Heathfield St Mary's
Encyclopedia
Heathfield School is a girls' independent boarding school in Ascot, Berkshire
. In 2006, the school merged with St Mary's School, Wantage
at the Heathfield site in Ascot. It was renamed Heathfield St Mary's School but in 2009 the name reverted to Heathfield School in order to prevent confusion with the nearby St Mary's School, Ascot.
The school's grounds cover 36 acres (14.6 ha) situated in Ascot, providing access to London, major airports, the M3
and M4 motorway
s as well as the surrounding countryside.
It is known for having a friendly and interesting environment, with girls leaving Heathfield full of confidence and individuals in the world.
The school is equipped with teaching, sporting and leisure facilities. Following the merger of Heathfield School and St Mary’s Wantage in 2006, a development plan was launched which delivered new facilities. Phase one of redevelopment, the enlargement of the main Library, and phase two, a new Cookery building and Performing Arts Centre, were completed in 2009. The Performing Arts Centre was officially opened in December 2009 as the St Mary's Theatre. The School focuses on keeping the classes small which helps focus on individual learning.
The school also faces significant competition in the form of nearby girl's boarding schools. The highly academic Wycombe Abbey
School in High Wycombe, the equally reputable Catholic St Mary's School, Ascot (also in Ascot) and Downe House
School in Cold Ash are not far away. However, the high quality of pastoral care ensures that Heathfield School remains a popular choice with parents.
Until this point Miss Wyatt had been concentrating on educating boys and girls from the lower-middle and lower classes; however, she was convinced that the best way to further education for all was to educate those who could in turn educate others. This coincided with Miss Wyatt’s desire to move out of a congested and claustrophobic London. The problem she faced was that, whilst wishing to move to a more spacious country location, she still wanted to maintain a proximity to London and the school’s active Old Girl network. In 1899 the perfect solution was found in the leafy environs of Berkshire and Heathfield School was founded in what was a beautiful Italianate building, the original home of the Paravacini family. On the 8th of May the school was officially opened and the chapel blessed.
Miss Wyatt declared: “My girls come here not only to learn their lessons, but to learn how to live as well.”
The school was run by the sisters of the Community of St. Mary the Virgin
and was based in the Queen Anne house on Newbury Street. Sister Ellen was the first Sister-in-Charge and Sister Juliana succeeded her in 1887. Sister Juliana had studied at Cambridge and set a high standard for the girls, entering them for the Oxford and Cambridge local examinations.
Sister Annie Louisa joined the school in 1898 and started a guide movement called Scout Patrols in 1899 before Boy Scouts had even begun. She succeeded Sister Juliana as Headmistress in 1903. Sister Annie Louisa was responsible for the chief structural improvements at St Mary’s including a science wing and the conversion of an old barn into a gymnasium. By the time Sister Annie Louisa left in 1919, St Mary’s was recognised as a “public school with an unusually high standard of scholarship”.
Socials are regularly held with boys from Eton, Harrow and Radley.
Heathfield is seen as a traditional school for young ladies, with most leavers going on to good universities with solid A levels and training in cordon bleu cuisine from the on-site Leiths School of Cookery.
Ascot, Berkshire
Ascot is a village within the civil parish of Sunninghill and Ascot, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. It is most notable as the location of Ascot Racecourse, home of the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting...
. In 2006, the school merged with St Mary's School, Wantage
St Mary's School, Wantage
St Mary's School was an Anglican private girls' school located in Wantage, Oxfordshire, England, between 1873 and 2007, when it merged with Heathfield School to become Heathfield St Mary's. The school was popular with the British aristocracy.-History:...
at the Heathfield site in Ascot. It was renamed Heathfield St Mary's School but in 2009 the name reverted to Heathfield School in order to prevent confusion with the nearby St Mary's School, Ascot.
The School
Heathfield School is a full-boarding school for girls from 11–18 years. Christian values are central to the school.The school's grounds cover 36 acres (14.6 ha) situated in Ascot, providing access to London, major airports, the M3
M3 motorway
The M3 motorway runs in England for approximately from Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, to Southampton, Hampshire and forms an unsigned section European route E05. It is dual three lanes as far as Junction 8 near Basingstoke and then dual two lane until Junction 9 near Winchester and then dual three...
and M4 motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
s as well as the surrounding countryside.
It is known for having a friendly and interesting environment, with girls leaving Heathfield full of confidence and individuals in the world.
The school is equipped with teaching, sporting and leisure facilities. Following the merger of Heathfield School and St Mary’s Wantage in 2006, a development plan was launched which delivered new facilities. Phase one of redevelopment, the enlargement of the main Library, and phase two, a new Cookery building and Performing Arts Centre, were completed in 2009. The Performing Arts Centre was officially opened in December 2009 as the St Mary's Theatre. The School focuses on keeping the classes small which helps focus on individual learning.
The school also faces significant competition in the form of nearby girl's boarding schools. The highly academic Wycombe Abbey
Wycombe Abbey
Wycombe Abbey is an independent girls' boarding school situated in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. It is academically one of the top schools in the United Kingdom, and the top girls' boarding school...
