Location
London
Focus
Academic excellence, creative energy
Day fees 2024/25
$44,700–$48,200 (incl. VAT)
Pupils
806
Ages
11–18
Spear’s Review
Set in Hammersmith in West London, St Paul’s Girls’ School (SPGS) is extremely competitive, with a stellar reputation for academic excellence. It offers a classical but forward-looking education and excellent pastoral care to academically gifted girls from the very top classes of a very broad range of schools.
Pupils achieve impressive academic results, and a significant number of students go on to study at the best universities in the UK and beyond.
Old Paulinas include scientists such as Rosalind Franklin, actors including Rachel Weisz and Emily Mortimer, and MPs from across the political spectrum. Music, drama, sport and STEM are thriving areas, and students of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to get involved.
Academics
99 per cent of GCSE results are grades 7–9.
89 per cent of results at A-Level are A* or A.
University and college destinations
Of the class of 2024, 28 students were bound for Oxford, and 16 for Cambridge. Twenty students were due to attend North American universities, including Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, MIT, Princeton and Yale.
Head teacher
Sarah Fletcher has been head of SPGS since 2017. After reading history at New College, Oxford, Fletcher taught in a wide range of schools – state, maintained, single-sex and co-educational. Before her appointment as high mistress she served as head of Kingston Grammar School and the City of London School for Boys.
Admissions
According to the school, the main ages of admission are 11 and 16. At 11+, a pre-test is taken in the autumn term of Year 6, and those who pass sit a further test in January, which includes maths, English and problem-solving. Those who do well are then invited for an interview. SPGS is looking for candidates who can reason, articulate and show quality of thought. The school is committed to making an SPGS education available to the brightest students whatever their means and has an active fundraising campaign dedicated to raising funds to double the number of students on a bursary in the next 10 years.
Accessibility
Heathrow: 30 minutes
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Rank: Top 100
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Top 100 2024, UK Senior Schools