Florence Nightingale played a pivotal role in the founding of the Royal School in 1865, one of Britain's first girls' boarding schools established in response to the Crimean War. Standing on the same Lansdown Road campus for nearly 160 years, and now merged with Bath High School (founded 1875) since 1998, Royal High School Bath is a rare girls-only school within the Girls' Day School Trust to offer boarding. With approximately 600 students across nursery to sixth form, the school occupies a distinctive position: a fully independent girls' school in a UNESCO World Heritage City, combining academic rigour with significant facilities investment, including a newly renovated £2m Steinway Music School and purpose-built Art Block. Recent results place it firmly in the top tier of independent schools, with 67% of GCSE entries at grades 9-7 (compared to 21% ) and 80% of A-level grades at A*-B (versus 28% in England). The school ranks 213th for GCSE performance (FindMySchool ranking, top 5% in England) and 229th for A-level (FindMySchool ranking, top 9% ).
The main building, designed by architect James Wilson and completed in 1856, commands Lansdown Road with distinctive neo-Gothic architecture. Inside, girls move purposefully between lessons, though the atmosphere never feels hurried. What strikes visitors immediately is the confidence of the students, they speak to staff respectfully but directly, they appear genuinely engaged in lessons, and there is little of the self-consciousness one often notices in adolescents. This owes much to the school's foundational philosophy: educated in an all-girls environment since infancy, many girls here have never experienced the performance anxiety that sometimes accompanies mixed education.
Ms Heidi-Jayne Boyes took over as Head in January 2025, arriving from Wakefield Girls' High School where she had spent seven years. She previously spent seven years as a senior leader at Brighton Girls, another GDST school. In her first year, she has repositioned her office in the centre of the school building, making herself physically accessible to students. The school's values, Girls First, Excellence, Bravery and Kindness, are embedded throughout, not merely displayed on walls. Pastoral staff speak naturally about these principles when discussing decision-making, suggesting genuine integration rather than marketing language.
The school comprises several distinct zones. The Nursery and Prep are housed at Cranwell House, a Grade II listed Victorian mansion set in 11 acres in the Weston area, where younger girls follow the Reggio Emilia approach. The Senior School and Sixth Form occupy the main Lansdown Road campus, subdivided into houses named after pioneering women: Austen, Brontë, Du Pré and Wollstonecraft. These houses are far more than administrative groupings; they generate genuine loyalty and compete vigorously in inter-house competitions spanning academics, sport, music and drama.
In 2024, 67% of GCSE entries achieved grades 9-7 (A* and A), dramatically exceeding the national figure of 21%. The school ranks 213th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it within the top 5% and securing second place among Bath's independent schools. Attainment 8 scores and progress metrics confirm this is genuine academic strength, not grade inflation. The curriculum breadth is notable: girls select from both traditional academic subjects and applied options, with strong takeup of STEM subjects encouraged but not mandated.
The sixth form offers a distinctive dual pathway: girls may pursue either A-levels or the International Baccalaureate diploma, a rare choice in the UK. In 2024, 80% of A-level grades achieved A*-B, well above the England average of 28%. IB results are equally impressive. In 2024, the IB cohort achieved a 100% pass rate with an average score of 36 points, up from 38.6 in 2020. Historically the school has ranked among the highest-performing IB schools in England: in 2018 it was recognised as the UK's top-performing school for IB results with an average of 39 points, compared to a global average of 32.99 that year.
The school ranks 229th in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it within the top 9%. This dual-pathway offering is genuinely rare and appeals to girls with different learning styles and university ambitions. A-level students focus on three main subjects with enrichment through the Extended Project Qualification and supplementary electives. IB students pursue a more integrated, breadth-based curriculum across sciences, humanities, languages and arts.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
80.19%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
GCSE 9–7
67%
% of students achieving grades 9-7
Teaching is characterised by high expectations and structured flexibility. Girls describe lessons as "rigorous but not harsh", teachers explain concepts thoroughly, demand genuine engagement, and use varied pedagogies rather than relying on passive transmission. The school received praise from ISI inspectors in 2024 for "girl-centred teaching" with "well-planned but flexible lessons" and teachers' use of praise to motivate students to "take measured risks so they are not afraid to make mistakes" and learn from them.
Physics exemplifies this approach. The department begins the IGCSE syllabus a year early in Year 9, allowing additional time for varied activities and deeper investigations. Topics are delivered through real-life applications, the development of electrical circuits, electromagnetic waves in medicine, always grounded in practical investigations. Beyond lessons, students access the Photonics Club, Science Society (featuring university speakers), the HISPARC Club (which investigates high-energy cosmic rays), and annual participation in the British Physics Olympiad Physics Challenge. This layering of depth, curriculum, practical investigations, and enrichment societies, is exemplary.
