BUCKSWOOD SCHOOL

Ad Vitam Paramus

We are preparing for life

Buckswood is not about being the best, it is about being your best! In return for the investment that parents make in sending their children to us, we offer the parent total commitment to the child’s welfare, and to their academic and social development. We want parents to feel immense pride in their child’s educational achievement but also to have complete trust and confidence in our ability. ‘Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself’ John Dewey The legend under the regal lions on Buckswood’s coat of arms reads ad Vitam Paramus – we are preparing for life and knowing that every child is different; our warm family atmosphere cultivates a safe, secure space for everyone to flourish, building confidence and resilience whilst discovering new strengths for every student to succeed. Through our 101 things to do at Buckswood program and as part of our ethos we encourage every student to be adventurous and to step out of their comfort zone, to give things a try and install in them a can-do attitude; because these are qualities needed to succeed later in life, the world is wide and they will need so much more than just academic attainment for a truly successful. A Buckswood education is a personal journey. Every child is different and we recognise and value talent whichever form it takes; be it on the sports field or in the science labs. Sixth form is a crucial time to balance both work and play and with a 100% university placement success rate we feel we have a good balance and a great understanding our student’s needs.

BOARDING

ACADEMIC

ADMISSIONS

NAMES OF YEAR GROUPS

LEAVERS' DESTINATIONS

SPECIALIST PROGRAMMES

ACADEMIC

Queenswood is an Oxford Scholastica Partner School. This means that our students receive additional support to the Oxbridge application preparation from our Head of Sixth Form. Oxford Scholastica provides access to current undergraduates and recent graduates from relevant courses who coach our students on the most successful university interview techniques to adopt. Oxford Scholastica also provides a wide range of online materials devised specifically for those applying to Oxford or Cambridge.

We offer a modern, dynamic approach to personalised learning in which we deliver tailored support by subject teachers to our girls, often while they remain in their classrooms. This is in addition to 1-1 support to stretch those at the top end of academic achievement as well as those requiring support in certain subject areas. The 1-1 teacher-pupil time is provided by Personalised Learning teachers and takes place outside of the girls’ classes. This means greater flexibility and a tightly tailored learning provision for each girl. Not only is this an enriching experience for the girls, it forms the basis for strong public exam results. This is why we achieve such added value for the girls, enabling them to achieve consistently at least one grade higher in every GCSE subject than would be expected at an average independent school. We also offer expertise in supporting girls with various learning differences such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia.

CO-CURRICULAR

We offer scholarships in Tennis, Hockey, and a General Sports scholarship. These programmes provide tailored coaching such as strength and conditioning, dietary advice for enhanced performance, sports psychology and opportunities to compete at a high level.

Queenswood has a long and distinguished musical heritage which continues to this day. We offer  an attractive scholarship package for young instrumentalists and singers who show real passion, talent and potential. Students can study virtually any instrument and we promote an exciting “ music enjoyment for all” approach which covers classical music making, jazz, musical theatre and DJing , to name but a few.

Around eight shows a year are staged at Queenswood. In addition to public performances of our superb practical exam work at GCSE and A-Level, there are whole schol plays, an annual dance extravaganza, and an inter-House Performing Arts competition.

We have an inclusive policy for school plays and never turn a pupil away at audition. Cast and crew for large scale productions are often in excess of 100 students, and during the week of the school play we perform to an audience of approximately 1000 people. We are very proud of our 250 seat theatre which is complemented by a smaller drama studio, which is named for one of our famous former students, the actor Helen McCrory.

The Leith’s Two Term Diploma is the industry leading cookery course designed for those with a passion for preparing good food and is offered to our Year 12 students. Throughout the course, the students undertake comprehensive professional training to empower them with a rounded knowledge of food and wine,  a broad range of culinary styles, practical menu  planning, and a series of budgeting techniques.

