Harrogate Ladies' College is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * "In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorded ...

boarding and day school located in the town of

Harrogate Harrogate ( ) is a spa town and civil parish in the North Yorkshire District, district and North Yorkshire, county of North Yorkshire, England. Historic counties of England, Historically in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the town is a tourist de ...

North Yorkshire North Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in Northern England.The Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority areas of City of York, York and North Yorkshire (district), North Yorkshire are in Yorkshire and t ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. Founded as a girls' senior school in 1893, the college includes Highfield Prep School and educates girls from ages 2 to 18 and boys up to age 11. It is a member of the

Girls' Schools Association The Girls' Schools Association (GSA) is a membership association for the heads of independent and state girls' schools in the United Kingdom. It is a constituent member of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), and works with the Association ...

and Allied Schools.

History

The original Harrogate College was a boys' school. Its headmaster,

George Mearns Savery George Mearns Savery (2 March 1850 – 2 March 1905), was an English head teacher. He was the principal of Ripon Road College, Bilton, Harrogate, Bilton (later known as Harrogate College). He founded Harrogate Ladies' College, in Harrogate, No ...

, opened a girls' school in 1893, and developed it in collaboration with headmistress Elizabeth Wilhelmina Jones. The boys' school closed after Savery's death in 1903 and the girls' school initially kept the name of Harrogate College. In 1904, the girls' school moved into the present accommodation on the west side of Harrogate. In 1907 the school acquired a panel by sculptor Frances Darlington, depicting ''Sir Perceval's Vision of the Holy Grail'' which was fixed above the fireplace in the reading room. From 1939 to 1945, the school was evacuated to

Swinton Park The Swinton Estate is a large privately owned estate in North Yorkshire, England. It comprises some of countryside in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, extending west from the River Ure near Masham. The estate includes Swint ...

, and after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

moved back. Additional extensions that housed a library, a science block and a gymnasium were built later in the 1950s. Later, more buildings were constructed (a sports hall in the 1980s, an art room, and the Highfield Prep School). Gradually, houses on each side of Clarence Drive were acquired and were used as boarding houses. The pre-prep department, known as Bankfield, was opened in 1997, whilst the junior school, Highfield, opened in 1999. Currently, the grounds, playing field, tennis courts, houses and gardens occupy about of the Duchy Estate. The college now consists of three divisions: Highfield Pre-School (boys and girls aged 2–4), Highfield Prep (boys and girls aged 4–11) and the main school (day and boarding girls aged 11–18).

Academic performance

The 2023 results are: * GCSE Results (2023): 57% achieved grades 9-7 * A Level Results (2023) 41% achieved grades A/A; 68% achieved grades A-B

Pastoral Care

As a Christian school, pupils are encouraged to attend chapel services but the school accepts pupils of "all faiths or none". The school has links with the local parish church St Wilfrid's Church. A school chaplain oversees pastoral care and spiritual aspects of the school curriculum. The College has its own health and wellness centre.

House System

Upon entry, pupils are placed into one of the four houses. Over the school year, the houses will compete in inter-house competitions.

Highfield

The junior school houses are named after four of the

Yorkshire Dales The Yorkshire Dales are a series of valleys, or Dale (landform), dales, in the Pennines, an Highland, upland range in England. They are mostly located in the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, but extend into C ...

. *

Nidderdale Nidderdale, historically also known as Netherdale, is one of the Yorkshire Dales (although outside the Yorkshire Dales National Park) in North Yorkshire, England. It is the upper valley of the River Nidd, which flows east from its source, the ...

Wharfedale Wharfedale ( ) is one of the Yorkshire Dales. It is situated at source in North Yorkshire and then flows into West Yorkshire and forms the upper valley of the River Wharfe. Towns and villages in Wharfedale (downstream, from west to east) includ ...

Wensleydale Wensleydale is a valley in North Yorkshire, England. It is one of the Yorkshire Dales, which are part of the Pennines. The Dale (landform), dale is named after the village of Wensley, North Yorkshire, Wensley, formerly the valley's market tow ...