The school's Steinway Music School, a £2m facility completed in recent years, comprises a main teaching room, eight sound-proofed practice rooms, a contemporary recital space, ten Steinway & Sons pianos, two professional-standard recording studios and a control room equipped with an Audient ASP8024 Heritage Edition mixing console. As a Steinway School (designated in 2020, one of only 250 worldwide), it hosts masterclasses and recitals by leading artists. The Music Department produces 35 concerts during the academic year.
The Art Block similarly reflects investment in creative disciplines, with four dedicated studios supporting painting, sculpture, printmaking, film and photography. Drama utilises two performance venues: the Memorial Hall and the Sophie Cameron Performing Arts Centre, housed in the former school chapel.
In 2024, 48% of students achieved A*/A grades at A-level, positioning them competitively for Russell Group universities. Cambridge accepted 1 student in the measurement period (from 7 applications), evidencing the school's Oxbridge pipeline despite its relatively modest cohort size. Beyond Oxbridge, leavers consistently secure places at leading universities including UCL, Imperial College, Edinburgh, Durham and Bristol. The school actively supports Oxbridge candidates, though does not operate a dedicated separate programme, emphasising that strong A-level results in core academic subjects form the genuine foundation.
The 2024 leavers cohort (58 students) saw 48% progress to university and 10% to further education, with smaller numbers entering apprenticeships (2%) and employment (17%). This destination profile reflects the school's broad support for pathways beyond traditional university routes, though the majority of girls proceed to higher education.
STEM subjects remained popular, with 2023 leavers showing strong representation in science-based degrees. Languages represent another strength, with regular progression to university degree courses in classical languages, modern European languages and Mandarin. Two students have progressed to Oxford University to study Mandarin and German.
Total Offers
1
Offer Success Rate: 14.3%
Cambridge
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Offers
Oxford
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Wellbeing is not an afterthought at Royal High Bath; it is foundational. The school has created The Hive, a dedicated quiet space with muted colour schemes and contemplative areas, where students can step away from the social intensity of school life.
The pastoral structure is clear: each girl has a tutor group and house affiliation, creating overlapping layers of support. Elizabeth Cunningham, Deputy Head Pastoral, leads a team responsible for emotional wellbeing, while house staff live within boarding houses (for those with boarders) and are attuned to subtle signs of distress. Mobile phones are prohibited during the school day, a policy that initially seems restrictive but parents and students report actually reduces anxiety and creates genuine space for face-to-face relationships.
Physical health is supported through a medical centre staffed by qualified nurses. Counselling is available for students navigating emotional challenges, at £68.60 per session (2025-26 fees).
The Steinway Music School status carries expectation: the school produces 35 concerts annually, ranging from formal recitals to informal lunchtime sessions. The Christmas Carol Service, held annually at Bath Abbey, is a milestone event drawing the entire school community. In 2024, six performances of the musical Oliver! featured 126 students, described by the Head of Drama as having "grown far beyond expectations," demonstrating the scale of musical and dramatic engagement.
Music scholars showcase their abilities at termly Scholars' Recitals. The Music Department runs ensembles spanning chamber groups, orchestras, and smaller ensembles allowing all musical abilities to participate. A large cohort learns instruments from Year 7 onwards, and specialist instrumental teaching provides pathways for those showing advanced talent.
The Photonics Club engages girls in the study of light and photonic applications, representing cutting-edge physics. The Science Society invites university speakers to discuss research frontiers, exposing girls to career possibilities beyond the curriculum. The HISPARC Club operates high-energy cosmic ray detectors, giving students genuine involvement in real experimental science. Annual participation in the British Physics Olympiad Physics Challenge fosters mathematical and physical reasoning at the highest level. These clubs are not peripheral extras; they are integral to how ambitious girls engage with science.
Sports facilities are comprehensive: an AstroTurf pitch (marked for hockey and suitable for football and tennis), two multi-use courts (netball and tennis), a sports hall (netball, basketball, badminton), and a fitness suite. Access to the University of Bath's Olympic-standard facilities extends opportunities for aspiring elite athletes.
The school fields competitive teams in netball, hockey, tennis, cricket, athletics, gymnastics, dance, cross-country, golf and swimming. Staffing is notable: resident netball and hockey internationals form part of the coaching team, lending credibility and expertise. Girls have progressed to represent county and region, with some achieving international honours. As part of the GDST network, Royal High Bath accesses a unique calendar of inter-GDST competitions in all these sports, providing high-quality matchplay against peer institutions.
Saturday mornings feature a "sport for all" programme acknowledging that competitive athletes represent a minority; the school actively supports girls choosing recreational physical activity. Boarders access Team Bath (netball), Bath Dolphins (swimming), Lansdown Tennis Club, and local gymnastics provision. The school facilitates these external commitments, ensuring boarding does not limit sporting development.
