Perse School for Girls
Encyclopedia
The Stephen Perse Foundation is an independent, fee-paying day school situated near the centre of Cambridge
, England
. The Foundation is made up of four schools: The Stephen Perse Pre-Prep School, for boys and girls aged 3-7, Perse Girls Junior School,for girls aged 7-11, Perse Girls Senior School, for girls aged 11-16, and the Stephen Perse Sixth Form College, for boys and girls aged 16-18. The Stephen Perse Foundation has a strong reputation for academic excellence.
, a fellow of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge (who died in the 1600s) is associated with the school. The School will be celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2011.
. All girls in the Junior and Senior Schools are put into one of the six houses; Cattley (dark blue), Clark (yellow), Kennett (red), Pollock (white), Rose (green) and Street (light blue). Houses take part in term competitions, as well as a Sports Day, which takes place on the last day of the Summer Term.
The Perse Girls Junior School (7-11) occupies a site close to the main secondary school.
In September 2008, the school established the co-educational Stephen Perse Sixth Form college in Shaftesbury Road. The school teaches both A-level and IB, and was voted the IB school of the Year by The Sunday Times newspaper.
In September 2010, the school established the Stephen Perse Pre-Prep School after purchasing Madingley School Pre-Prep on the retirement of the previous owners. The Stephen Perse Pre-Prep is situated in Madingley,a village outside Cambridge.
The site includes a brand new dining room, hall, library, visual arts centre and a new sick bay, with renovations in other classrooms. All classrooms contain interactive whiteboards. There is a class 3 listed gymnasium on site too, as well as four ICT rooms which are available to use before school, at lunch time and after school.
The school also contains a fenland nature reserve, astroturf playing fields and a pavilion.
The Student Forum offers students the chance for their views to be heard. Each form elects two representatives to sit on the forum. The Student Forum meets once every half term to discuss issues that are affecting the lives of the students. This enables the school to know what issues the students want addressed.
Girls are given the chances in their final year to hold responsibilities. These include sitting on one of the school's committees, mentoring the younger years, and creating the school's yearbook. The Year 11's give their responsibilities over to the Year 10's when they start their exam period in the Spring Term.
The Head Girl is chosen in Year 10, elected by both her peers and her teachers. The Head Girl's responsibilities include leading the Student Forum and reading at the Carol Service. A Student President is also elected in the same manner for the Sixth Form. The Student President acts as a liaison between staff and sixth formers, as well as monitoring the work of the sixth form student committees and ensuring the link remains between the sixth form and the senior school.
Form groups lead an assembly every year, and also run charity initiatives for that Term's charity. The class that raises the most money is given a certificate in a frame, which they can hang up in the classroom for the rest of the term.
For GCSE, there are many options available, with students taking 10 or 11 GCSE's. All students take Maths, English Language and English Literature IGCSEs, and Biology, Chemistry and Physics GCSE's. Students also take a GCSE in either French or Spanish. Students then choose up to four options from History, Geography, Religious Studies and Philosophy, German, Italian, Russian, Art, Drama, Design and Technology, Music, Latin, and Greek, and take an ECDL in ICT. Critical Thinking is taught as a non-examined course, as is Physical Education. Students can take a short course Physical Education GCSE as an extra-curricular activity.
Drama is taught throughout the school. Every year group is given the chance to perform in a play, or help backstage or with lighting. Every other year, Years 10- U6th put on a musical, which is performed at the Mumford Theatre. Recent musicals have included 42nd Street, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Les Miserables.
Visual Arts are taught in the Visual Arts Centre. Girls have the chance to try Fine art, Textiles and Digital Media.
Music is also an important part of the school. There are many orchestras and choirs that girls can join. The Singers, a choir open from Year 10, regularly goes on choir tours in Europe, and sometimes sings Evensong at Ely Cathedral. Girls are given the chance to sing or play at the Christmas carol service at Great St Mary's Church, the spring concert at West Road, and Jazz on a Summer's Evening. Individual Music Tuition is readily available.
