Tatler Schools Guide 2022

South Hampstead is once again featured in the Tatler Schools Guide, their annual review of the top schools in the UK.

The atrium at South Hampstead High is adorned with striking murals painted by the Turner-nominated Gillian Ayres. The brushstrokes and vibrant colour are something of a metaphor for this school, where similarly bold girls recently picked up the English Speaking Union’s Oracy Culture Award 2020 (thanks, perhaps, to the compulsory public speaking classes). This emphasis on debate is reflected in the variety of clubs and initiatives on offer: the diversity and inclusion steering group is accompanied by the Feminist Society and a range of eco projects (one member of staff is a UN-accredited climate change teacher). The South Hampstead Speaker Series continues to welcome a constellation of leading lights: recently, Mark Carney gave a talk on economic and environmental values, while journalist and alumna Katya Adler focused on the issues surrounding Brexit. The emphasis on intellectual exploration is matched with a sensitive emphasis on pastoral care: the co-tutor system means that girls always have someone to turn to. In the Lower Sixth, students are trained as peer mentors. Roughly 20% of graduates head to Oxbridge, and the school is aiming to open up to a broader range of students by doubling its bursary provision.

The review featured in the ‘Tatler Schools Guide 2022: the top prep and public schools in the UK’, published in conjunction with the October 2021 edition of Tatler.