Weekend and evening activities for boarders move beyond stereotypical "school activities." Boarders enjoy outdoor movie nights using the on-site pizza oven, prosthetic makeup workshops, zorbing, and baking. They access the on-site fitness suite, Steinway Music School and recording studio, and library during evenings and weekends. The grounds command views over Bath, offering aesthetic respite.
Local Bath culture is actively integrated: visits to the Roman Baths, Fashion Museum, and shopping in Southgate feature regularly. Trips extend further, theatre visits to London, rock climbing in the Avon Gorge. Ten Tors Challenge and Duke of Edinburgh Award programme provide structured outdoor leadership development. Community volunteering is actively encouraged, with girls supporting local and international charities.
The four house system, Austen, Brontë, Du Pré and Wollstonecraft, creates distinct micro-communities. Each house competes academically and in arts, sport and service. House Councils give girls genuine voice in shaping daily boarding life. The house system also explicitly celebrates pioneering women across disciplines: novelists, performers, humanitarians. This naming choice sends clear messages about aspiration and female contribution.
The school welcomes an international cohort, with approximately 20% of students from overseas. The school is UKVI-authorised for international student sponsorship. Appointed guardians support international girls during exeats, and the boarding environment is specifically structured to integrate international students within the UK educational culture. One boarder, international student, describes feeling "fully supported" whilst "immersed in truly English-speaking, British school community."
Fees include VAT, prep curriculum and residential trips for prep pupils. The Year 7 residential trip to Kilve Court is included. Compulsory lunch is charged separately (prep £922.79 annually; Y7-10 £1,021.92 annually; Y11 £833.93 annually). For day girls, individual breakfast is £2.55 and casual supper £7.45.
The fees reflect the comprehensive nature of boarding provision: all meals, laundry, evening activities and weekend care are included. HM Forces and FCDO families receive 20% discount off basic boarding fees. Families with three or more daughters receive 20% discount on third and subsequent daughters' fees.
Registration fee: £120 (UK students), £180 (international). Deposit on acceptance: £500 (day), £750 (boarding), or one term's fees (international).
Fees data coming soon.
The school has three main entry points: Year 7 (age 11), Year 9 (age 13) and Year 12/Sixth Form (age 16). Year 7 is the largest cohort, typically receiving 150+ applications for approximately 60 day places. Entry requires assessment in verbal and non-verbal reasoning, English and Mathematics. For Year 9 entry, assessments are in English and Mathematics; Year 10 adds Science assessment. Sixth Form entry is dependent on GCSE results or individual subject assessments where public examinations have not been taken.
The school is non-selective at primary level (reception and Year 1) but introduces light assessments from Year 2 onwards. This means girls entering at primary typically face less academic pressure than older cohorts, though the expectations rise as they progress.
Academic scholarships are awarded to girls demonstrating "outstanding all-round academic ability." Specialist scholarships recognise excellence in Music, Dance, Drama, Sport, Art and Design Technology, typically providing 10-25% fee reduction. Some scholars combine their merit award with bursary support. The Johnston Memorial Scholarship (launched 2025-26) specifically targets aspiring law students.
Means-tested bursaries are available at Year 7, Year 9 (external entry only) and Sixth Form. The school assesses both family income and assets, administered by the GDST Finance Department. Bursaries are reviewed annually. No specific percentage of pupils receiving bursaries is published, but the school states that some girls pay no fees at all, indicating substantial commitment.
Remarkably, the school operates comprehensive coach transport across five zones (A, B, C) serving families from Frome, Tetbury, Chippenham, east Bristol and beyond. This significantly widens accessibility beyond walking distance or local families. Transport bookings are made online and range from ad hoc trips to pre-booked term contracts.
Boarding is integral, not peripheral. While day places exist, boarding culture genuinely shapes the school's identity. If your daughter opts for weekly or flexible boarding whilst others board full-time, she may feel the difference keenly. Full boarding requires genuine maturity and emotional readiness at age 11; some girls thrive, others find separation from family destabilising. Honesty about your daughter's temperament is essential.
Girls-only education requires buy-in. The school's entire philosophy rests on girls-only space encouraging academic ambition, risk-taking and leadership without gender-based performance anxiety. If your daughter actively wants mixed education, this school works against her preference. Sixth Form does integrate day girls from surrounding mixed schools, but the core experience is single-sex.
The location is isolated from London. Bath is beautiful, culturally rich and ideally situated for boarders. For day girls from Bristol or Bath, commuting is manageable. For families based in London or the South East, the 2-3 hour journey is a genuine commitment.
