5 things to do at the Royal High School Bath

One

Always wanted to find out what life is like in a real-life Hogwarts? If your daughter is interested in boarding, you can book a sleepover at the Royal High School in Bath which was very nearly the location for the fictional Hogwarts itself! Not surprisingly, The Royal High School caught the eye of film-makers as it sits in imposing Gothic splendour above the city of Bath. The school was originally formed of two outstanding girls’ schools both with illustrious histories and Florence Nightingale was instrumental in the foundation of the original Royal School in the 19th Century with a little help from Queen Victoria.

Sleepovers can be booked by contacting our Head of Boarding, Mrs Emma Custodio: e.custodio@rhsb.gdst.net or call 01225 313877 – and are ideal if your daughter wants a taste of boarding life.

Two

Take the plunge in our historic outdoor pool. Generations of boarders at the Royal High School remember their time swimming in the school’s beautiful tree-lined outdoor pool all year round. Nowadays, it is still well-used during the summer and is a particular perk for boarders – and for staff – who like to take a bracing dip! It is a favoured location for the End of Year Boarders’ Party for girls to celebrate around the pool with a picnic.

Three

Build a Celtic Hut at our Junior School! Outdoor learning is a key feature of the nationally renowned creative curriculum at the Royal High Junior School. From Nursery through to Year 6, the girls are actively involved in memorable learning experiences outside the classroom in the school’s beautiful grounds at Cranwell House in Bath. The Celtic Hut was started by Year 4 as part of their theme on Local History. The girls were involved in all stages, from choosing a site to marking out the circle and the creating of wattle walls using hazel. All the materials were found in the school grounds and the thatching was donated by a local thatcher. Practical outdoor, hands-on learning is crucial to girls’ education at the Royal High Junior School, encouraging creative and imaginative thinking and helping them to build a powerful relationship with the environment.

Four

Girls at the Royal High School thrive in the company of two school canine companions: our wellbeing dogs Spitfire and Merlin. The dogs are a practical way of giving girls time to relax and enjoy some downtime and give some attention to dogs when they miss their own pets at home – and they can even take them for a walk at lunchtime. Spitfire even has his own Twitter feed -@SpitfireTheDog – to catalogue his adventures around the school!

The Royal High School is one of the flagship schools of the Girls’ Day School Trust and heavily involved in developing wellbeing initiatives such as the Positive Project which educates girls about positive mental health and how to look after their mental wellbeing.

Five

Record an album in our new recording studio! Music, dance and drama are a huge part of life at the Royal High School. Work is beginning this year on a brand new state-of-the-art music school which will provide a contemporary space for a wide variety of musical activity and will include a professional standard recording studio. Meanwhile one of our talented young actresses starred as ‘Annie’ on stage at the Theatre Royal Bath in the Bath Light Operatic Group’s recent production, reflecting the talent we are nurturing at the Royal High School in Bath!

About The Royal High School Bath

The Royal High School Bath is an outstanding independent day and boarding school for girls aged 3-18. The school is one of 23 schools and two academies that are part of the UK’s leading educational charity – The Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST). We have been specialists in girls’ only education for 150 years. Visit our website www.royalhighbath.gdst.net.

About the GDST

The GDST (Girls’ Day School Trust) is the leading group of independent girls’ schools in the UK, with nearly 4,000 staff, and 20,000 students between the ages of three and 18. As a charity that owns and runs a network of 23 schools and two Academies in England and Wales, it reinvests all its income in its schools. Founded in 1872, the GDST has a long history of pioneering innovation in the education of girls. For a list of GDST schools go to www.gdst.net