INTERESTING FACTS

Queenswood is the number one tennis school in the UK according to LTA rankings. We recently won the prestigious Aberdare Cup . Queenswood’s U18 tennis team made history beoming national champions in the last week of June 2023, as they won the Aberdare Cup in Nottingham for the 28th time. This victory, coming just six months after our teams won the national schools championships at U13 and U15, means that Queenswood currently holds the national title in all age groups. Queenswood has more tennsi courts than Wimbledon.

Queenswood is known affectionately as ‘the purple bubble’ because our school colour is purple and we have a warm, nurturing community.

Pastoral care is exceptional. We are very proud of our nurturing culture and there are many professional s looking out for each and every girl, especially the international boarders who se families are so far away. Our pastoral team comprises: Housemisstress, Boarding Assistants, Chaplain, nurses, two tutors per form, the Head of Year, Head of House, Head of Boarding, Independent Listener  and the Deputy Head  Pastoral, plus a residential Counsellor.

WHAT'S NEW

The phased renovation of our main teaching block commenced in summer 2023 and will continue for a further 12 months during  the  school holidays. The renovation of our Science labs also commenced in Summer 2023 and will continue during the holidays for the next 12 months. We are very proud of the recently opened sixth form flat on the school campus. This enables all sixth former s to spend a week with three of their school  friends enjoying a taste of university- style independence.

From September 2023, as part of our digital teaching strategy, we are introducing one device for all students in Years 7-11.Each student will use a Chromebook.  Chromebooks offer  many new technical possibilities such as the use of augmented reality. This will enable a much more varied and exciting approach to teaching and learning.

Three are more than 70 co-curricular clubs offered each week. These cater for all interests, including coding club,  horse-riding, polo, chess, knitting, and ancient Chinese history. We have recently introduced the martial art Krav Maga. There is of course tennis too. While we cater for elite tennis players we are also very encouraging of tennis for all, no matter what level of ability.

Queenswood was originally located in Clapham, London. The school moved to its current site in Hertfordshire in 1925, taking over the country house of a distinguished local family. In 1936, the main building suffered a terrible fire one night. Fortunately no-one was hurt and the headmistress marched all the sleepy girls outside to wait for the fire brigade. It was big news in 1936 and even made it on to a Pathe News news reel shown in cinemas across the country.

ABOUT THE HEAD

ALUMNI

QUEENSWOOD SCHOOL

In Hortis Reginae

In the Gardens of the Queen

Radley College is one of the only four remaining full boarding school for boys aged between 13 and 18. Founded nearly 175 years ago the School is proud of its tradition and yet is celebrated for its innovation and dynamism. The school is renowned for added value, outstanding pastoral care and strong community – every boy is known as an individual and the daily evening Chapel and House Cocoa sessions promote the sense of family that is so special to Radley. It is an environment where boys thrive academically and make the most of an enormous range of opportunities on offer – be those our fabulous art and DT rooms or the impressive array of societies and speakers.

Radley is set in a beautiful 800 acre estate of rural countryside and is just three miles away from Oxford and all that is on offer there. Our 735 boys enjoy outstanding facilities and recent developments have included a new boarding house – L Social, a new science centre, 3 astros, a strength and conditioning centre and an indoor rowing tank. We are a school for the all-rounder, we promote academic excellence and intellectual sharpness whilst producing young men who are decent, kind and caring, ready to engage with others and aware of the responsibility they have to the world they live in.

BOARDING

ACADEMIC

ADMISSIONS

NAMES OF YEAR GROUPS

LEAVERS' DESTINATIONS

SPECIALIST PROGRAMMES

CO-CURRICULAR

INTERESTING FACTS

Queenswood has more tennis courts than Wimbledon

Queenswood is affectionately known as ‘The Purple Bubble’. Purple is the school colour

Pastoral care is exceptional

WHAT'S NEW

£3 million Sports Hall (2018)

Sixth Form Building & Cafe (2021)

Tennis

ABOUT THE HEAD

ALUMNI

GALLERY