International School Award in recognition of the work the school undertakes with schools in Finland, Hungary, Portugal, Italy, France, Russia, Spain, Germany and Japan. The Comenius project aims to bring the teaching of Classics into the modern world. The school hosted a week on the topic of Metamorpheses in 2010, in which students from the sister schools came to Cambridge to take part in workshops including dance, drama, art and textiles. The Comenius project in 2011 will be hosted in Bruges, Belgium.
There are many opportunities to take part in Residential trips. Year 6 students go to Brancaster. At the beginning of Year 7, students and year staff go to Grafham Water to take part in team building exercises. This helps the year to get to know each other and become closer. In Year 10, all students go to Flanders, for a cross-curricular trip. Exchanges take place for all modern languages taught; The French Exchange in Year 9, and the others in Year 10. The Year 9 Ski trip is also very popular.
The school is connected to The Gambia, and each year money is raised by initiatives such as the Journey to Africa walk, and Soup days. The school also raises money for Barnados with Barnados Day, when form groups dress up themselves and their classes according to a theme. The class who raises the most money is given the Barnados bear. Sometimes, students steal the bear and keep it for themselves.
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The Foundation is made up of four schools: The Stephen Perse Pre-Prep School, for boys and girls aged 3-7, Perse Girls Junior School,for girls aged 7-11, Perse Girls Senior School, for girls aged 11-16, and the Stephen Perse Sixth Form College, for boys and girls aged 16-18. The Stephen Perse Foundation has a strong reputation for academic excellence.
History
The Perse School for Girls was founded in 1881 by Miss Street. The name of Dr Stephen PerseStephen Perse
Stephen Perse was an English academic and philanthropist.He was probably educated at Norwich School, and took his B.A. degree at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge in 1569, where he was later elected to a fellowship...
, a fellow of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge (who died in the 1600s) is associated with the school. The School will be celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2011.
Houses
The Perse School for Girls implements the house systemHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
. All girls in the Junior and Senior Schools are put into one of the six houses; Cattley (dark blue), Clark (yellow), Kennett (red), Pollock (white), Rose (green) and Street (light blue). Houses take part in term competitions, as well as a Sports Day, which takes place on the last day of the Summer Term.
Site and Facillities
The school site occupies a city "block", three sides bordered by residential streets and the fourth by the University of Cambridge Department of Chemistry. The school recently redeveloped the school hall, dining room and library.The Perse Girls Junior School (7-11) occupies a site close to the main secondary school.
In September 2008, the school established the co-educational Stephen Perse Sixth Form college in Shaftesbury Road. The school teaches both A-level and IB, and was voted the IB school of the Year by The Sunday Times newspaper.
In September 2010, the school established the Stephen Perse Pre-Prep School after purchasing Madingley School Pre-Prep on the retirement of the previous owners. The Stephen Perse Pre-Prep is situated in Madingley,a village outside Cambridge.
The site includes a brand new dining room, hall, library, visual arts centre and a new sick bay, with renovations in other classrooms. All classrooms contain interactive whiteboards. There is a class 3 listed gymnasium on site too, as well as four ICT rooms which are available to use before school, at lunch time and after school.
The school also contains a fenland nature reserve, astroturf playing fields and a pavilion.
Students
There are currently approximately 730 students, with 140 in the Junior School and 110 in the Sixth Form. In the Senior School, There are four classes in years 7, 9 and 11, but 5 classes in year 8 and 10. In the Junior School there are two classes in years 3 to 5, with 3 classes in year 6.The Student Forum offers students the chance for their views to be heard. Each form elects two representatives to sit on the forum. The Student Forum meets once every half term to discuss issues that are affecting the lives of the students. This enables the school to know what issues the students want addressed.
