St James Senior Girls' School

Since September 2023, Emma Bell, MA (Oxon), PGCE (UCL IOE). The super-dynamic Ms Bell comes from a family ‘where no one had done A Levels’, but she herself attended Dr Challoner’s High School, a girls’ grammar school in Buckinghamshire, then (all-women) St Hilda’s College, Oxford, where she was a history scholar. After a stint in consulting, she qualified as a teacher at the UCL Institute of Education, and her teaching career has been rich and varied, including time at a comprehensive in east London, three years in France at an international IB school, and a demanding episode at a comprehensive in one of Birmingham’s most deprived areas. Since the birth of her daughter – now 14 – she has taught exclusively in all-girls schools: firstly, at Cheltenham Ladies’ College, then as head of sixth form at Stratford Girls’ Grammar School, and, most recently, at boarding Tudor Hall in Oxfordshire, where she was deputy head. The last was inspirational. ‘I loved the fact that it was a place where pupils are excited to be at school because school is an exciting place to be.’ The ‘value-added’ of Tudor Hall informed her decision to apply for St James. ‘I knew I had to find a headship where I could work with my head and my heart, and I felt St James’ philosophy, calm, and focus is what we all need post Covid.’

Since her arrival, she’s aimed to highlight the school’s core values – speak truth, live generously, aim for the best – while gently edging it in new directions. Ms Bell’s CV is ample testimony to her ability as a mover and shaker, but she also has that much rarer ability to bring people along with her, and both parents and pupils are positive about her down-to-earth and approachable style. ‘She’s doesn’t want to change the ethos, it’s more about sharpening up things like homework, academics, uniform,’ said one. ‘She’s very professional, totally on her game, and really pays attention to the detail,’ commented another. Parents also find her very empathetic. ‘The fact that she has a teenage daughter herself means she understands what we’re going through.’

Two classes of 25 in year 7, with 170 applying for about 30 places (the remainder go to girls coming up from the junior school). St James is a member of the London 11+ Consortium, and all applicants sit the Consortium written tests and are interviewed. The head expects girls (including those from the junior school) to be able to cope with a ‘busy’ curriculum that includes Latin and Sanskrit, but beyond that assessment is ‘holistic’. ‘We look at the overall profile and want girls who are genuinely curious and want to get to know themselves.’ Sixth-form applicants require at least six GCSEs at 9-4, ideally with 7s in their chosen A level subjects.

Typically, a significant exodus post-GCSEs, when about a quarter leave for larger, often co-ed, schools, both state (such as nearby Twyford) and boarding. Those remaining – and numbers are increasing – get outstanding support for university entrance, with one-to-one mentoring and an entire week devoted to UCAS applications. Destinations and subject choice are as individual as the girls themselves, ranging from Sanskrit, history and classics at Oxford and Cambridge to mechanical engineering at Imperial and more vocational pathways, such as nursing and advertising. One medic in 2024.

Academically, the school achieves very good results in a broad curriculum (though with a grade spread reflective of its reasonably broad intake), with pupils generally taking nine or 10 GCSEs. Notably strong in classics, with Latin, Greek (by selection from year 8) and classical civilisation all taught, plus Sanskrit. (Girls seem to take to this esoteric ancient language with enthusiasm. ‘I love learning Sanskrit,’ said one year 7. ‘It’s really, really cool.’) French from year 7, Spanish from year 8. All do three sciences, either individually or as a double award. Computer science also a GCSE option, though, until recently, IT has largely been kept at arm’s length in a school which hasn’t wanted pupils to be inundated with the incessant buzz of modern life. The school, however, is now bringing about a tech revolution with all pupils to be equipped with their own iPad. ‘We’ve been talking to families about screen time and how this move will fit in with our philosophy of being in the present moment.’

‘Differentiated’ learning achieved by setting in some core subjects (maths from year 7, Latin and French from year 8), with progress regularly reviewed and sets updated. Teachers are well qualified and committed. ‘They have some very experienced and skilled staff,’ said one mother, ‘and track work closely, introducing remedial clinics, which kick in automatically if required.’ Pupils feel teachers understand who they are and what they need. ‘The teachers know you really well, so can push you,’ said one sixth former.

Reading clearly popular, and most girls we spoke to belong to some form of book club. ‘It’s exposed me to a lot of new books,’ said one year 7. ‘I didn’t enjoy reading before I started here, now I really like it.’ Year 7s have a weekly library literacy lesson, years 8-9 instruction in reading development in the attractively refurbished library, and the enthusiastic librarian responds to requests from staff and pupils to update the shelves with everything from graphic novels and TikTok bestsellers to more taxing non-fiction works on Indian history and ultra-processed foods.

Despite its size, St James manages 20 A level options (including economics, Hinduism, psychology, sociology and – popular – history of art), which sixth formers are allowed to blend in any combination, whatever the timetable gymnastics. Big take-up, too, of the EPQ, with well over half this year’s upper sixth taking the opportunity to develop their research skills. Sixth-former academic progress (and wellbeing) overseen by a personal tutor, who acts as a pivot with teachers and meets with students every two weeks.

