Royal High School Bath is a

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day and boarding school for girls located in

Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...

, Somerset, England. Established in 1998 from the merger of two older schools, the Royal School (founded in 1864) and Bath High School (founded in 1875), it enrols approximately 600 students across Nursery,

Prep PowerPC Reference Platform (PReP) was a standard system architecture for PowerPC-based computer systems (as well as a reference implementation) developed at the same time as the PowerPC processor architecture. Published by IBM in 1994, it allow ...

Senior Senior (shortened as Sr.) means "the elder" in Latin and is often used as a suffix for the elder of two or more people in the same family with the same given name, usually a parent or grandparent. It may also refer to: * Senior (name), a surname ...

, and

Sixth Form In the education systems of Barbados, England, Jamaica, Northern Ireland, Trinidad and Tobago, Wales, and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepa ...

levels. The school has two campuses, with the Senior School and Sixth Form on Lansdown Road and the Nursery and Prep School at Cranwell House. Sixth Form students have the option to pursue either

A-Level The A-level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational ...

International Baccalaureate The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), more commonly known as the International Baccalaureate (IB), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the I ...

qualifications. Royal High School Bath is a member of the Girls' Day School Trust (GDST), the UK's largest network of independent girls' schools, and is the only GDST school offering boarding. Its facilities include extensive arts, sports, and music programmes, including the renowned Steinway Music School.

History

Founding and merger

The school traces its origins to the Bath and Lansdown Proprietary College, a boys'

day school A day school — as opposed to a boarding school — is an educational institution where children are given instruction during the day, after which the students return to their homes. A day school has full-day programs when compared to a regular s ...

founded in 1856 under the patronage of the

Duke of Beaufort Duke of Beaufort ( ) is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created by Charles II in 1682 for Henry Somerset, 3rd Marquess of Worcester, a descendant of Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester, legitimised son of Henry Beaufort, 3rd D ...

and the Marquess of Lansdowne, with the Reverend S. H. Widdrington as chairman. In 1864, the school closed and the building was bought, with the support of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

, to establish the Royal School for Daughters of Officers of the Army, in order to educate orphaned daughters of Army officers in response to the needs that arose after the

Crimean War The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...

. The Royal School officially reopened on 24 August 1865, and was modelled after the Royal Naval School for girls, a boarding school founded in 1840. During World War II, the Royal School temporarily relocated to the Longleat Estate, where it remained for eight years. Bath High School for Girls was founded in September 1875 at Portland Place in Lansdown by the Girls’ Public Day School Company (now the Girls' Day School Trust), the largest network of independent girls’ schools in the UK. Its mission was to provide high-quality, accessible education for girls in Bath and the surrounding area, contributing to the development of girls' education within the region. In 1998, these two institutions merged to create the Royal High School Bath (RHS). The former Royal School campus became the Senior School, while the former Bath High School site served as the Junior School. Today, Royal High School Bath stands as the only Girls' Day School Trust school that offers boarding facilities.

Buildings

The main building, situated atop Lansdown Road in Bath, was designed by architect James Wilson and completed in 1856, shortly after his design of the Wesleyan College (now Kingswood School). Constructed in the

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

style, it is designated as a Grade II

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

. The structure houses the Senior School and the Winfield Centre for

sixth form In the education systems of Barbados, England, Jamaica, Northern Ireland, Trinidad and Tobago, Wales, and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepa ...

students. Other Grade II listed structures are the entrance arch with royal arms on Lansdown Road (c.1858, also by Wilson); steps and lamp standards at the main building entrance (1858 or 1880s); the former sanatorium in the grounds, now houses (1884); and the school chapel (1939, designed by H.S. Goodhart-Rendel in a stripped Gothic style with Tudor detailing). The Prep School is at Cranwell House, a Grade II listed Victorian mansion in Weston Park.

