Camden School for Girls, Sandall Road, NW1 - geograph

The Camden School for Girls (CSG) is a

comprehensive Comprehensive may refer to: * Comprehensive layout, the page layout of a proposed design as initially presented by the designer to a client. *Comprehensive school A comprehensive school typically describes a secondary school for pupils aged appr ...

secondary school for girls, with a co-educational

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

, in the

London Borough of Camden The London Borough of Camden () is a London borough in Inner London. Camden Town Hall, on Euston Road, lies north of Charing Cross. The borough was established on 1 April 1965 from the area of the former boroughs of Hampstead, Holborn, and S ...

in north

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. It has about one thousand students of ages eleven to eighteen, and specialist-school status as a

Music College A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...

. The school has long been associated with the advancement of

women's education Female education is a catch-all term of a complex set of issues and debates surrounding education (primary education, secondary education, tertiary education, and health education in particular) for girls and women. It is frequently called girls ...

History

Founded in 1871 by the suffragist

Frances Mary Buss Frances Mary Buss (16 August 1827 – 24 December 1894) was a British headmistress and a pioneer of girls' education. Life The daughter of Robert William Buss, a painter and etcher, and his wife, Frances Fleetwood, Buss was one of six of thei ...

, who also founded

North London Collegiate School North London Collegiate School (NLCS) is an independent school with a day school for girls in England. Founded in Camden Town, it is now located in Edgware, in the London Borough of Harrow. Associate schools are located in South Korea, Jeju ...

, the Camden School for Girls was one of the first girls' schools in England. Although not a fee-paying school by then, girls in the mid-20th century wore a traditional uniform of dark green, with blue and green striped ties. The blazer badge showed a type of ancient sailing ship called a "buss" to commemorate the founder's surname, with the motto 'Onwards and Upwards'. Although no entry exams were held, in its pre-comprehensive era, entrance was by interview.

Evacuation in the Second World War

352 girls were evacuated on Thursday 19 October 1939 to

Grantham Grantham () is a market and industrial town in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England, situated on the banks of the River Witham and bounded to the west by the A1 road. It lies some 23 miles (37 km) south of the Lincoln a ...

Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershir ...

to be educated at

Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School (KGGS) is a grammar school with academy status for girls in Grantham, Lincolnshire, established in 1910. It has over 1000 pupils ranging from ages 11 to 18, and has its own sixth form. History KGGS was fou ...

, but 450 girls were intended to have been evacuated;

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the first female British prime ...

, Conservative prime minister from 1979–90, was one of the girls at the Grantham school. The music teacher Grace Williams, a Welsh composer, arrived with the Camden school, and composed pieces whilst at Grantham. Zoologist Hilda Mabel Canter, of the

British Phycological Society The British Phycological Society, founded in 1952, is a learned society based in the United Kingdom promoting the study of algae Algae ( , ; : alga ) are any of a large and diverse group of photosynthetic, eukaryotic organisms. The name ...

, was one of the 352 girls evacuated. Girls from Grantham were taught in the classrooms in the mornings and the Camden girls were taught in the afternoon. The Camden school moved back to

Uppingham Uppingham is a market town in Rutland, England, off the A47 between Leicester and Peterborough, south of the county town, Oakham. It had a population of 4,745 according to the 2011 census, estimated at 4,853 in 2019. It is known for its e ...

Rutland Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire. Its greatest l ...

in March 1941, having stayed in Grantham for five terms.

Grammar school

One of its most formative headmistresses, Doris Burchell, took on the school in the post war years and developed its renowned strengths in both science and music, overseeing a massive amount of new building on the site. The Sir John Cockcroft science wing was built from funds raised by many means, including a series of Celebrity Concerts held at the school and involving many eminent musicians. The school was damaged in the war but rebuilt in 1957, the architect being John Eastwick-Field

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

. In 1973 the assembly hall roof collapsed following deterioration of its roof beams due to problems with the high-alumina cement concrete used.

Comprehensive

It became comprehensive in 1976, although only year by year. It was not fully comprehensive until 1981.

Academic performance

A 1999

Office for Standards in Education The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) is a non-ministerial department of His Majesty's government, reporting to Parliament. Ofsted is responsible for inspecting a range of educational institutions, includ ...