Pace is demanding. Results speak to rigour. This is not a school for girls who struggle with workload or require extensive catch-up support. Intervention exists (counselling, tutoring), but the baseline expectation is intellectual engagement.
Spaces are selective. Year 7 typically sees 2,000+ applications for 150 places. Competition is fierce. Even strong academics do not guarantee entry if the cohort is particularly able that year.
Royal High School Bath represents a confident, forward-thinking independent girls' school rooted in 160 years of educational heritage. The merger of two historic Bath institutions (Royal School 1865, Bath High School 1875) created something distinctive: a rare GDST school offering boarding, positioned in a UNESCO World Heritage City, with demonstrable commitment to facilities (Steinway Music School, Art Block) and a learning approach genuinely designed for girls.
Results are exceptional, top 5% in England for GCSE, top 9% for A-level. But results alone do not capture what makes the school distinctive. The confidence of girls here, their expectation that they can try anything, their comfort with intellectual risk-taking, and the leadership roles they occupy naturally reflect education without the gendered performance anxiety that sometimes limits girls in mixed settings.
Boarding is handled thoughtfully, with genuine pastoral expertise and engagement in local Bath culture rather than insularity. The range of musical, dramatic, sporting and STEM opportunities means girls pursuing serious passion in these areas find community and expertise. The school integrates international students authentically, not as outsiders but as full community members.
Best suited to girls who thrive on intellectual challenge, value all-girls education, and are ready for boarding (whether full, weekly or flexible). Also ideal for girls pursuing serious music, drama, sport or STEM at the highest level, where the specialist facilities and experienced coaching matter significantly.
The main barrier is securing entry, demand far outstrips places, and the independent fees (circa £20,000 annually for day, £45,000+ for boarding) which, whilst reasonable within the independent sector, require genuine family commitment.
Yes. The school ranks in the top 5% of schools for GCSE results (213th in England, FindMySchool ranking) and top 9% for A-level (229th ). In 2024, 67% of GCSE entries achieved grades 9-7, and 80% of A-level grades were A*-B. The ISI Inspection in March 2024 confirmed compliance with all standards and noted girls' strong academic progress and personal development. The school is a rare GDST boarding school and offers both A-levels and International Baccalaureate in the sixth form.
Day fees range from £14,501 to £20,557 annually depending on year group (2025-26). Boarding fees range from £39,985 (weekly) to £47,005 (full boarding, sixth form) annually. Flexible boarding is available at £79.75-£100.71 per night. Means-tested bursaries are available for families who cannot afford full fees; some girls pay no fees at all. Scholarships (academic and specialist) typically offer 10-25% fee reduction.
Year 7 entry is highly competitive, with typically 2,000+ applications for approximately 150 day places. Entry requires assessment in verbal and non-verbal reasoning, English and Mathematics. Sixth Form is somewhat less competitive but still selective, particularly for girls from outside the school. The school considers girls' academic potential, assessment performance, and fit with the school's ethos.
Exceptionally strong. The school is a Steinway School (one of only 250 worldwide) with a purpose-built Steinway Music School including ten Steinway pianos, eight sound-proofed practice rooms, two professional recording studios, and a contemporary recital space. The Music Department produces 35 concerts annually, including formal masterclasses by leading artists. Music scholarships are available for girls with exceptional performance potential.
The school offers full boarding, weekly boarding (Sunday-Friday), flexible boarding (1-3 nights per week), and day boarding (after school until 21:00). Boarders Years 7-11 live in School House (within the main building), whilst sixth form boarders occupy Gloucester House within the senior school grounds. Boarding is integrated with day students, and the school facilitates girls' participation in external clubs (sports, music, community service) despite boarding status.
In the measurement period, one student secured admission to Cambridge University (from seven applications). Numbers are modest relative to the total sixth form, reflecting the school's size and cohort composition. The school supports Oxbridge candidates but does not operate a separate intensive Oxbridge programme, emphasising that strong A-level results in core academic subjects form the genuine foundation for Oxbridge candidacy.
The school boasts a £2m Steinway Music School, a dedicated Art Block with four studios (painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography), sports facilities including an AstroTurf pitch, netball courts, tennis courts, sports hall and fitness suite. Drama uses two performance venues: the traditional Memorial Hall and the Sophie Cameron Performing Arts Centre (housed in the former school chapel). The prep school occupies 11 acres at Cranwell House (Grade II listed). Access to University of Bath's Olympic-standard sports facilities is available to sixth form students.
Yes. Approximately 20% of the school comprises international students. The school is UKVI-authorised for student sponsorship. International students must appoint UK-based guardians, and the school facilitates pastoral support and integration. Boarding places are actively encouraged for international girls. International registration fee is £180, and a full term's fees is required as deposit (compared to £500-£750 for UK day/boarding students).
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