St Albans School A GSG School
- St Albans School
Abbey Gateway
St Albans
Hertfordshire
AL3 4HB - Head: Mr J Gillespie
- T 01727 855521
- F 01727 843447
- E admissions@st-albans.herts.sch.uk
- W www.st-albans.herts.sch.uk
- An independent school for boys aged from 11 to 19.
- Boarding: No
- Local authority: Hertfordshire
- Pupils: 844; sixth formers: 303 (including 79 girls)
- Religion: Christian Inter-denominational
- Fees: £17,238 pa
- Open days: Several throughout the year. Contact school.
- Review: View The Good Schools Guide Review
- Ofsted report: View the Ofsted report
- ISI report: View the ISI report
What The Good Schools Guide says..
Sport has such a strong reputation here that there’s a myth that non-sporty types won’t get on. Pupils, parents and the school assure us this isn’t the case, with one pupil telling us, ‘Everyone has to take part in sport because it keeps you fit and healthy, but there’s no ethos of "You will enjoy sport, no matter what!"’ There’s a real buzz here, with a purposeful, dynamic and friendly vibe, where students are hungry to learn but don’t...
What the school says...
St Albans is a day school for academically able boys aged 11-18 and girls aged 16-18. Founded in 948, its atmosphere and ethos derive from its long tradition and its geographical position near the historic centre of St Albans, in close proximity to the Abbey and overlooking the remains of Roman Verulamium.
Whilst maintaining very high standards of academic achievement, it offers wide opportunities for development in other fields: the School's sporting record is exceptional and Drama and Music are strengths, with a distinguished tradition in choral music. Emphasis is laid on the use of individual talents in the service of the community, through the Duke of Edinburgh's Scheme and such activities as Community Service; the Partnership Scheme with local primary schools and the flourishing CCF. ...Read more
What the parents say...
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2015 Good Schools Guide Awards
- Best performance by Boys taking Ancient History at an English Independent School (GCE A level)
- Best performance by Girls taking General Studies at an English Independent School (GCE AS level)
- Best performance by Boys taking Critical Thinking at an English Independent School (GCE AS level)
Sports
Shooting
What The Good Schools Guide says
Headteacher
Since 2014, Jonathan Gillespie, previously head of Lancing College for eight years. Read modern and medieval languages and did a PGCE at Cambridge; taught at Highgate School and Fettes College before joining Lancing. Doesn’t teach pupils on timetabled basis (‘the demands of a head mean I couldn’t give it my all’), but gets stuck into Oxbridge trial interviews, assemblies, giving out weekly commendations etc. A more consultative leader than his predecessor (brought in the first parental questionnaire the school has ever seen), but believes in ‘evolution not revolution’ in terms of making changes. Pupils describe him as ‘approachable’ and say that whilst no pupil dared to step out of line with his predecessor, ‘the reason you don’t step out of line with Mr Gillespie is because you don’t want to let him down.’ We...
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Special Education Needs
All our pupils are capable of coping with a rigorous academic education carried on at a rapid pace. A pupil with serious dyslexia or dyspraxia would struggle to cope. However, we recognise that even the ablest can experience specific difficulties that could prevent them achieving their fullest potential, and may therefore benefit from some learning support. All new entrants are screened for previously undetected dyslexia and monitoring continues throughout a pupil's career. Where a problem is suspected, a diagnostic assessment is offered, following which, an assessment by an independent Educational Psychologist may be recommended. Sometimes, an able pupil will have developed coping strategies which obscure a problem that comes to light only in later years as the demands of the work become more complex, and staff are trained to spot such emergent difficulties. Various levels of support are available, including one-to-one tuition with a specialist teacher who is freelance but spends all her time at the school. 09-09
| Condition | Provision for in school |
|---|---|
| ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder | Y |
| Aspergers | Y |
| Aspergers Syndrome [archived] | |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders | Y |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders [archived] | |
| CReSTeD registered for Dyslexia | |
| Delicate Medical Problems [archived] | |
| Dyscalculia | |
| Dysgraphia | |
| Dyslexia | |
| Dyspraxia | |
| English as an additional language (EAL) | |
| Epilepsy [archived] | |
| Genetic | |
| Has an entry in the Autism Services Directory | |
| Has SEN unit or class | |
| HI - Hearing Impairment | |
| Hospital School | |
| Mental health | |
| MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty | |
| MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment | |
| Natspec Specialist Colleges | |
| Not Applicable | |
| OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability | |
| Other SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | |
| PD - Physical Disability | |
| PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty | |
| SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health | |
| SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication | |
| SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty | |
| Special facilities for Visually Impaired | |
| SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty | |
| VI - Visual Impairment |
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