Blackheath High School GDST

Blackheath High School opened in 1880 as the Girls’ Public Day School Trust’s first purpose-built school, with Princess Louise at the opening. Its early curriculum included English, mathematics, French, Latin, art, needlework and nature study. The school became a Direct Grant School in 1949, moved its Senior School to Vanbrugh Park in 1994 and completed an £18m redevelopment there in 2018, while the Junior School remained on Wemyss Road.

The girls-only route runs from Nursery to Sixth Form. Senior pupils progress through GCSE and A level, with Sixth Form teaching organised around specialist tutors and small seminar-style classes. Subject routes include history, politics, Latin, geography, sciences, English, languages, art and speech and drama, giving the later years a broad academic and creative range.

Sport, music, drama, art, debating and public speaking continue beyond lessons. Junior pupils also take part in visits to institutions including the Houses of Parliament, Tate Modern, the National Maritime Museum and Dulwich Picture Gallery, with residential trips from Year 5. The London setting becomes part of the educational programme through these encounters, not just a backdrop to the campus.

Admissions are organised by stage: Nursery after age three, Junior School mainly at Reception or Year 3, and Senior School principally at Year 7, Year 9 or Sixth Form. The 11+ route includes a Year 6 entrance examination, January interviews and scholarship assessments, while 13+ uses English and mathematics assessment in March. Applications are made directly to the school.