Benenden School
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| Benenden School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
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| Information | |
| Type | Boarding Secondary All-Girls |
| Established | 1923 |
| Number of students | 500 (approx) |
| Website | Benenden School |
Benenden School is a famous traditional boarding public school in England, which remains exclusively all-girls. It is located in Benenden in the heart of the Kentish countryside, between Cranbrook and Tenterden.
The Good Schools Guide called the school "Everyone’s idea of a traditional, up-market, girls’ boarding school though not remotely hidebound by tradition; cutting-edge and unconventional in multiple ways, in a stunning setting and underpinned with common sense."[1]
Facilities
The school itself encompasses a Victorian mansion, set in 250 acres (1.0 km2) of pastoral grounds. There have been, and continue to be, many improvements to the site. There is now a Sports Centre (known as "SPLASH"), a science block ("Leelands"), a Design Technology centre, Study Centre and a new furbished Theatre (finished Summer 2007). The former comprises the Eugenia Leung library as well as new-age classrooms, featuring "interactive whiteboard" a technology and IT cluster known as "break-out spaces". A new theatre and drama teaching complex has currently been completed, at the cost of £2.3 million.
History
Approximately 500 girls are enrolled, between the ages of 11 and 18, and all are boarders. Current fees stand at £9,110 per term. The headmistress is Claire Oulton, (previously head of St Catherine's School, Bramley, near Guildford) who took over from Gillian duCharme in 2000. The school was founded in 1923 by three mistresses from Wycombe Abbey who aimed to create a "happy school with personal integrity and service to others always in mind, where everyone would be given the chance to follow her own bent". It hence maintains sister school ties with Wycombe Abbey, as well as Godstowe Preparatory School, High Wycombe, and St Leonards School.
In 2005 the school was one of fifty of the country's leading private schools which were found guilty of running an illegal price-fixing cartel which had allowed them to drive up fees for thousands of parents.[2] Each school was required to pay a nominal penalty of £10,000 and all agreed to make ex-gratia payments totalling three million pounds into a trust designed to benefit pupils who attended the schools during the period in respect of which fee information was shared.[3]
Curricular activities
There is a traditional school hall where Morning Prayers are taken. The entire school must assemble for this every morning, except Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, at 8:30. There is also a small chapel. Occasionally, the Sunday Services are taken in the village church, about 15-20 minutes walk away.
Lessons at the school start at 9:00 am and carry on until 5:30 pm; there are six periods in the day. Sports practices take place during the lunch break as well as after lessons end. In addition there are two periods worth of lessons on Saturday mornings. Younger students will take a mixture of all subjects offered, as well as sports, music and PSHE classes.
Pupils studying for their GCSEs must generally take 9-11 subjects, including Mathematics, Science and English as well as French, and often one other modern language. Classes average around 15 students at this point, and 8-10 during A-levels. Drama and the Arts are popular; the School's annual play has on occasion been performed in London theatres such as the Palladium (Me and My Girl; 2002). The 2007 play is going to be "Grease" held in the new theatre, completed in Feb 2007.
The school years are known, in order, as follows: Fourths (IV), Upper Fourths (UIV), Lower Fifths (LVths), Fifths (V), Upper Fifth (UV), Six Ones (VI1) and Six Twos (VI2). School prefects are classified as Upper Sixths. Instead of wearing the normal navy blue Sixth form uniform, they wear white and red striped blouses and grey jumpers.
Extracurriculars
Benenden offers a strong range of extracurricular activities. The belief is that these lead to a more rounded education and strongly favour individualism.
Sports
Main school sports include, lacrosse, netball and tennis. Girls often play these at county (and sometimes national) levels; a new lacrosse coach was introduced from America in 2006. Other activities include fencing, volleyball, swimming, golf, riding, judo, hockey, rounders, football, aerobics and squash. Tours abroad are occasionally organised.
Benenden U15's were lacrosse NATIONAL CHAMPIONS in 2005 as was the U15 netball team. Currently there are many girls playing at county, regional and national levels including both England and Scotland at U19 levels with 2 girls representing their countries at the world cup in Canada, August 2007.
Notable Alumnae
- Anne, Princess Royal
- Xanthe Elbrick, Tony Award nominated Actress
- Lady Victoria Hervey, Socialite
- Princess Basma of Jordan
- Eliza Manningham-Buller, director general of the MI5
- Henrietta Royle, COO City University, London
- Baroness Ryder of Warsaw, CMG, OBE, activist/philanthropist
- Fiona Shackleton leading divorce lawyer
- Veronica Wadley, editor of The Evening Standard
- Anna Walker, British civil servant
- Rachel Weisz, Academy Award winning Actress
- Lettice Curtis, air racing pilot