Haberdashers' Monmouth School for girls

• Student ages: 3 to 18,
• Type of schooling: coeducational, for day students and boarders.

• Location: Monmouth,
• Head of School: Melvyn Roffe.

Haberdashers' Monmouth School for girls is a private boarding of separate education (only for girls), founded in 1892. The institution is located in the center of a small, charming and ancient city of Monmouth: due to the incredibly picturesque nature around the region it is often called the "Area of ​​magnificent natural beauty". Monmouth is a very safe, well-groomed and quiet city: despite the fact that its population is only about 10,000 people, it is recognized as the third most standard of living throughout the UK.

The Haberdashers` Monmouth School for girls  is a part of educational association along with the same school for boys in the UK. For children, they regularly hold joint activities, walks and excursions, the high school provides for a large number of mixed activities - it is easy to organize, since campuses are located opposite each other.

The distinctive features of Haberdashers' Monmouth School for girls include the high quality and balance of the curriculum, as well as the warm, friendly and comfortable atmosphere. Graduates demonstrate an excellent academic level of knowledge, independence and confidence in their abilities, they are ready to enter the chosen university and to build a successful career in the international community.

Haberdashers' Monmouth School takes a broad approach to education that extends beyond classroom study and exam results. Its aim is to help students become confident, well-rounded and ready for the future.

The school runs its own personal and social development program, PSHE, named after the school itself, and the Futures Programme, which provides structured guidance on choosing GCSE subjects, moving into the Sixth Form and preparing for university. Estyn inspectors described this preparation as a well-established strength and pastoral care as a significant strength, noting that students feel safe, supported and welcome.

According to the school, dyslexia and other special educational needs need not stand in the way of a student's success. A team of counselors works on site, and teachers, support staff, mental health ambassadors and peer mentors are trained in mental health first aid.

Registered nursing staff care for day students and boarders, supported by house staff and matrons. Nurses keep confidential health records for every student, including individual care plans for medical conditions. Boarders are registered with Castlegate Medical Practice, a doctor visits the campus twice a week, and night matrons care for students who become ill overnight.

Psychology students also took part in a Brain Day led by Guy Sutton, Director of Medical Biology Interactive. The day included presentations, practical demonstrations and a brain dissection that students could observe, with some holding the specimen and volunteering to assist.

The school's academic departments cover the sciences, the humanities, and technical and creative subjects.

• biology and chemistry,
• business and economics,
• classics, covering the language, culture and history of ancient Rome and Greece,
• computer science with programming and cybersecurity,
• three foreign languages: French, Spanish and German,
• mathematics and Further Maths, which offers advanced challenges for students aiming for top university courses in mathematics, science or engineering,
• A Level photography with digital and traditional techniques and personal, thematic work,
• dance, with structured examinations and performance opportunities for students and dance scholars,
• Fashion, Design and Textiles, offering textiles at GCSE and A level alongside Design and Technology, Art and Design, and Photography. Jimmy Choo is the program's patron.

Estyn inspectors singled out the school's reading culture as an example of best practice, pointing to its strategic focus on literacy and to strong results among students of every age. They called the teaching effective and described the best lessons as lively and demanding.

The school also has athletes competing at a high level: one graduate, a professional cricketer, represented England at the ICC Women's Under-19 T20 World Cup in South Africa and played for the Oval Invincibles.

• The school is more than 400 years old, with students here before the English Civil War,
• in 2024 it was formed by the merger of Monmouth School for Boys, Monmouth School for Girls and Monmouth Preparatory School,
• it is backed by the Haberdashers' Company and the William Jones Endowment, which gives it long-term financial stability,
• the school works with families in Hong Kong and Shanghai: its executive head met current and prospective families and educational consultants in Shanghai,
• student wellbeing initiatives include Buddy Breakfasts and the school's own bibliotherapy program, Shelf Help,
• British wildlife cameraman and 2022 Strictly Come Dancing winner Hamza Yassin visited the school and talked with students before his appearance at The Blake Theatre,
• traditions include a Christmas rowing regatta on the river, known as the Plum Pudding Races.

An official results article reported one cohort's university offers and vocational destinations.

• Oxford and Cambridge: four students were able to take up places at Jesus College and Wolfson College in Cambridge and at St Anne's College and Brasenose College in Oxford, studying mathematics, English language and literature, geography, and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies,
• other universities: Durham University for Modern European Languages, Imperial College London for medicine, the University of Exeter for economics and geography, the University of Birmingham for physiotherapy, and the University of Warwick for physics,
• vocational routes: a Level 2 Race Technicians course at the National College for Motorsport at Silverstone, a naval engineering apprenticeship, the BA (Hons) Production Arts (Stage and Screen) program at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, a Land-based Technician Apprenticeship with Chandlers in Bristol, and a Pharmacy Technician Apprenticeship with the NHS at Cheltenham General Hospital.