Academics

Royal High School Bath is consistently ranked among the top schools in Bath for

GCSE The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a range of subjects taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, having been introduced in September 1986 and its first exams taken in 1988. State schools ...

and

results and is frequently recognised by ''The Sunday Times'' as one of the best independent secondary schools in the southwest of England. The school received an 'excellent' rating for academic achievement and personal development from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) in 2016, with a 2024 inspection confirming compliance with all required standards. The school offers a broad range of GCSE subjects, including

STEM Stem or STEM most commonly refers to: * Plant stem, a structural axis of a vascular plant * Stem group * Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics Stem or STEM can also refer to: Language and writing * Word stem, part of a word respon ...

options such as sciences, computer science, and design technology, alongside languages like French, German, Italian, Mandarin, and Spanish. Latin is studied by all students from Year 7. In 2024, 67% of GCSE grades were 9–7 (A*-A). In the sixth form, students choose between A-Levels and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme. A-Level options include classical civilisation, economics, Mandarin, music, fine art, psychology, religion and philosophy, and physical education. In 2024, 48% of A-Level grades were A*-A. RHS has a strong record in the IB Diploma Programme, consistently exceeding global averages. In 2018, it was recognised as the UK’s top-performing school for IB results, with an average score of 39. Subsequent averages included 38.6 in 2020, and 40 in 2021, compared to a global average of 32.99 that year. In 2024, the IB cohort achieved a 100% pass rate, with an average score of 36.

Facilities and resources

Art and Drama

The Art Department is housed in the Art School, which was inaugurated in November 2008 by Professor Sir Christopher Frayling, then Rector of the

Royal College of Art The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public university, public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City, London, White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design uni ...

and Chairman of the Arts Council, England. It includes four dedicated studios, supporting activities such as painting, sculpture, printmaking, film, and photography. The Drama Department utilises the school's two performance venues: the Memorial Hall, a traditional space with movable seating, and the Sophie Cameron Performing Arts Centre, a versatile area in the former school chapel.

Steinway Music School

In 2020, RHS became one of 250 schools worldwide to achieve the prestigious Steinway School status. The purpose-built Music School comprises a main teaching room, eight sound-proofed practice rooms, a contemporary recital space, 10 Steinway & Sons pianos, two professional-standard recording studios and a control room equipped with an Audient ASP8024 Heritage Edition

mixing console A mixing console or mixing desk is an electronic device for Audio mixing (recorded music), mixing audio signals, used in sound recording and reproduction and sound reinforcement systems. Inputs to the console include microphones, signals fro ...

. As part of the department's Steinway Music School status, a regular programme of masterclasses and recitals led by leading artists is offered. The Music Department produces 35 concerts during the academic year.

Sports and games

The school's sports facilities on the Lansdown campus include an AstroTurf pitch for hockey and football, two multi-use courts for netball and tennis, and a sports hall equipped for netball, basketball and badminton. The school also has access to the

University of Bath The University of Bath is a public research university in Bath, England. Bath received its royal charter in 1966 as Bath University of Technology, along with a number of other institutions following the Robbins Report. Like the University ...

's Olympic-standard sports facilities, which support student training and competitions.

Student life

Houses

Royal High School divides its pupils into four

houses A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

: Austen, Brontë, Du Pré and Wollstonecraft. These houses compete in a range of academic and extracurricular activities throughout the year.

Boarding

Boarding options cater to girls aged 11 to 18, with choices between full boarding, weekday-only boarding, and flexible boarding. Students are accommodated in two boarding houses: School House, within the main school building, and Gloucester House, for sixth formers, within the senior school grounds.

Royal High Nursery & Prep School

The Royal High Nursery & Prep School is in the

Weston Weston may refer to: Places Australia * Weston, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra * Weston, New South Wales * Weston Creek, a residential district of Canberra * Weston Park, Canberra, a park Canada * Weston, Nova Scotia * W ...

area of Bath. Formerly housed in Bath High School on Lansdown Road, it moved in 2014 to Cranwell House, a Grade II listed Victorian mansion. The Nursery is in the adjacent Vine House and Orangery. Hope Hall, behind Cranwell House, has classrooms for Years 5 and 6. The site also features a sports hall and a dance studio. The school enrols around 130 pupils aged 3 to 11 and follows the Reggio Emilia approach to education.

Notable alumnae

The school's notable alumnae include: * Dawn Austwick – Chief executive of the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, and CEO of the

Big Lottery Fund The National Lottery Community Fund, legally named the Big Lottery Fund, is a non-departmental public body responsible for distributing funds raised by the National Lottery for " good causes". It is the largest community funder in the UK and ...

