South Hampstead High School is a private day school in Hampstead, north-west London, England, which was founded by the Girls' Day School Trust (GDST). It is for girls aged 4–18 with selective entry at ages 4+, 7+, 11+ and 16+ (Sixth Form).

History

The school was founded in 1876, the ninth school established by the GDST (previously known at the Girls' Public Day School Trust), with 27 pupils. Until 1886, the school was led by Rita/Rebecca Allen Olney; she left to found another school nearby with her sister Sarah Allen Olney who had been an assistant head at this school. The cross-dressing Mary Benton returned as headmistress when morale was low. The "Brigadier-General" built up the school until in the 1920s it was claimed that half of the school's students then at university were studying scientific subjects. From 1946 until the late 1970s, it was a girls' direct grant grammar school, with around half the intake paid for by the local council. In January 2015, alumna Helena Bonham Carter, opened a new 7-storey building for the Senior School, designed by Hopkins Architects. In January 2020, the school unveiled a new state-of-the-art performance space, Waterlow Hall.

Staff

Head teachers

Former teachers

Academic results

In 2019, South Hampstead High School was ranked 13th in the country for A Level results, based on data collated by the Independent Schools Council (ISC). Typically around one fifth of the student body goes on to study at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

School motto

Notable former pupils