Girls are given the chances in their final year to hold responsibilities. These include sitting on one of the school's committees, mentoring the younger years, and creating the school's yearbook. The Year 11's give their responsibilities over to the Year 10's when they start their exam period in the Spring Term.
The Head Girl is chosen in Year 10, elected by both her peers and her teachers. The Head Girl's responsibilities include leading the Student Forum and reading at the Carol Service. A Student President is also elected in the same manner for the Sixth Form. The Student President acts as a liaison between staff and sixth formers, as well as monitoring the work of the sixth form student committees and ensuring the link remains between the sixth form and the senior school.
Form groups lead an assembly every year, and also run charity initiatives for that Term's charity. The class that raises the most money is given a certificate in a frame, which they can hang up in the classroom for the rest of the term.
Curriculum
There is a large range of opportunities for learning at Perse Girls. Students learn French and Spanish from year 4, and can choose to learn German, Italian or Russian from year 8.For GCSE, there are many options available, with students taking 10 or 11 GCSE's. All students take Maths, English Language and English Literature IGCSEs, and Biology, Chemistry and Physics GCSE's. Students also take a GCSE in either French or Spanish. Students then choose up to four options from History, Geography, Religious Studies and Philosophy, German, Italian, Russian, Art, Drama, Design and Technology, Music, Latin, and Greek, and take an ECDL in ICT. Critical Thinking is taught as a non-examined course, as is Physical Education. Students can take a short course Physical Education GCSE as an extra-curricular activity.
Sport and the Arts
Sport is played throughout the school. In the younger years, girls play hockey, netball, rounders and tennis. When students reach Year 9, they are given more choice of sports, and they can be instructed in rowing, volleyball, basketball, squash, badminton, cricket, touch rugby, lacrosse and dance. Several Perse Girls teams compete regionally in hockey, rounders, netball and tennis and several students compete at National level in their chosen sports.Drama is taught throughout the school. Every year group is given the chance to perform in a play, or help backstage or with lighting. Every other year, Years 10- U6th put on a musical, which is performed at the Mumford Theatre. Recent musicals have included 42nd Street, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Les Miserables.
Visual Arts are taught in the Visual Arts Centre. Girls have the chance to try Fine art, Textiles and Digital Media.
Music is also an important part of the school. There are many orchestras and choirs that girls can join. The Singers, a choir open from Year 10, regularly goes on choir tours in Europe, and sometimes sings Evensong at Ely Cathedral. Girls are given the chance to sing or play at the Christmas carol service at Great St Mary's Church, the spring concert at West Road, and Jazz on a Summer's Evening. Individual Music Tuition is readily available.
Extracurricular activities
The Perse School for Girls holds the British CouncilBritish Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
International School Award in recognition of the work the school undertakes with schools in Finland, Hungary, Portugal, Italy, France, Russia, Spain, Germany and Japan. The Comenius project aims to bring the teaching of Classics into the modern world. The school hosted a week on the topic of Metamorpheses in 2010, in which students from the sister schools came to Cambridge to take part in workshops including dance, drama, art and textiles. The Comenius project in 2011 will be hosted in Bruges, Belgium.
There are many opportunities to take part in Residential trips. Year 6 students go to Brancaster. At the beginning of Year 7, students and year staff go to Grafham Water to take part in team building exercises. This helps the year to get to know each other and become closer. In Year 10, all students go to Flanders, for a cross-curricular trip. Exchanges take place for all modern languages taught; The French Exchange in Year 9, and the others in Year 10. The Year 9 Ski trip is also very popular.
The school is connected to The Gambia, and each year money is raised by initiatives such as the Journey to Africa walk, and Soup days. The school also raises money for Barnados with Barnados Day, when form groups dress up themselves and their classes according to a theme. The class who raises the most money is given the Barnados bear. Sometimes, students steal the bear and keep it for themselves.
Notable former pupils
- Margery AllinghamMargery AllinghamMargery Louise Allingham was an English crime writer, best remembered for her detective stories featuring gentleman sleuth Albert Campion.- Childhood and schooling :...