(Bath High School). * Dame Mary Berry – Chef and TV presenter (Bath High School). * Emily Brooke – Trailblazing inventor and entrepreneur, Founder and Director of Beryl (formerly Blaze) Laser Lights for Bikes. *

Molly Scott Cato Sarah Margaret "Molly" Scott Cato (born 21 May 1963) is a British Green Party of England and Wales, Green politician, economist and activist. She served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for South West England (European Parliament c ...

– MEP for the South West of England. * Mary Duggan – Cricketer (Royal School). * Jennie Formby – Senior official in the Unite trade union and General Secretary of the Labour Party (Bath High School). * Helen Geake – Archaeologist and key member of Channel 4's archaeology series Time Team. * Sheila Gish – Actress (Royal School). * Bunny Guinness – Landscape architect, journalist, and radio personality, regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's Gardener's Question Time (Bath High School). *

Nina Hamnett Nina Hamnett (14 February 1890 – 16 December 1956) was a Welsh artist and writer, and an expert on sailors' Sea shanty, shanties, who became known as the Queen of Bohemia. Early life Hamnett was born in the small coastal town of Tenb ...

– Welsh artist and writer, expert on sailors' chanteys, known as the Queen of Bohemia. * Dawn Harper – Media doctor, presenter of 'Embarrassing Bodies,' and contributor to This Morning and other TV shows. * Joan Heal – Actress (Bath High School). * Veronica Henry – Writer of bestselling novels, TV scriptwriter, and journalist. * Baroness Elspeth Howe – Life-long peer and former chair of the Broadcasting Standards Commission (Bath High School). * Gillian Howell (1927–2000) – Architect (Royal School). *

June Lloyd, Baroness Lloyd of Highbury June Kathleen Lloyd, Baroness Lloyd of Highbury (1 January 1928 – 28 June 2006) was a British paediatrician and, in retirement, a cross bench member of the House of Lords. June Lloyd was a determined advocate for children's health and wa ...

– Nuffield Professor of Child Health from 1985 to 1992 at the British Postgraduate Medical Federation, Professor of Child Health from 1975 to 1985 at St George's Hospital Medical School, and President from 1988 to 1991 of the British Paediatric Association (Royal School). * Myrtle Maclagan – Cricketer (Royal School). * Sonia Melchett (née Graham) – Socialite and writer (Royal School). * Iris Morley – Historian (Royal School). * Penny Mountbatten, Lady Ivar Mountbatten – Businesswoman and philanthropist (Royal School). * Helen Rollason – BBC Sports Presenter. * Susan Strange – Economist (Royal School). * Dame Veronica Sutherland – Career diplomat, served as Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland. * Laura Toogood – managing director of private clients at Digitalis, speaker on journalism, and researcher in cybersecurity. * Caroline St John-Brookes – Lecturer and education writer, editor of

Times Educational Supplement ''TES'', formerly known as the ''Times Educational Supplement'', is a British weekly trade magazine aimed at education professionals. It was first published in 1910 as a pull-out supplement in ''The Times'' newspaper. Such was its popularity th ...

(1997–2000). * Barbara Wace – Journalist, the first female reporter to report on

D-Day The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...

. * Cicely Williams – physician and researcher in maternal and child health, first Director of Mother and Child Health at WHO in 1948 (Bath High School). *

Cecil Woodham-Smith Cecil Blanche Woodham-Smith ( Fitzgerald; 29 April 1896 – 16 March 1977) CBE was a British historian and biographer. She wrote four popular history books, each dealing with a different aspect of the Victorian era. Early life Cecil Woodham-Sm ...

– Historian and biographer (Royal School).

Notes

References

External links

*
Profile
on the

Independent Schools Council The Independent Schools Council (ISC) is a non-profit lobby group that represents over 1,300 private schools in the United Kingdom. The organisation comprises seven independent school associations and promotes the business interests of its ...

website {{authority control 1998 establishments in England Boarding schools in Somerset Educational institutions established in 1998 Girls' schools in Somerset International Baccalaureate schools in England Member schools of the Girls' Schools Association Private schools in Bath and North East Somerset Schools in Bath, Somerset Schools of the Girls' Day School Trust