Thoughtful analysis is central to the school’s academic and pastoral approach, and philosophy lessons and activities like Model United Nations broaden intellectual horizons. ‘They have very lively discussions on a wide range of topics, from trade unionism to the analysis of painting, and I can see my daughter and her friends becoming well-rounded and interesting people.’ Enrichment offered to all, with pupils encouraged to enhance the core in every direction – whether that’s through the study of additional mathematics or attendance at the Minerva lecture series.

About 30 per cent of girls have mild to moderate learning difficulties – a relatively high percentage – and the approach here is bespoke, focused, and child centred, with in-class support, additional teaching and remedial clinics. The head of learning support works closely with parents and teachers and, where necessary, relies on external specialists, such as speech-and-language therapists and psychiatrists. ‘I like the fact that the school cares about the development and progress of every girl,’ said one parent. ‘It doesn’t just exclude someone who is struggling or not quite making the grade.’

Creativity is fundamental to the school’s philosophy and curriculum. Drama – offered at both GCSE and A level – is notably strong with a large take-up at GCSE, and we watched an eager year 9 class about to improvise on the theme of trust and betrayal. Girls were gearing up, too, to audition for roles in the annual production (last year, a musical version of the Odyssey, this year, Mary Poppins). Art has a lovely bright dual-aspect studio with some inventive work on display (including a GCSE portfolio on Mrs Thatcher, and another centred on celebrity). Cookery – taught for half a day every four weeks – enjoys a spacious, beautifully kitted-out kitchen (where the head is about to launch Leith’s professional cookery certificate as a sixth-form qualification).

The school’s small scale makes some creative endeavours problematic, but a new head of music is helping rectify this, with a growing internal orchestra and chamber choir and joint orchestra with St James Boys’ School. The performing arts also well served by the St James Academy of Performing Arts, the school’s own on-site mini conservatoire, which offers daily after-school classes in dance, drama and musical theatre, allowing girls to prepare for external exams.

Everyone is encouraged to join clubs – in the lunch hour and after school – offering further opportunities to explore both the creative urge and specialist interests (chemistry, zoology, politics, Lego, fashion). The most is made, too, of its central London location with frequent cultural visits, and all pupils take part in residential trips in the UK. Trips abroad, such as a classics trip to Greece, are also on offer.

It would be disingenuous to suggest that parents select St James for its sport, though the head is putting greater emphasis on this aspect of the curriculum. In the years up to GCSE all girls take two timetabled lessons, one on site in the good-sized gym and generous playground, the other at a variety of venues that provide the backdrop for cross-country, netball, football, rugby, athletics, cricket and swimming. Sixth formers, too, have a weekly sports session. It can sometimes prove difficult to muster teams from a single year group, but the school competes regularly (if not hugely successfully) in netball, lacrosse and football against nearby girls’ schools, such as St Paul’s and Godolphin and Latymer, and boarding schools, such as Wycombe Abbey, as well as in national competitions (where they regularly perform strongly in ISA netball).

Many parents choose St James because of its pastoral care. ‘The pastoral care is second to none,’ said one father. ‘It really focuses on the individual girl and what they’re feeling.’ ‘We were looking for a school that was very small and very nurturing, that would allow girls to develop at their own pace, and not grow up too quickly,’ said another. ‘St James is rare in providing that.’

Teachers know all girls well and friendship issues are spotted – and handled – quickly. ‘My daughter, who is very sensitive, finds her teacher very easy talk to,’ said one year 7 mother. ‘When she fell out with a friend, the teacher helped to fix the problem in the nicest possible way.’ There is a real emphasis on kindness and parents are particularly pleased with the way in which pupils are encouraged to be supportive of each other. ‘Just before her exams, my daughter received a text from another girl saying, “I’m sure you’ll do really well.” When I asked her about it, she said, “We were told by our teacher to send nice messages.”’ A new pastoral and wellbeing hub – ‘a safe space at the centre of the school’ – will be staffed by a member of the pastoral team at all times, providing further support to parent and pupils.

The head is a firm believer in the advantages of single-sex education. ‘It’s not right for every child, but it can provide an environment where it is safe to take risks, somewhere you can work out who you are and put yourself out there intellectually.’ Though girls share an annual summer concert and biennial musical production with their brother school, some might, perhaps, be concerned about the limited interaction with boys, though this doesn’t seem to bother many. ‘I wanted to go to an all-girls schools,’ said one girl. ‘Sometimes boys can be a bit annoying.’

Plenty of opportunities for leadership roles – house captains, sixth-form leadership team, mental-health first aiders, etc – and the head is increasing the scope for ‘student voice’. ‘It’s something that was already happening, but we’re now doing it more consciously.’ The school also places a strong emphasis on citizenship and volunteering, and the community action council provides a platform for pupils of all ages to contribute to projects such as teaching Latin in a local primary school or visiting the elderly.

Though sixth formers are allowed out for lunch, many continue to join younger years on the main site, where the vegetarian menus meet with a general thumbs-up.

A cosmopolitan school, with families from the UK, Europe, Asia and the Middle East drawn to its holistic education. Alongside the usual bankers and lawyers, English parents (including numerous alumnae) often have a slightly alternative perspective. Most consider the school ‘a hidden gem’. ‘I chose the school because I was so impressed by the senior girls who showed us round, and their ability to converse and communicate with adults,’ said one. ‘My daughter is now turning into the girl I wanted her to be.’ Girls are articulate, thoughtful, well-informed – and kind.