport Location

At Queenswood, we understand how a door-to-door service for day girls and fl exi- The school is three miles north of junction 24 on the M25 challenging it can be for parents to juggle boarders of all years. Our routes cover many and four miles south-east of junction 3 on the A1(M). the daily school run with their busy working areas in North and and the There is excellent access to the major airports of London: lives or for our international parents to Home Counties. Additional routes may be Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and also Luton. The nearby arrange for collection and drop off for their added depending on demand. mainline rail station, Potters Bar, is 20 minutes from King’s daughter at Heathrow. That’s why we’re For our international girls, we arrange for Cross Station in Central London. proud to off er one of the most comprehensive pick up from and drop off at Heathrow at the 1 2 and fl exible transport services of any school in 5 beginning and end of terms and half-terms 1 Luton 3 London the independent sector. 4 (with the exception of arrival for the fi rst 2 Stansted We have a fl eet of dedicated vehicles and term, when we expect parents to accompany 3 Heathrow drivers, employed by Queenswood, providing their daughter). 4 Gatwick to Hatfield 5 King’s Cross Station 1 A1 (M) 6 Potters Bar Station 2

A1000 6 M25

A111

5 3 London

4 Key admission dates

For entry into Year 7 in September 2020

28 September 18 November 7 2 – January January June September September & October October February March December 2020 2020 2020 2020 2019 2019 2019 2019 2020 2020

Open morning Individual Final Interviews & Entrance Scholarship Decision letter Deadline for Induction day Admission to visit registration current school assessments assessments sent to parents acceptance School The open morning date reference of offer If accepted, your Your daughter takes place on Book a meeting requested Your daughter Scholarship The decision letter daughter will attend Saturday 28 with the Principal To register your will take entrance assessments take regarding the offer The deadline for an induction day. joins the September. You or member of the daughter for a place Your daughter assessments in place during the of a place will be acceptance of an This will give her Queenswood will meet staff, Senior Leadership at Queenswood will be invited to English, Maths and week following posted to parents offer is 2 March. the opportunity to community take a tour led by Team followed by you will need attend a 15 minute Verbal Reasoning. the entrance on 7 February. If acceptance is make new friends, and begins her a pupil and see the a tour. to complete a interview with a If she is doing the assessments. not received by meet her teachers adventure as School in action. registration form senior member Common Entrance this date, the place and find her way a Q girl. Early booking is and return it with of staff. Before Assessment at her may be offered to around the campus advised because the appropriate her interview current school, another girl. ready for her start this event is likely registration fee we will request she will only in September. to be fully booked. by 18 October. a confidential need to take the reference from her Verbal Reasoning current school. Assessment at Queenswood. Queenswood School Shepherd’s Way, Brookmans Park, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL9 6NS, queenswood.org Tel: +44 (0)1707 602500 E-mail: [email protected]

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