If you want to gift your daughter unfettered ambition, you couldn’t do better than St George’s. Beautiful calming campus, committed staff and charming and confident students. You go girls!
Why read our school review?
Unlike other websites, schools can't pay to be included in The Good Schools Guide. This means our review of this school is independent, critical and fair, and written with parents' best interests at heart.
Unlock to access
Overview & data
- Pupil numbers
- 600 ·
- Sixth form numbers
- 170 ·
- Offers boarding
- Yes ·
- Religion
- Non-denom
- Fees
- Day £13,839 - £22,692; Boarding £37,926 - £46,533 pa
- Local authority
- The City of Edinburgh Council

Headteacher
Head
Mrs Carol Chandler-Thompson
Since 2022, Carol Chandler-Thompson, previously head of Blackheath High School (GDST) for eight years. Studied history, followed by a PGCE at University of Exeter. An experienced head, particularly in girls’ education, with 25 years working in
Unlock this review instantly
Learn what pupils and parents really think of this school, along with our expert opinion on the headteacher’s leadership style, the school’s academic results and facilities, the focus on pastoral care, and the range of extra-curricular activities.

Entrance
Entrance into the mixed nursery (age 3 to 5) via 'a play and meet the family’ session. Boys can stay up to end of P3 (usually younger brothers or teachers’ children). Junior school, up to P4, via a taster day, activities in class and ‘meet the
- Open days
- September and October

Exit
About 70 per cent move up from nursery to junior school; 95 per cent from junior to senior school. Vast majority stay on for Highers and Advanced Highers. Over 95 per cent of sixth formers go to university – Edinburgh, St Andrews, Glasgow, Durham,

Latest results
In 2024, 39 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 84 per cent A/B for Highers; 75 per cent A/B for Advanced Highers.

Teaching & learning
Learning through play is the motto in the charming nursery. Early literacy and numeracy gently introduced, with oodles of outside opportunities in leafy spaces around the school grounds including the ‘Fantastical Forest’. We loved that the teachers

Learning support & SEN
There are six part-time Support for Learning teachers (equating to four full-timers), with a specialist in each section of the school: junior, lower (10-13) and upper. Includes two dedicated ESOL specialists. School is well-known for the quality of

Arts & extracurricular
Music begins in nursery with a dedicated teacher, and there are 27 peris across the school teaching individual lessons in both singing and instruments ranging from tuba to piano. Loads of orchestras, choirs and masses of concerts from informal

Sport
‘During the winter we order over 200 bacon rolls on a Saturday, so we know that’s how many girls are taking part in weekend fixtures,’ said the head of PE. We like the cut of your jib, St George’s and being famous for your bacon butties is no mean

Boarders
Think of a classic boarding school and St George’s wouldn’t be the first spring to mind. ‘A day school with boarding’ is how the school describes it – and with just 30-50 boarders, it’s certainly not a huge part of their offering. Full, termly,

Ethos & heritage
St George’s High School for Girls was founded in 1888 by a group of women led by the redoubtable Scottish campaigner and champion of women’s rights, Dame Sarah Mair. Their aim was to provide education to women previously denied the opportunity,

Pastoral care, inclusivity & discipline
One of the big pastoral pluses of St George’s is its size. ‘Every child is known’ really applies, parents told us. Heads of year track personal, social and academic progress of students. Team of tutors meet weekly to discuss concerns. Six school

Mobile phone policy
A clear mobile phone policy is a really important part of modern schooling. This school has provided us with their policy.
Mobile phone policy
Currently no phones in junior and lower school (up to 13 years). Senior school under review and likely to be no phones from next session. Sixth form may be able to use in their sixth form common room only.

Pupils & parents
Pupils and parents are a diverse mix of Scottish middle-class. Plenty of doctors, lawyers, farmers, museum heritage and creatives, plus international families. A whopping 28 different ‘home’ languages are spoken including Russian, French, Ukrainian

Money matters
Limited number of means tested bursaries up to 100 per cent. Third child gets a third off fees (not applicable for nursery). Discount scheme for brothers at Merchiston. Textbooks, stationery, junior school day trips included in fees.
- Fee information
- Day £13,839 - £22,692; Boarding £37,926 - £46,533 pa

The last word
If you want to gift your daughter unfettered ambition, you couldn’t do better than St George’s. Beautiful calming campus, committed staff and charming and confident students. You go girls!
