DR CHALLONER'S HIGH SCHOOL Competitors

Wellington College is a school like no other. Where many focus on examination results and view league table position as the main criterion for success, the whole ethos of Wellington is focused on each and every individual who passes through our gates. We want our pupils to be inspired by everything they do at Wellington, both inside and outside of the classroom, so they leave school as interested and interesting people. We want our pupils to adopt a genuinely intellectual approach to their academic work and to their view of the world around them, in the knowledge that a Wellington education is only the beginning of an exciting and life-long journey of learning. We want our pupils to become truly independent, as those who can think, learn and cope independently will be the leaders and game-changers of the future. We want each and every pupil to be valued and developed as an individual, so their Wellington experience is much more than just going to school – rather, it is the journey to self. And we want our pupils to be inclusive in all dealings with other people, so they leave the College not in a bubble of privilege and elitism, but with the ability to engage with their local, national and international communities, and with a burning desire to do good in the world. Will you let your child join us on that journey? It could be the most inspired choice you ever make.

We pride ourselves in getting to know each student as an individual and identify, develop and support their talents and strengths. We provide an environment where personal development is as important as academic success, and every student is stretched as much outside as inside the classroom. Supported by inspiring staff who utilise exceptional and flexible approaches that cater for a wide ability range. At Pipers we endeavour to provide the very best opportunities for personal growth and success. We are committed to small class sizes which ensure individual attention as girls are encouraged to be active rather than passive learners. Our aim is to inspire all girls to realise just what they themselves can achieve. Supported by our hugely dedicated teaching staff, girls become independent learners. We hold self-confidence, critical thinking and research skills to be vital steps in this process. Our teachers nurture and guide, but we know our girls need to learn how to discover the world around them individually and independently. As well as flourishing academically, girls also have the opportunity to take part in a diverse range of clubs and activities, which has long been central to life at Pipers and has a vital part to play in the development of each girls as a well-rounded individual. With a wide selection of lunch-time and after-school clubs and activities to choose from, students are encouraged to discover their own interests in areas such as sport, technology, outdoor pursuits, performing and creative arts.

Dr Challoner's reputation extends back to the early 17th century when the school began educating the boys of Amersham and the surrounding area. Now the school is widely recognised as one of the leading state grammar schools in the country, and is home to 1300 students aged 11-18, including girls in our co-educational Sixth Form. Our aim is to help all our students develop into young adults with the right habits, attitudes and qualifications to take on the challenges of the rapidly changing modern world. Our motto, Excellence with Integrity, is supported by a focus on core values of Aspiration, Kindness and Resilience which help our students develop their academic strengths and a positive place in society. Those academic strengths regularly yield outstanding results, consistently placing Challoner's among the top 50 state schools in Britain. We are proud of the fact that our leavers move on to a huge range of university courses at home and abroad. Around 20 students each year win places at Oxford or Cambridge, with a similar number going on to medical school. We are equally proud of those students who identify their particular passion and pursue it at the best locations for that course. When they come back and see us our alumni often tell us how well they feel the school has prepared them for the next phase in their lives. To us this is the true measure of our success. In November 2019 Ofsted visited us, and judged us Outstanding under the framework introduced in September 2019. We are very proud of this judgement, which is part of our track record of excellence and innovation. DCGS converted to academy status in 2011 and is proud to be a National Teaching School. In 2016 we became a SCITT (School Centred Initial Teacher Training) Centre. These functions enable us to recruit and train the very best teachers to DCGS and other local schools, improving the quality of teaching and leadership. We want the people who leave us to be kind, caring, comfortable in themselves