(1904-1966), writer - Anne AtkinsAnne AtkinsAnne Atkins is a novelist, broadcaster and journalist. She is the author of three novels, The Lost Child, On Our Own, and A Fine and Private Place, and is a regular contributor to the radio feature Thought for the Day on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.-Early life:Anne Atkins was born in 1956 at...
, novelist, broadcaster and journalist - Vicki Butler-HendersonVicki Butler-HendersonVictoria "Vicki" Butler-Henderson is a racing driver and television presenter.-Biography:Butler-Henderson was born into a racing family. Her grandfather used to race a Frazer Nash at Brooklands, her father was in the British karting team and her brother Charlie is a racing driver. She has an older...
(b. 1972), racing driver and TV presenter - Stephanie Cook (b. 1972), modern pentathlete, 2000 Olympic gold medallist
- Christine HamillChristine HamillChristine Mary Hamill was an English mathematician who specialized in group theory and finite geometry. After receiving her Ph.D...
(1923-1956), mathematician - Sharon HuntSharon HuntSharon Ann Hunt is a British three-day eventing rider.Hunt was educated at Culford School and the Perse School for Girls...
(b. 1977), equestrian and 2008 Olympic medal-winner - Bridget KendallBridget KendallBridget Kendall MBE is an English radio and television correspondent.-Early life:Kendall is a daughter of statistician David George Kendall and Diana...
(b. 1956), BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
diplomatic correspondent - Nicola LindsayNicola LindsayNicola Lindsay is an English writer/actor, living for the past forty years in the Republic of Ireland. She writes novels, poetry, screenplays, children's books and material for radio and the theatre.- Biography :...
, novelist, broadcaster and actor - E. Jennifer MonaghanE. Jennifer MonaghanE. Jennifer Monaghan is both an experienced educator of reading and writing and an award-winning historian. She is generally regarded as the leading expert on literacy education in early America. She has published widely on the history of reading. with three books and dozens of book chapters and...
, reading educator and historian of literary education - Philippa PearcePhilippa PearceAnn Philippa Pearce OBE was an English children's author.-Early life:The youngest of four children, Pearce was brought up in the Mill House in the village of Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire...
(1920-2006), children's author - Jean RhysJean RhysJean Rhys , born Ella Gwendolen Rees Williams, was a mid 20th-century novelist from Dominica. Educated from the age of 16 in Great Britain, she is best known for her novel Wide Sargasso Sea , written as a "prequel" to Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre.-Early life:Rhys was born in Roseau, Dominica...
(1890-1979), writer - Angela RumboldAngela RumboldDame Angela Claire Rosemary Rumbold, DBE was a British Conservative Party Member of Parliament until 1997.- Education :...
(b. 1932), politician - Rosalind RuncieRosalind RuncieAngela Rosalind "Lindy" Runcie, Baroness Runcie is a formerly well-known classical pianist and the widow of Robert Runcie, Archbishop of Canterbury.- Family and early life :...
, pianist and wife of the Archbishop of CanterburyRobert RuncieRobert Alexander Kennedy Runcie, Baron Runcie, PC, MC was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1980 to 1991.-Early life:... - Phyllis StarkeyPhyllis StarkeyPhyllis Margaret Starkey is a British Labour party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Milton Keynes South West from 1997 to 2010. She had previously served as Leader of Oxford City Council....
(b. 1947), former MP, biomedical researcher - Meriol TrevorMeriol TrevorMeriol Trevor was one of the most prolific Roman Catholic women writers of the twentieth century. She was educated at Perse Girls' School, Cambridge, and St Hugh's College, Oxford, taking her degree in 1942. During World War II she worked in a day nursery and later as the steerer of a cargo barge...
(1919-2000), writer - Barbara Wootton,(1897-1988) economist, sociologist, Labour politician
External links
- The Perse School for Girls — official website