School in High Wycombe, the equally reputable Catholic St Mary's School, Ascot (also in Ascot) and Downe House
Downe House
Downe House School is an independent girls' boarding school in Cold Ash, a village near Newbury, Berkshire, for girls aged 11-18.-History:Downe House was founded in 1907 by Olive Willis, its first headmistress, as an all-girls' boarding school...
School in Cold Ash are not far away. However, the high quality of pastoral care ensures that Heathfield School remains a popular choice with parents.
History of Heathfield Ascot
The school stands in 36 acres of grounds on the outskirts of Ascot and has done so since Heathfield School was founded in 1899 by Eleanor Beatrice Wyatt, its first headmistress. In 1882, at the age of 24, Miss Wyatt and her mother opened a mixed school in Drayton Gardens, South Kensington, then in 1884, as the school expanded, moved to 45 Stanhope Gardens. Still a mixed school (though the numbers of girls by now far exceeded those of the boys), its popularity continued to increase necessitating a move in 1891 to 132 and latterly also 133 Queens Gate.Until this point Miss Wyatt had been concentrating on educating boys and girls from the lower-middle and lower classes; however, she was convinced that the best way to further education for all was to educate those who could in turn educate others. This coincided with Miss Wyatt’s desire to move out of a congested and claustrophobic London. The problem she faced was that, whilst wishing to move to a more spacious country location, she still wanted to maintain a proximity to London and the school’s active Old Girl network. In 1899 the perfect solution was found in the leafy environs of Berkshire and Heathfield School was founded in what was a beautiful Italianate building, the original home of the Paravacini family. On the 8th of May the school was officially opened and the chapel blessed.
Miss Wyatt declared: “My girls come here not only to learn their lessons, but to learn how to live as well.”
St Mary's Wantage
The Reverend William John Butler became Vicar of Wantage on 1 January 1847. His main aims were, first, to revive the religious life in England and second, to improve education. He hoped to achieve these aims by setting up an order of teaching sisters, but he faced many disappointments and spent 25 years trying to improve various day schools in the parish before St Mary’s School was founded in 1873.The school was run by the sisters of the Community of St. Mary the Virgin
Community of St. Mary the Virgin
The Community of St Mary the Virgin is an Anglican religious order founded in 1848 by the vicar of Wantage, William John Butler.Its current Superior is the Reverend Mother Winsome CSMV, a former Baptist Christian, who converted to Anglicanism in order to become a nun.-William John Butler :A High...
and was based in the Queen Anne house on Newbury Street. Sister Ellen was the first Sister-in-Charge and Sister Juliana succeeded her in 1887. Sister Juliana had studied at Cambridge and set a high standard for the girls, entering them for the Oxford and Cambridge local examinations.
Sister Annie Louisa joined the school in 1898 and started a guide movement called Scout Patrols in 1899 before Boy Scouts had even begun. She succeeded Sister Juliana as Headmistress in 1903. Sister Annie Louisa was responsible for the chief structural improvements at St Mary’s including a science wing and the conversion of an old barn into a gymnasium. By the time Sister Annie Louisa left in 1919, St Mary’s was recognised as a “public school with an unusually high standard of scholarship”.
Traditions
As with many Boarding schools around England, Heathfield also endorses a sense of tradition. These traditions have been passed on down from generations providing the girls with a sense of belonging and passion for the school. The traditions range from wearing formal white dresses for chapel services to the more informal traditions between year groups. For example, near the start of their school career, the 1st formers venture out on to the 5th form Square, a Square formation of dorms that they are forbidden to enter until they themselves are in 5th form year. They must run around the square, while at the same time 5th formers can throw a variety of things at them, ranging from tissue paper to bread, to signify that their presence in their formal study quarters is not welcome.Socials are regularly held with boys from Eton, Harrow and Radley.
Heathfield is seen as a traditional school for young ladies, with most leavers going on to good universities with solid A levels and training in cordon bleu cuisine from the on-site Leiths School of Cookery.
Notable former pupils
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- Amber Le BonAmber Le BonAmber Rose Tamara Le Bon is the eldest of the three daughters of Duran Duran lead singer Simon Le Bon and model Yasmin Le Bon. She was born at the Humana Wellington Hospital in St. John's Wood, London...
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and supermodelSupermodelThe term supermodel refers to a highly-paid fashion model who usually has a worldwide reputation and often a background in haute couture and commercial modeling. The term became prominent in the popular culture of the 1980s. Supermodels usually work for top fashion designers and labels...
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, horsewoman - Tamara MellonTamara MellonTamara Mellon, OBE is the Chief Creative Office and co-founder of Jimmy Choo, a luxury brand that offers designer shoes, handbags and a range of accessories .-Early life:...
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, cousin of The Queen - Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, daughter of the 11th Duke of Marlborough and interior designer
- Rosie StancerRosie StancerRosie Stancer née Clayton is a polar adventurer who, since 1996, has embarked on major polar expeditions of increasing severity and commitment.She attended Heathfield School, Ascot and is the great niece of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother....
(née Clayton), polar adventurer - Tara SummersTara SummersTara Summers is an English actress.The granddaughter of bridge player Fritzi Gordon, Summers was educated at Heathfield St Mary's School, in Berkshire. A graduate of Brown University Tara Summers (born December 19, 1979) is an English actress.The granddaughter of bridge player Fritzi Gordon,...
, actress - Siena Miller, actress
- Isabella Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe, model and socialite
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