The Queen's School, Chester

The Queen's School is an independent day school for girls aged 4-18 located in Chester, England. The school was founded in 1878 and was originally called The Chester School for Girls. In 1882, Queen Victoria (who was the school's first patron) issued a royal decree naming the school as "The Queen's School", the only school in England to have this distinction.specify Among its notable alumni are the first woman mayor of Chester, and the first woman president of the Freemen and Guilds in over 800 years. The school currently enrolls approximately 611 pupils.

The Queen's School, Chester, Cheshire is an independent school for girls aged 4 - 18. The school is regularly ranked as the top school in Cheshire based on both GCSE and A level results.specify

History

Founded in 1878 by a group of prominent Chester citizens as The Chester School for Girls, the school owes its royal name to Queen Victoria. In response to a request from the first Duke of Westminster, an early benefactor of the school, in 1882 she graciously commanded “ that the School in question shall be styled the Queen’s School”.

The school originally had its home at 100 Watergate Flags, a handsome 18th century house built upon the site of an extramural Roman bathhouse. However, as pupil numbers grew swiftly, it soon became evident that the school needed larger premises and by 1881 it was decided to look for a suitable alternative.

Once again, the Duke of Westminster supported the school by offering the trustees a piece of land which had once been the site of Chester’s city gaol and house of correction, together with a gift of £500 towards the building of a new school. This site, right on the city walls of historic Chester and within walking distance of the city’s centre, still exists today as the home of the school’s senior pupils. More recently, further buildings have been constructed or acquired, so that the school inhabits a mixture of elegant Georgian and Victorian buildings as well as modern ones. These surroundings prove a constant reminder of the heritage and traditional values that have shaped the school since its foundation in 1878.

The Queen’s Lower School was originally based in two large Victorian houses set in spacious grounds at Liverpool Road. Today, it also includes a purpose-built hall, library and science facilities, together with a state-of-the-art computer suite, which is used from pupils from age 4 upwards.

Alumnae

The Queen’s School has long educated the young women of Chester and the surrounding area, and many of these former pupils have gone on to achieve distinction in their different fields. The school has given Chester the city’s first lady mayor,citation and the first woman to receive the freedom of the city,citation as well as the first woman President of the Freemen and Guilds in their 800 year existence.citation

Further afield, Queen’s School girls have become the first woman to take a double first in economics at Cambridge, the first woman consultant neuro-surgeon in the UK,the first woman Chorus Master at Sadler’s Wells, the first woman Dean of an English Cathedral, and the first British gymnast ever to win a gold medal in the world championships.

The school today

The Queen’s School's philosophy is that it celebrates young women and their potential, and prepares girls to face the future with self-belief, energy and a ‘can do’ philosophy. Academic success is only one aspect of life at Queen's: all girls are encouraged to explore their abilities, interests and passions in a wide range of extracurricular activities. From drama, art and music to sports, community work and overseas adventures, the girls benefit from an education of the whole person, experiencing new challenges inside and outside the classroom. Destinations in recent years have included China, Tibet, Honduras, New York, Norway, Morocco, France, Germany, Greece, Austria and Argentina.

Mrs Catherine Buckley is currently the headmistress of The Queen's School, with Mrs Felicity Taylor as head of the Lower School. The school has a number of bursaries available to very able students. Past pupils include Beth Tweddle, Olympic Gymnast, Sarah Kelly, founder of the UK's Neuromuscular Centre for muscular dystrophy and Vivienne Faull, the first woman to become Dean of an English Cathedral.

More information can be found on the school’s website: [http://www.queens.cheshire.sch.uk]

External links

* [http://www.queens.cheshire.sch.uk/index.php The Queen's School]
* [http://www.schoolsguidebook.co.uk/schools/The_Queen146s_School.html UK School's Guide]