The Abbey School
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| The Abbey School | |
| Motto | In aedificationem corporis Christi (Building up the body of Christ) |
| Established | 1887 |
| Type | Independent |
| Headmistress | Barbara Stanley |
| Chairman of Governors | Mr P. Smith [1] |
| Location | Kendrick Road Reading Berkshire RG1 5DZ  England |
| Students | 973 (as of October 2002)[2] |
| Ages | 3 to 18 |
| Website | www.theabbey.co.uk |
The Abbey School is an independent selective school for girls, in Reading, Berkshire, England.[3] The school has Church of England traditions,[4] although it accepts girls of all faiths.[5] The Abbey School offers education for girls aged 3 to 18.[4]
Founded in 1887,[6] the school moved to its present site in 1905[6] under the leadership of headmistress Miss Helen Musson.
Notable alumnae include the novelist Elizabeth Taylor[7] and the headmistress Baroness Brigstocke.[8]
Around one hundred years before the school was founded in 1887, the novelist Jane Austen attended Reading Ladies' boarding school within the Abbey gatehouse circa 1785 [9] [10][11], which is commemorated by, and incorporated into, the Abbey School's crest.
Contents |
[edit] History
The school was founded in 1887, named Reading High School, replacing the privately owned Blenheim House Ladies' School. It was at London Road (in the building which became the Gladstone Club). The Church Schools Company, instrumental in founding the school, felt that Reading, with its growing population reaching 60,000, was in need of a new school. The school aimed to provide high quality education, with a Christian ethos, without charging extortionate fees. When founded, the school had an enrollment of 40 girls, which steadily increased to 120 by 1902, when Miss Helen Musson, the new headmistress, was appointed.[6]
In 1905, the school moved to its current Kendrick Road site.[12] On 16 March 1905, Archdeacon Ducat laid the foundation stone of the school, which featured the inscription, "In aedificationem corporis Christi". This motto, taken from Ephesians IV:12, can still be seen on the school's crest. The new site was a vast improvement on the old site: there were six classrooms, a hall and room for playing fields.[6]
The school changed name to The Abbey School in 1913,[12] after splitting with the Church Schools' Company. The name was chosen to commemorate a former Reading school dating from 1835, which was based in the Abbey gateway. A previous school in the Abbey gateway operating in the 18th century, named Reading Ladies Boarding School [9], had Jane Austen among its pupils [9].[11] [10] and Mrs Sherwood [13]
The Abbey is now a day school, after ceasing to accept boarding pupils in 1946.[6] The headmistress is Mrs Barbara Stanley.
[edit] Academic Performance
The school has established a reputation for academic excellence. According to the Good Schools Guide, the school typically achieves "88 per cent A/B, [and] 97 per cent A/C" at A Level, "Sciences [are] very strong" and "100 per cent [of students go] into higher education."[14]
Information about the 2005 results is available from the Abbey for GCSEs and A levels.
Information about the 2006 results is available from the Abbey for both GCSEs (here) and A levels (here).
[edit] Senior School
Entrance to the Senior School is through assessment examinations in mathematics, English and verbal reasoning, and an interview in January[citation needed]. Roughly 45% of entrants in the Upper Third (year 7) come from the Junior School.[15]
[edit] Houses
On entering the school, every girl is put into a house; Carrington, Ducat, Kensington or Paget. Houses are named after people who have been important to the school. In these houses, girls can earn points by doing well, and lose points as well. House competitions include reading and music,The Music Competition (for solo players),The Baroness Brigstocke Public Speaking competition (plus the Baby Bridgestock for younger students),House sports competitions (such as swimming, rounders and hockey) and Sports Day. At the end of each term, and each year, a cup is awarded to the house with the most points.
[edit] Sixth Form
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The head of Sixth Form is Mrs Dent, who joined in 2006. The school has a sixth form block. The Abbey Sixth Form no longer requires girls to wear a uniform.
[edit] Junior School and Early Years Centre
The junior school is at Kensington House, a building 400 metres away from the senior school. Also situated here is the Early Years Centre, a unit opened in 2003. Somerleaze House was opened by BBC presenter and old school girl Sally Taylor
[edit] Uniform
The senior school uniform comprises a green jumper and skirt with a green and white striped blouse. The fifth form may wear black jumpers and may wear black tights; the sixth form have no uniform but a dress code for formal occasions.
