Truro High School For Girls

Since 2018, Sarah Matthews, previously interim head of St Mary’s Shaftesbury. Degree in philosophy and RS from Lancaster; PGCE from St Martin’s College. Spent 12 years at Stamford High School as pastoral head of year and housemistress before moving

Most girls arrive from the prep, with a similar sized additional intake from across Cornwall or internationally. It’s a source of pride that some head teachers of rival schools choose to send their daughters here. Applicants are invited in for a

Around a quarter go elsewhere at the end of year 11, mostly to the state sixth form college in Truro but some to larger boarding schools elsewhere in the country, all in search of a bigger pond. A few progress to vocational courses: one was recently

In 2023, 43 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 31 per cent A*/A at A level (58 per cent A*-B). In 2019 (the last pre-pandemic results), 55 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 59 per cent A*/A at A level.

School says it stopped entering results into league tables at the request of the pupils who, apparently, deemed their use in school marketing materials ‘hypocritical of our anti-comparison culture’. Is school’s readiness to act upon this gripe an

Roughly a quarter of pupils have some form of educational need, from mild dyslexia or dyspraxia to more moderate ASD. The school has a highly-praised SEN unit, a dedicated room in the centre of school with two permanent members of staff. ‘The support

The academic day runs from 8.45am to 3.45pm but all pupils are encouraged to take advantage of the impressive array of extracurricular activity and stay the full 8am-6pm. Those finishing late have the option of the ‘boarders’ tea’. With a regular

‘Give it a go, girls!’ is the oft-repeated mantra referred to by parents whose daughters had access to choices from touch rugby to trampoline and were encouraged to find one in which they excelled. Nonetheless, we heard a few parent gripes - they

Keen to ward off provinciality by attracting a broad range of international students, the boarding houses are home to 12 different nationalities and boarding has seen a 45 per cent growth in the three years since Mrs Matthews took over the headship.

School was built in 1880 by Archbishop Benson (who also oversaw the construction of Truro Cathedral, which the school overlooks) and is within easy walking distance of the city centre. The main building is Gothic, castellated Cornish granite.

Not

Every parent we spoke to, bar none, sang the praises of the pastoral care, describing the approach as ‘kind’, ‘perceptive', ‘down to earth’ and ‘what stands this school apart’. The school lives and breathes its ethos of kindness, nurturing and

A clear mobile phone policy is a really important part of modern schooling. This school has provided us with their policy.

Dressed smartly in kilts and blazers, enthusiastically eloquent and with engaging and polite attitudes, Truro High girls struck us as delightfully genuine. Any lack of premature sophistication is probably a big selling point for most

Around 20 per cent of the school’s income goes into fee assistance. One in six pupils is on a means-tested bursary, with several fully funded by the school. Mrs Matthews is set to launch a new scheme where alumnae donations fund pupils from lower

This school could not do more for its girls if it tried. They are nurtured, coached and encouraged to achieve their personal best at every step. Academic achievements are a credit to the girls’ work ethic and the boundless enthusiasm and dedication