Full boarding is available seven nights a week. Weekly boarding covers up to four fixed nights a week, excluding Sunday night.

The boarding houses are a short walk from Monmouth, in the surrounding countryside. Each house has communal areas and homely kitchens where students can make tea or toast. Sixth Form students have en-suite rooms and receive guidance from dedicated houseparents and matrons. Many boarding staff live on site with their families, children and pets, helping to create a family atmosphere.

Supper is available at no extra charge from 5:30 p.m. in the Prep dining hall and from 6 p.m. in the Senior dining hall.

Subject list: Art, Baking & Pastry Arts, biology, business, drama, economics, English literature, geography, history, music, philosophy
Activity list: archery, fitness, rock climbing, skating, surfing, swimming, Trampoline jumping

A group of Year 12 students took part in Elevate, an initiative delivered through a partnership between Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge, and schools across the Haberdashers' family. Its introduction day brought together more than 50 Year 12 students for talks, discussions and workshops. The school's report said the program would continue throughout that academic year with online insight sessions and opportunities to engage with Murray Edwards College and the University of Cambridge.

The school runs an exchange program with World Foreign Language School in Shanghai.

As part of the Sixth Form Enrichment program, a group of Year 12 students earned the RLSS National Pool Lifeguard qualification. They trained in pool supervision, rescue, emergency first aid, managing anaphylaxis, automated external defibrillation and CPR. Monmouth Schools Sports Club provided the training and arranged the assessments.

Boarders can take part in evening and weekend activities including sport, drama, music and art. Estyn inspectors also noted the school's broad, balanced curriculum and its extensive co-curricular opportunities, including exceptional opportunities in sport and the performing arts.

• Qualified and experienced teachers;
• Individual, personal approach, the desire to discover the unique potential and abilities of each child;
• Students achieved 38.5% A*-A grades at A level, compared with a national average of 27.2%,
• The ability to effectively and comprehensively prepare for admission to the most prestigious and ranking universities in the UK (for example, to Oxbridge and Russel group institutions): among the most sought-after specialties are art, engineering, medicine, sports and physical education, jurisprudence, business;
• Supportive language courses "English as a foreign language" for international students;
• Strong, perfectly developed branch of fine art;
• Ability to study dance and choreography (including ballet) at the subject level in the senior School, pass the A-level examination in this specialty;
• Excellent equipment and qualified instructors for horse riding, rowing; in 2015 a new Tennis Academy was opened.
• Estyn identified two school “spotlights” as examples of excellence intended to inspire other schools.

The school libraries remain open until 6 p.m. for supervised homework and are available to all students. The design and technology department offers laser cutting, 3D printing, precision CNC machining and forgework.

The Eddie Butler Centre Sports Academy has new ergometers. The school also has two health and wellbeing centers with treatment rooms, waiting areas, en-suite bedrooms and private counseling spaces.

Fees include VAT where applicable, are reviewed annually and are published in the spring before the next academic year.

Each nursery session is half a day. Morning sessions start at 8:30 a.m., with a complimentary breakfast club from 7:30 a.m. Afternoon sessions end at 4:05 p.m., with complimentary wraparound care until 6 p.m. Lunch costs extra. For Reception through Year 6, early morning club and after-school care are free.

Boarding is subject to availability. The school recommends booking after-school activities, wraparound care and occasional boarding in advance.

Extras:

• Registration fee (for a programme/course) 60 GBP
• Deposit for a course/programme 1000 GBP
• Application fee 200 GBP

The transition from Year 6 at the Prep School to Year 7 in the Senior School does not require an entrance exam, and nearly all pupils continue.

The school offers scholarships for achievement and means-tested bursaries for financial support.

• Scholarships usually have a maximum value of 10% of school fees,
• scholarships are offered for academics, sport, music, drama, dance, design and technology, and textiles,
• selection may include an interview, an audition or a trial,
• a bursary can cover up to 100% of school fees,
• the size of a bursary depends on the family's financial, compassionate or other relevant circumstances and the number of children,
• recipients may also receive help with travel and other expenses, and awards are reviewed annually,
• parents applying for financial assistance provide details of household income and capital with full supporting evidence,
• the Head decides each case on its merits, subject to the school's available budget,
• bursary applications follow the scholarship application timetable,
• the school works with The SpringBoard Bursary Foundation, which supports full bursaries for disadvantaged children.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision