The Maynard School is an
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
and selective day school for girls aged 4–18 in the city of
Exeter in
Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...
.
Founded in 1658, the school is the second oldest girls' school in the country, only predated by the
Redmaids' High School in Bristol (1634). Its previous mission statement under Ms. Hughes was 'Imagine, Aspire, Achieve' and has recently been changed by current headmistress, Miss Dunn to #Madeforgirls.
History
It was founded by
Sir John Maynard, a trustee of
Elize Hele's charity, in 1658. Initially named the Blue maid's Hospital, the school received extensive funding (alongside fellow beneficiary
Hele's School) under the express condition that it be spent for "some godly purposes and charitable uses". Robert Vilvayne, a local landowner, further endowed the school by donating premises on
Exe Island
Exe Island was the early industrial area of Exeter, England, and was an area of marshland between the city walls and the River Exe, reclaimed by the construction of a series of leats, or artificial water courses, possibly from as early as the 10 ...
, while further significant donations were given to the school by
Edmund Prideaux and Gilbert Keate. In the 1870s, on the basis of a recommendation from the Endowed Schools Commission, the school split in two. One became the Bishop Blackall Girls' Grammar School (which later merged with the Blue Maid's sister establishment Hele's School), while the second became Exeter High School for Girls. New premises were built in the suburb of St Leonards, and the school recommenced teaching in 1882. In 1912, shortly after its 250th anniversary, the school was renamed by headmistress E L Trenerry as The Maynard School for Girls.
During the blitz of 4 May 1942, three bombs fell on the school. Two hit the tennis courts – one demolished a wall and caused blast damage to windows and the roof, while the second severely damaged the boarding house and kitchen garden. The third bomb exploded in the front of the main building, severely damaging both the school and the houses on the nearby Barnfield Hill. The school was visited by
King George VI following the destruction.
The current Headmistress is Mrs Liz Gregory, who took over from Miss Sarah Dunn in September 2022.
Academic environment
Although previously a boarding school, Maynard's now caters exclusively to day students. Many of the original buildings constructed following the split with the Bishop Blackall School in the late nineteenth century remain largely unchanged, even in spite of the damage from the blitz. In addition to these buildings the school has expanded; creating indoor sports facilities, new tennis courts and libraries, a large sixth form center, a new ICT facility (funded by the
Wolfson Foundation
The Wolfson Foundation is a charity that awards grants to support excellence in the fields of science and medicine, health, education and the arts and humanities.
Overview
The endowment of the Wolfson Foundation is currently some £800 million, ...
) and most recently has updated the gym to create a modern Performing arts centre with an extension of a cardiovascular suite attached.
The school offers numerous extra-curricular activities to its students; from team sports competing at the regional and national level, to language clubs and trips abroad. Participation in the annual
Ten Tors
Ten Tors is an annual weekend hike in early May, on Dartmoor, southwest England. Organised by the British Army, starting in 1960, it brings together teams of six young people each, with the 2,400 young participants hiking to checkpoints on ten s ...
hiking competition has been a particular staple in the school's history. Maynard teams have had great success over the years, including being the first all-girls' teams back in 2005 and 2012.
Academic standards
The school performs consistently well in UK school league tables, the 2016 results placed the school 16th in the country at GCSE in the Daily Telegraph Independent Schools League Tables. 2017 Department for Education League Tables ranked the school as the best independent school in Devon in key areas. In a recent
ISI inspection, the school was rated excellent and its teaching staff were given the highest praise; the assessors noting that academic standards were above average even when compared to other selective schools.
Notable alumni
Alumnae are known as "Old Maynardians" and are members of the Old Maynardian Society.
*
Gertrude Bacon, aeronautical balloonist and botanist
*
Jane Gibson, biochemist and professor at
Cornell University
Cornell University is a private statutory land-grant research university based in Ithaca, New York. It is a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1865 by Ezra Cornell and Andrew Dickson White, Cornell was founded with the intention to tea ...
*
Clare Morrall, novelist shortlisted for the
Booker prize
*
Dame Margaret Elizabeth Turner-Warwick DBE FRACP FACP FRCP FMedSci
*
Violet Vanbrugh
Violet Vanbrugh (11 June 1867 – 10 November 1942), born Violet Augusta Mary Barnes, was an English actress with a career that spanned more than 50 years. Despite her many successes, her career was overshadowed by that of her more famous sister ...
, actress
*
Irene Vanbrugh
Dame Irene Vanbrugh DBE ( Barnes; 2 December 1872 – 30 November 1949) was an English actress. The daughter of a clergyman, Vanbrugh followed her elder sister Violet into the theatrical profession and sustained a career for more than 50 year ...
DBE, patron of the
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA; ) is a drama school in London, England, that provides vocational conservatoire training for theatre, film, television, and radio. It is based in the Bloomsbury area of Central London, close to the Senat ...
*
Mildred Veitch, businesswoman and horticulturalist
*
Georgia Toffolo, Television personality
References
External links
School WebsiteProfileon the
ISC #REDIRECT ISC
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website
Profileat
MyDaughter
MyDaughter was a British website set up by the Girls' Schools Association (GSA) offering advice to parents of daughters on all aspects of raising and educating girls. Advice was provided by headteachers from the member schools of the Girls' Scho ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maynard School
1658 establishments in England
Girls' schools in Devon
Educational institutions established in the 1650s
Independent schools in Devon
Member schools of the Girls' Schools Association
Schools in Exeter