Junior school uniform consists of a green and white striped shirt with a green pinafore. In summer a green and white summer dress is worn. The Early Years Centre has a uniform of a green tracksuit.[16]
[edit] Reports
As an independent school, Ofsted do not perform inspections of the school. [17] [18] . However, Ofsted have inspected the Early Years Centre [19] . The Independent Schools Inspectorate performed an inspection on the whole school in 2002 [2] . The Good Schools Guide produced a report on the Abbey in 2005. [15] [20]
[edit] ISI 2002
The inspection took place in October 2002 and produced, on the whole, a positive report. The report praised the "good quality" teaching and "high quality pastoral care", with "dedicated" and "committed" teachers. It noted the "high achievement" in GCSE and A level exams and the "rich programme" of extra curricular activities. In the junior school, the accommodation and resources were praised.
There was criticism of the school's lack of management system and development plan. Inconsistency in assessment of pupils work was noted. The accommodation for year 6 was "poorly appointed" and there were "some teaching weaknesses" in this year group.
The full report can be seen here.
[edit] Ofsted Early Years Report 2004
Ofsted inspected the Early Years Centre only, that is, from ages 3 to 5. Judgments of the children's development were all classified as "very good" - the highest category attainable. "Very good progress" had been made since the 2002 ISI report and there were no significant weaknesses to report.
Staff promote good behaviour and show good understanding of individual needs with excellent opportunities for parental involvement.
The report can be accessed here
[edit] Good Schools Guide 2005
This review noted the academic excellence of the school as well as other outstanding details. The conclusive summary reads:
| “ | It's an anxious business being and staying this good. League table place matters because parents obsess about it (they deny it, of course, and blame politicians). Defection to free sixth form colls post-GCSE has stimulated both a more young-adult-friendly sixth form regime and greater efforts in all areas. This is a school which does the biz examwise, no doubt, but also tries with sincerity and enlightenment of purpose, especially under this humane head, to turn out girls who are in touch with everything they can do well and who will go on to be good citizens. | ” |
[edit] Notable alumnae
- Baroness Brigstocke, High Mistress of St Paul's Girls' School.[8]
- Jenni Falconer, television presenter
- Kate Humble, television presnter
- Miranda Krestovnikoff, presenter of BBC TV 'Coast'
- Debby Reynolds, Director General for Animal Health & Welfare and UK Chief Veterinary Officer for DEFRA.
- Elizabeth Taylor, author.[7]
- Sally Taylor, television presenter (BBC South Today).[22]
[edit] References
- ^ The Abbey School for Girls Reading
- ^ a b Independent Schools Inspectorate. "Inspection Report on the Abbey School, Reading". Retrieved on 2006-09-05.
- ^ "The Abbey School". Retrieved on 2006-09-04.
- ^ a b The Abbey School. "Ethos". Retrieved on 2006-09-04.
- ^ "ISI Inspection October 2002" 6, section 3.1. Retrieved on 2006-09-04.
- ^ a b c d e Laverack, Barbara; Barbara Sheldon. A History of The Abbey School, Reading 1887 - 2001. Retrieved on 2006-09-04.
- ^ a b "Elizabeth Taylor's relentless Englishness", Times Online (June 7, 2006).
- ^ a b "Lady Brigstocke", The Daily Telegraph (2004-05-06).
- ^ a b c Reading Museum's local information on Jane Austen's school
- ^ a b Dr Tony Corley. "Jane Austen's Schooldays 1785-6". Retrieved on 2006-09-04.
- ^ a b JASA. "Jane Austen biography". Retrieved on 2006-09-04.
- ^ a b The Abbey School. "2005 Site Centenary Celebration and ASROGA Reunion". Retrieved on 2006-09-04.
- ^ CTS. "Mary Martha Sherwood, The History of Theophilus and Sophia". Retrieved on 2006-09-04.
- ^ http://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/school/the-abbey-school-reading.html
- ^ a b The Good Schools Guide. "Guide to The Abbey School, Reading". Retrieved on 2006-09-05.
- ^ The Abbey School. "Uniforms". Retrieved on 2006-09-04.
- ^ Ofsted. "Reports for the Abbey School, Reading". Retrieved on 2006-09-05.
- ^ Ofsted. "Why is there no report for the independent school I am interested in?". Retrieved on 2006-09-05.
- ^ Ofsted. "Nursery Inspection Report". Retrieved on 2006-09-05.
- ^ The Good Schools Guide. "Guide to The Abbey Junior School". Retrieved on 2006-09-05.
- ^ http://www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/school/the-abbey-school-reading.html
- ^ The Abbey School. "Abbey Old Girls". Retrieved on 2006-09-05.
[edit] External links
- Official website (skip introduction)
- Abbey School Parents Association website
- Profile at the Good Schools Guide
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