(Ofsted) report called it "a unique and very effective school in many ways." Another, written in March 2005, said it was an "outstanding school with excellent features," and the most recent report said that it "rightly deserves the outstanding reputation it has among parents and in the community." Its

GCSE The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. Private s ...

results are excellent, and its

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 aut ...

results are the best in the

Camden Camden may refer to: People * Camden (surname), a surname of English origin * Camden Joy (born 1964), American writer * Camden Toy (born 1957), American actor Places Australia * Camden, New South Wales * Camden, Rosehill, a heritage res ...

LEA outside the private sector.

Notable former pupils

The following people were educated at the Camden School for Girls. Some of them only attended the sixth form. *

Sally Beamish Sarah Frances Beamish (born 26 August 1956) is a British composer and violist. Her works include chamber, vocal, choral and orchestral music. She has also worked in the field of music, theatre, film and television, as well as composing for chil ...

(born 1956), composer * Johnny Borrell (born 1980), musician * Sarah Brown (born 1963), PR consultant, wife of

Gordon Brown James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. He previously served as Chance ...

Max Davidson
Town vs gown: north London
''The Daily Telegraph'', 6 September 2008 *

Sara Annie Burstall Sara Annie Burstall (2 November 1859 – 26 March 1939) was a Scottish born writer on education and the second headmistress of the Manchester High School for Girls. Life Burstall was born in Aberdeen in 1859. Her father, Henry, had a number of ...

(1859–1939) * Bessie Carter (born 1993), actress * Julia Cleverdon (born 1950), charity worker * Charlotte Coleman (1968–2001), actress, '' Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit'', expelled at age 16Valentine, Penny
"Obituary: Charlotte Coleman"
The Guardian, 19 November 2001 *

Athene Donald Dame Athene Margaret Donald (née Griffith; born 15 May 1953) is a British physicist. She is Professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Cambridge, and Master of Churchill College, Cambridge. Outside the University, she chaired the ...

(born 1953), Professor of Experimental Physics at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

Julia Donaldson Julia Donaldson (born Julia Catherine Shields; born ) is an English writer and playwright, and the 2011–2013 Children's Laureate. She is best known for her popular rhyming stories for children, especially those illustrated by Axel Scheffler, ...

(born 1948), author * Lily Donaldson (born 1987), model *

Nubya Garcia Nubya Nyasha Garcia (born 1991) is an English jazz musician, saxophonist, composer and bandleader. Early life and education Garcia was born in 1991 in Camden Town, London, the youngest of four siblings, to a Guyanese mother, a former civil ...

(born 1991), jazz musician * Georgia Gould (born 1986), Labour Party politician, leader of

Camden London Borough Council Camden London Borough Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Camden in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in the United Kingdom capital of London. Camden is divided into 18 Wards of the United King ...

Eileen Greenwood Eileen Constance Greenwood RE (26 May 1915 – 23 June 2008) was an English artist, printmaker, and art teacher, specializing in etching and aquatint. She is also rarely known by her maiden name of Eileen Messenger. The daughter of Harold Messe ...

(1915–2008) artist, printmaker, and art teacher * Tamsin Greig (born 1967), actress *

Geri Halliwell Geraldine Estelle Horner (née Halliwell; born 6 August 1972) is an English singer, songwriter, author, and actress. She rose to prominence in the 1990s as Ginger Spice, a member of the girl group the Spice Girls. With over 100 million records ...

(born 1972), singer,

Spice Girls The Spice Girls are a British girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B ("Scary Spice"); Melanie Chisholm, or Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"); Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"); Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"); and Vi ...

* John Hassall (born 1981), musician,

The Libertines The Libertines are an English rock band, formed in London in 1997 by frontmen Carl Barât (vocals/guitar) and Pete Doherty (vocals/guitar). The band, centred on the songwriting partnership of Barât and Doherty, has also included John Hassall (m ...

* Julia Hobsbawm (born 1964), PR, author and networking engineer *

Daniel Kaluuya Daniel Kaluuya (; born 24 February 1989) is a British actor. Prominent both on screen and stage, he has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and nomin ...

(born 1989), Oscar winning actor and comedian * Kate Kellaway (born 1957), journalist for ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper Sunday editions, published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group, Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. ...

'' * Lucy Kellaway (born 1959), writer and journalist for ''

The Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nikke ...

'' *

Lilian Lindsay Lilian Lindsay, CBE, FSA (née Murray) (24 July 1871 – 31 January 1960) was a dentist, dental historian, librarian and author who became the first qualified female dentist in Britain and the first female president of the British Dental Assoc ...

