Putney High School is an independent school for girls aged four to 18, which opened in 1893.

Housed in three Victorian buildings on a leafy, five acre site on Putney Hill, the premises are spacious and light with pleasant views of the back garden. There is a friendly, relaxed atmosphere amongst staff and students.

The school is a member of the Girls' Day School Trust, set up in 1872 to provide an academic and reasonably priced education for bright girls.

Headteacher Eileen Merchant said the school had its own bursary scheme to: "allow girls of promise to study here, and there were also academic and music scholarships."

She said it was the variety of religious, cultural and social backgrounds that made the school so special.

Many children whose first language is not English, took GCSE exams in their own language, from Japanese to Gujerati.

There are 75 full and part-time teachers at the school, which has nearly 800 pupils.

Many students come from Putney but others travel from further afield including Kingston, Richmond and Fulham.

Mrs Merchant regards key factors in students' success to be their openness to learning opportunities, very supportive parents and committed staff.

She feels it is important to bring out each student's potential and said: "We want them to develop whatever skills they have got, as well as making them aware of the world around them.

"Children at this school are privileged in many ways, so we encourage them to raise money for charity and do community service.

"It is important they take their share of responsibility for the wider community. We expect them to join in with the school community and be responsible for the care of others. They have to develop themselves and realise their own place in the world.

"It is important that every girl knows it matters to her teachers that she does well and achieves her best."

A recent Ofsted report assessed its quality of teaching and learning as high, with excellent classroom management and motivated and enthusiastic students.

The overall pass rate at A level and GCSE has averaged 99 per cent in the past three years.

All students go on to higher education and many have gap years, going abroad to places like Nepal, Zimbabwe or South America to do community work.

The school has been described by the Independent Schools Inspectorate as: "an outstanding school which lives its aims".

The sixth form chooses its own charity and hopes to raise money for it from the Christmas fair on December 14. Student raised £1,500 last year.

The choir and orchestra is performing in Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius tomorrow (Dec 1) at St Anne's Church, Wandsworth.

For tickets call 020 8788 4886.

November 30, 2001 13:00