50 Tatler Schools Guide 2020 tatler.comnever boring here, with perfor-
mances in nearby Salisbury
Cathedral, as well as further afield
in Westminster Abbey and even
in Tuscany. Despite the limita-
tions of an urban campus, there’s
an indoor pool and a theatre,
both of which are used by the
wider community. The forward-
thinking girls are totally lacking
in pretension and are willing
to have a go at everything,
from a Year 9 exchange trip
to Melbourne to GO Forward:
a networking programme linking
girls with alumnae to guide and
support them during and after
their school years. The uniform, a
full-length pinny worn over a
skirt and shirt, gets mixed reviews- however, in the words of one
parent, ‘I barely need to wash her
uniform as she spends most of
her time in her sports kit.’ Head
Emma Hattersley arrived in
2014 and has since steadied the
ship, earning the trust and confi-
dence of pupils, parents, staff
and governors alike with her
consistently strong vision.
Foundation (DCF) in the form of
Emma Taylor, previously the first
female Head of Christ College
Brecon. The DCF allows the school
to be progressive and to have
a financial model that delivers
development funds. By passing
on the overall strategic direction
of the school to Taylor, Salisbury
is always available and approachable- after all, Dean Close is a ‘people
place’ – and he has the time to teach
and really get to know the students.
With its 50/50 day/boarding mix,
everyone is expected to get stuck in,
whether on the netball court, in a
yoga class or as part of the debating
society. Rugby is strong, with some
boys playing for England, and hock-
ey is not far behind: supporters
gather by the Dean Bean coffee van
to watch the teams storm to victory
on the water-based Astros. When
asked what made him most proud
during the past academic year,
Salisbury shared a lovely anecdote:
when a child at another school was
asked which school has the kindest
pupils, they answered: Dean Close.
GODOLPHIN
Milford Hill, Salisbury,
Wiltshire SP1 2RA
Website godolphin.org
Head Emma Hattersley, BA, since
2014; previously Pastoral Deputy
Head at Sherborne Girls Pupils
400 girls: 250 day, 150 boarding
Faith C of E Ages 11–18 Term Fees
Day: £7,300; boarding: £12,800
Oxbridge 1% Registration At
least 18 months before entry; £100
fee Admission School’s own exam
Alumnae Jilly Cooper, Deborah
Meaden, Minette Walters
PREP Head Julia Miller
Pupils 80 day and boarding girls
Ages 5–11 Term Fees Day:
£4,815; boarding: £9,400
With so many fabulous models of
female leadership at this buzzy
city school, the girls have all man-
ner of future aspirations, all well
within their reach thanks to the
school’s great results. Godolphin
has an excellent reputation and,
upon their first visit, prospective
parents can’t fail to fall for the
friendly environment. Music isstandards are rigorous, with 58 per
cent of students achieving A*–A at
A-level or Pre-U. Around 10 per
cent then head to Oxbridge, a fur-
ther 10 per cent to the US (includ-
ing one to Harvard last year) and 80
per cent to Russell Group universi-
ties. Sport, while strictly inclusive,
achieves phenomenal results, with
pupils representing at international
level in rugby, hockey, lacrosse, girls’
football and even bobsleigh. Music,
art and drama are constantly reach-
ing new heights, but it’s the behind-
the-scenes personal touches that
make Marlborough special: new
uniforms labelled and neatly laid out
on the beds when students first
arrive and on-tap physio for those
recovering from injury. The college’s
outreach programmes range from
litter-picking to hosting sports
events for children with learning dif-
ficulties, and there’s an ongoing sym-
biotic partnership with nearby
Swindon Academy. For all its studi-
ous endeavours, Marlborough is
great fun – students frequently re-
fuse to go home in case they should
miss out on the packed weekend
programme, including the two
termly socials known as ‘bars’. In the
words of one Shell student: ‘Every-
one wants to be at Marlbs...’ so be
sure to register early.MILLFIELD
Street, Somerset BA16 0YD
Website millfieldschool.com Head
Gavin Horgan, MPhil, since 2018;
previously Head at Worksop College
Pupils 1,238. Day: 162 boys, 146
girls; boarding: 567 boys, 363 girls
Faith C of E Ages 13–18 Te r m
Fees Day: £8,535; boarding: £12,870
Oxbridge 3% Registration Tw o
years before entry advised; £175 fee
Admission School’s own exam,
interview and previous school’s report
Alumni Broadcaster John Sergeant,
rower Helen Glover, rugby player
Chris Robshaw
PREP Head Shirley Shayler
Pupils 371 day and boarding: 213
boys, 158 girls Ages 7–13 Term Fees
Day: £6,235; boarding: £9,460
At this sprawling school near
Glastonbury, the reception walls
are jam-packed with photographsGODOLPHINPHOTOGRAPHS: ASH MILLS PHOTOGRAPHYMARLBOROUGH
COLLEGE
Bath Road, Marlborough,
Wiltshire SN8 1PA
Website marlboroughcollege.org
Head Louise Moelwyn-Hughes, MA,
since 2018; previously Head of St
Edmund’s Canterbury Pupils 960
boarding: 554 boys, 406 girls
Faith C of E Ages 13–18 Te r m
Fees £12,605 Oxbridge 10%
Registration By November two years
before entry; £250 fee Admission
ISEB pre-test, previous school’s
report and interview Alumni John
Betjeman, William Morris, The
Duchess of Cambridge, Jack Whitehall
Marlborough College embodies
discreet excellence in education.
There’s no showy marketing and
PR here, but don’t be misguided –
this is co-ed schooling at its best. The
college, nestled in the picture-perfect
town of Marlborough and presided
over by the Preshute White
Horse, is known for its academically
ambitious all-rounders. Master
Louise Moelwyn-Hughes is delight-
ful, eschewing any hint of
entitlement and encapsulating the
school’s inclusive ethos with her
open door policy. Academic10-19-Schools-Guide-PublicSouthWestNEW.indd 50 14/08/2019 13:39