(1871–1960), first woman with a British qualification in dentistry, having graduated from the

Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) is a professional organisation of surgeons. The College has seven active faculties, covering a broad spectrum of surgical, dental, and other medical practices. Its main campus is located o ...

in 1895 *

Jodhi May Jodhi Tania May (''née'' Hakim-Edwards; 8 May 1975) is a British actress. She remains the youngest recipient of the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival, for ''A World Apart'' (1988). Her other film appearances include ''The Last o ...

(born 1975), actress * Fiona Millar (born 1958) journalist and education campaigner * Deborah Moggach (born 1948), novelist and screenwriter *

Ellie Rowsell Ellen Ciara Rowsell (born 19 July 1992) is an English singer and musician from North London. She serves as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the Mercury Prize winning indie rock band Wolf Alice. Rowsell is known for her soprano voice. Ear ...

(born 1992) lead singer and guitarist in

Wolf Alice Wolf Alice are an English rock band from London, England. Formed in 2010 as an acoustic duo comprising singer Ellie Rowsell and guitarist Joff Oddie, Wolf Alice have also featured bassist Theo Ellis and drummer Joel Amey since 2012. Wolf Alic ...

* Anna Shaffer (born 1992), actress *

Marianne Stone Marianne Stone (23 August 1922 – 21 December 2009) was an English character actress. She performed in films from the early 1940s to the late 1980s, typically playing working class parts such as barmaids, secretaries and landladies. Stone appe ...

(1922–2009), actress, notably in '' Carry On'' films *

Cleo Sylvestre Cleopatra Mary Palmer (née Sylvestre; born 19 April 1945), known professionally as Cleo Sylvestre, is an English actress in film, stage and television. She was the first black woman ever to play a leading role at the National Theatre in Lond ...

(born 1945) actress, first black woman to play a lead at the National Theatre *

E. G. R. Taylor Eva Germaine Rimington Taylor (1879–1966) was an English geographer and historian of science, the first woman to hold an academic chair of geography in the United Kingdom. Taylor was educated at the Camden School for Girls, the North London C ...

(1871–1966), geographer and historian *

Emma Thompson Dame Emma Thompson (born 15 April 1959) is a British actress. Regarded as one of the best actresses of her generation, she has received numerous accolades throughout her four-decade-long career, including two Academy Awards, two British A ...

(born 1959), actress *

Sophie Thompson Sophie Thompson (born 20 January 1962) is a British actress who has worked in film, television and theatre. A six-time Olivier Award nominee, she won the 1999 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for the London revival of '' Into the Wood ...

(born 1962), actress * Lowri Turner (born 1964), presenter & journalist *

Arabella Weir Arabella Weir (born 6 December 1957) is a Scottish comedian, actress and writer. She played roles in the comedy series ''The Fast Show'' and ''Posh Nosh'', and has written several books, including ''Does My Bum Look Big in This?'' Weir has also ...

(born 1957), actress, comedian and author

Fictional pupils

Prudence Harbinger Prudence at Number 10 is a fictional diary purporting to be the private thoughts of Prudence Harbinger, former (United Kingdom) Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Director of Media Liaison, but actually written for publication in British newspaper ''T ...

, fictional character in ''

The Sunday Telegraph ''The Sunday Telegraph'' is a British broadsheet newspaper, founded in February 1961 and published by the Telegraph Media Group, a division of Press Holdings. It is the sister paper of '' The Daily Telegraph'', also published by the Tele ...

'', created by Laurence Marks and

Maurice Gran Maurice Bernard Gran (born 26 October 1949, in London, England) is an English writer and one half of scriptwriting duo Marks and Gran. He co-wrote the sitcoms ''The New Statesman'', '' Birds of a Feather'' and '' Goodnight Sweetheart'' with Lau ...

Notable former teachers

* Carol Handley née Taylor - Classics teacher, Headmistress (1971-1985)Pat Easterling, Handley, 'Eric Walter (1926–2013)', Oxford dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 201

/ref> *

Annie E. Ridley Annie E. Ridley (1839–1923) was a Victorian era, Victorian novelist who wrote books regarding Female education, women's education and a science book for Children's literature, children. Not only was Ridley an author, but she was the governor of ...

- governor

References

External links

EduBase
{{DEFAULTSORT:Camden School For Girls Secondary schools in the London Borough of Camden Educational institutions established in 1871 Girls' schools in London Voluntary aided schools in London 1871 establishments in England Camden Town