St George’s Ascot begins celebrations of a century in girls’ education with a glowing Independent School Inspectorate report
This is a special year for the St George’s School, Ascot community, marking 100 years of excellence in girls’ education, further to the purchase of the school by Miss Anne Loveday in 1923. Prior to this the school had been a boys prep school and then a finishing school. This was the start of the modern, progressive educational establishment for girls we know today.
The 1920s, following on from World War I, were a time of enormous change for girls and women in terms of their status in society, their accessibility to education and work, and the perceived value they brought to the world. St George’s was later recognised by the Department for Education, in 1927, and thus began the educational journey that they continue to this day.
The pupils, staff and governors were delighted to commence their centenary year by receiving an outstanding endorsement from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) following its November 2022 inspection. Inspectors found St George’s to be fully compliant with all regulations, and in both areas of the educational quality inspection, ‘pupils’ academic and other achievements’ and ‘pupils’ personal development’ the school was awarded the highest grade of ‘excellent’.
Head Liz Hewer reflects: “I am delighted we were awarded the highest category of ‘excellent’ in both categories for Educational Quality. The report is a testament to our pupils of whom I am very proud, as well as the staff, parents, governors and alumnae, who all work together to make St George’s Ascot the school I am privileged to lead. The values of community, kindness, hard work, support and integrity shine through the report and it is an impressive reminder of all the excellent work we do in and outside of school.”
The academic excellence offered to Georgians was reflected by the Inspectors stating: “Pupils make excellent progress throughout the school, achieving results at GCSE and A-level which are well above the national average,” and highlighted “pupils’ positive attitudes towards learning are a striking feature of the school”.
Liz Hewer frequently reminds pupils, parents and alumnae that St George’s is a place to explore, take on new experiences and opportunities, and balance academic achievement with a comprehensive range of co-curricular activities. Inspectors commented: “Pupils’ achievements in co-curricular activities are extensive; [they] achieve well across all areas of the curriculum and particularly in the creative subjects.”
Perhaps most significantly, the inspectors highlighted the willingness of pupils to collaborate with fellow pupils who have different strengths and talents and recognised the high degree of inclusivity and the ability of pupils to get along with each other. They noted pupils are: “… highly confident, combining healthy self-knowledge, first-class social skills and an awareness of the world around them.”
For anyone who has visited the school, the inspection report will not come as a surprise. As Lis Hewer’s welcome on the school website states: “When people tell me how much they have enjoyed visiting St George’s, I always ask them what it was that most impressed them. The lovely buildings within a beautiful setting? The small class sizes? The ambition of the academic provision? The breadth of the co-curricular programme? The impressive theatre? The wonderful sports facilities? The professional and committed teachers? The busy and friendly atmosphere? ‘Well yes,’ they say. ‘All of those things. But it’s more than that; it’s the girls – there’s just something truly special about them’.
“There is no such thing as a typical St George’s girl as each of our pupils arrive with their own set of talents and interests. It is our privilege to encourage and challenge each and every one of them to develop a genuine understanding of who she is and support them to achieve the future of their choice. All of the staff here at St George’s strive for the very best for our girls and by nurturing their love of learning, their academic potential and their individual talents, we are able to develop happy, responsible, well balanced and resilient young women; confident, capable and connected to the world beyond our school.”
As St George’s celebrates 100 years of excellence in girls’ education, the commitment to advancing girls’ education and enabling them to make informed decisions about their pathways beyond age 18 remains central to the school’s ethos. Pupils become more confident, capable and connected as a result of their senior school years at St George’s Ascot.
