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What says..

One of our guides said her favourite thing about the school was the many non-academic opportunities - ‘Even if the school doesn’t offer something, they will sort it so you can have a go.’ If you have an issue, email the head of year and you’ll hear back almost instantly,’ a parent told us. These are not a madly challenging group of girls, but inevitable friendship group problems do arise and are well dealt with. Sporting facilities are adequate, but no one would call them glorious. When pressed for…

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What the school says...

One of the country’s foremost independent girls’ schools from 3-18 The Abbey is a place where academic excellence becomes a natural process of growth and curiosity at every stage of the journey, from the age of 3 to 18. We are a school that celebrates success in all its forms, and every girl is encouraged to explore her own unique strengths and discover her passions through a vast choice of opportunities – both inside and outside the classroom.

For many years The Abbey Junior School has been developing a leading system of inquiry-based study where students are in charge of their own learning. We help them to cover topics with active, questing intelligence, led by questions, finding their own answers. Our teachers support, encourage and guide so that students have the confidence to make discoveries of their own.

From September 2021, we embraced the internationally recognised and renowned Primary Years Programme (PYP) as an IB Candidate School, combining it with our own Abbey Ideas and Passion (Abbey IP). Together they support our theme of Human Intelligence.

The programme is academically challenging, robust, supporting curriculum milestones and going far beyond them. It is innovative and outward-looking, prioritising creativity and connections. It is full of joy, reward and illumination. Simply put: it is the most exciting, innovative and rigorous curriculum available anywhere in the country.

Throughout the Senior School, we seek to provide a ‘real-world’ education that goes outside the classroom to offer a myriad of opportunities for students to explore, identify and cultivate their passions. Far from being a blank canvas, every individual arrives with a rich palette of her own unique colours – and we encourage them to embrace them in all their glory. Our exceptional co- curricular provision sets us apart: whatever your daughter’s enthusiasm, there will be an activity just right for her and lots of new things to try.

Sixth Form provides a pathway to suit each student through our A Level and IB curriculum offerings. Our internationally-minded ethos means that we collaborate across divides and strive to provide an education that prepares students to step out into an uncertain world with confidence, empathy, and at ease with those from all cultures. Our pioneering methods put the ‘why’ back at the heart of learning and our holistic approach places equal emphasis on academic achievement, intellectual agility and emotional wellbeing.

The academic results attained speak for themselves. The A Level cohorts regularly achieve upwards of 70% A*-A grades – enabling them to move on to study at the university that is right for them. The School is also one of the top performing IB schools academically – not only in the UK, but globally. In 2022, our students achieved an average of 40 points, compared to the global average of 30, placing The Abbey as one of the leading IB Schools in the World.

Above all, The Abbey is passionate about creating a learning experience that is joyful and meaningful. Our self- regulating culture helps us all to look after each other, and our inspiring teachers are dedicated to fostering a special relationship with each and every individual.
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Curricula

International Baccalaureate: diploma - the diploma is the familiar A-level equivalent.

Other features

All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.

What The Good Schools Guide says

Head

Since September 2020, William le Fleming, formerly executive head at Fulham School. Educated at Eton and Clare College, Cambridge. Worked briefly as a journalist before moving into education in museums and palaces (worked at the Museum of London, the Tower of London, and Hampton Court). Segued into teaching, first at St Paul's School in London where he was elevated to the senior role of undermaster, and then at St Paul's Girls School where he was deputy head and director of the senior school tasked with (among other things) ‘supporting an ethos of girls’ empowerment throughout the curriculum, particularly with regard to enterprise, career and university opportunities’. Arrived at The Abbey, under the cloak of Covid, after a two year spell as head of the serially challenged Fulham (senior) School in London.

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Please note: Independent schools frequently offer IGCSEs or other qualifications alongside or as an alternative to GCSE. The DfE does not record performance data for these exams so independent school GCSE data is frequently misleading; parents should check the results with the schools.

Who came from where

Who goes where

Special Education Needs

Condition Provision for in school
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder Y
Aspergers
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders Y
CReSTeD registered for Dyslexia
Dyscalculia Y
Dysgraphia Y
Dyslexia Y
Dyspraxia Y
English as an additional language (EAL) Y
Genetic
Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory
Has SEN unit or class
HI - Hearing Impairment Y
Hospital School
Mental health
MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty
MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment
Natspec Specialist Colleges
OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability Y
Other SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty
PD - Physical Disability Y
PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty
SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health Y
SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication Y
SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty
Special facilities for Visually Impaired
SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty
VI - Visual Impairment Y

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