Swaledale Swaledale is a valley in North Yorkshire, England. It is one of the Yorkshire Dales, which are part of the Pennines, and within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It is named after the River Swale, which runs through it. Swaledale is the mo ...

Senior School

The senior school houses are separate from boarding houses. They are named after prominent British female figures in history. * Austen *

Franklin Franklin may refer to: People and characters * Franklin (given name), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (surname), including list of people and characters with the name * Franklin (class), a member of a historic ...

Nightingale The common nightingale, rufous nightingale or simply nightingale (''Luscinia megarhynchos''), is a small passerine bird which is best known for its powerful and beautiful song. It was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, ...

* Pankhurst

Boarding

The school has a long boarding tradition and over half of senior school pupils are boarders. Full or flexible boarding is available to girls aged 10 and above. There are five boarding houses: Armaclare, Clarence, Lancaster, Lincoln, or Tower. The first four are situated in the heart of the campus. Tower House, which is similar to a university hall of residence and houses Upper Sixth girls, is located further away from the main school. Each house is overseen by a housemistress and full-time residential staff who look after boarders during after-school hours.

Notable former pupils

Genevieve Barr Genevieve Barr (born 12 December 1985)Dehn, Georgia ', 24 June 2010, www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 13 July 2010. is an English actress and writer of stage and screen. She played the lead role in the BBC award-winning series ''The Silence''. Hav ...

, actress *

Sheila Burnford Sheila Philip Cochrane Burnford née Every (11 May 1916 – 20 April 1984) was a Scottish writer. She is best known for her novel '' The Incredible Journey'' about two dogs and a cat traveling through the Canadian wilderness. Life and work Bu ...

, author *

Jane Carr (Rita Brunstrom) Jane Carr (born Dorothy Henrietta Brunstrom; 1 August 1909 – 29 September 1957) was the stage name of English stage and film actress Rita Brunstrom. Biography Born in the Northumberland seaside town of Whitley Bay, Carr attended Harrogat ...

, actress *

Joolz Denby Joolz Denby (born Julianne Mumford, 9 April 1955) is an English poet, novelist, artist and tattooist based in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Early life Born to an Army family at Colchester Barracks in Essex, England, Julianne Mumford moved with ...

, poet, novelist, artist and tattooist *

Claire King Jayne Claire King (born Jayne Claire Seed; 10 January 1962) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Kim Tate in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' since 1989, and as Karen Betts in '' Bad Girls'' from 2000 until 2004. She has appe ...

, actress *

Elspeth Candlish Henderson Elspeth Candlish Green (née Henderson; 16 June 1913 – 24 August 2006) was an NCO and officer in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF). She was a plotter during the Battle of Britain, serving at Biggin Hill where she won the Military Medal ...

, WAAF *

Grace Hickling Grace Hickling (10 August 1908 – 30 December 1986) was an English ornithologist and naturalist known for studying wildlife on the Farne Islands, in the North Sea off the Northumberland coast. Early life and education Hickling was the only ...

, naturalist *

Lottie McGuinness Charlotte McGuinness (born 2001/2002) is a para powerlifter, who competed at the 2024 Summer Paralympics. Career McGuinness started competing in swimming, having been inspired by the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. She was encouraged by Elli ...

, Paralympian *

Anne McIntosh Anne Caroline Ballingall McIntosh, Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (born 20 September 1954) is a British politician who has been a life peer since 2015. A member of the Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party, McIntosh served as Member of Pa ...

, politician * Dame Nancy Broadfield Parkinson, controller of the

British Council The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh lang ...

(Home Division) during the

* Ella Pontefract, writer

References

External links

Harrogate Ladies' CollegeYorkshirenet
* ISI Inspectio
ReportProfile
on

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 ...

Pupils at Harrogate Ladies' College contact Astronauts via Amateur Radio
{{Authority control Educational institutions established in 1893 Girls' schools in North Yorkshire Schools in Harrogate Private schools in North Yorkshire Member schools of the Girls' Schools Association 1893 establishments in England Boarding schools in North Yorkshire *