St Leonards School is an

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independe ...

boarding and day school for pupils aged 4–19 in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. Founded in 1877 as St Andrews School for Girls Company, it adopted the St Leonards name upon moving to its current premises, the site formerly occupied by the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

’ St Leonard's College, in 1883. The school emerged from the St Andrews Ladies' Educational Association which was established in 1868. One of the school's founders was Lewis Campbell, chairman of the college council for many years and a Classics professor at St Andrews University who advocated for higher education for women. Consequently, from its earliest days, the college's senior students were encouraged to prepare to

matriculate Matriculation is the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by fulfilling certain academic requirements such as a matriculation examination. Australia In Australia, the term "matriculation" is seldom used no ...

and enjoyed close links with various courses offered at the University of St Andrews; in 1892, the ''Fifeshire Journal'' asked its readers: "Who is to enjoy the proud distinction of being the first matriculated girl-student of St Andrews?" St Leonards remained an

all-girls school Single-sex education, also known as single-gender education and gender-isolated education, is the practice of conducting education with male and female students attending separate classes, perhaps in separate buildings or schools. The practice of ...

until 1999, upon which it became fully

co-educational Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to ...

. As an IB World School, St Leonards offers the

International Baccalaureate The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the IB ...

's Primary Years, Middle Years, Career-related and

Diploma A diploma is a document awarded by an educational institution (such as a college or university) testifying the recipient has graduated by successfully completing their courses of studies. Historically, it has also referred to a charter or offici ...

programmes alongside the English-system

GCSE The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) is an academic qualification in a particular subject, taken in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. State schools in Scotland use the Scottish Qualifications Certificate instead. Private s ...

IGCSE The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is an English language based examination similar to GCSE and is recognised in the United Kingdom as being equivalent to the GCSE for the purposes of recognising prior attainme ...

. It is the only school in Scotland to teach an IB curriculum throughout.

History

The school was established in 1877 by the St Andrews School for Girls Company whose

Articles of Association In corporate governance, a company's articles of association (AoA, called articles of incorporation in some jurisdictions) is a document which, along with the memorandum of association (in cases where it exists) form the company's constitu ...

were drawn up on the lines of Bristol's

Clifton College ''The spirit nourishes within'' , established = 160 years ago , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent boarding and day school , religion = Christian , president = , head_label = Head of College , hea ...

, the public school for boys. The school's administrative and commercial ventures utilised the company's name until at least 1894. Madeline Daniell, the educationalist and campaigner for women's right to higher education, was one of two founding secretaries of the Company. Dame

Louisa Lumsden Dame Louisa Innes Lumsden (31 December 1840 – 2 January 1935) born in Aberdeen, Scotland, was a pioneer of female education. Lumsden was one of the first five students Hitchen College, later Girton College, Cambridge in 1869 and one of the f ...

was appointed the School's first Headmistress in 1877. The belief of the school was that "a girl should receive an education that is as good as her brother's, if not better" and Lumsden was "determined to establish a veritable Eton for girls". Although her role as principal ended in 1882, her connection to the school remained strong for "forty-five years": During her time as a member of staff of the University of St Andrews' University Hall and in the years after, "Miss Lumsden returned many times to St Leonards to give lectures". The school was, until 1894, operating primarily as a

senior school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...

, the junior school remaining informally structured until after that date. In 1884, ground was feued ranted from the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

to the school which had also commenced the lease of a field from the university for recreational use. In 1894,

Old Tom Morris Thomas Mitchell Morris (16 June 1821 – 24 May 1908), otherwise known as Old Tom Morris, and The Grand Old Man of Golf, was a Scottish golfer. He was born in St Andrews, Fife, the "home of golf" and location of the St Andrews Links, and died ...

laid out a 9 hole

golf course A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". The ...

for the girls at St Leonards. To ensure that the teaching of Chemistry to the girls at the school was rigorous, in 1885, Dame Frances Dove, the principal, employed

Thomas Purdie Thomas Purdie FRS LLD (1843–1916) was a 19th/20th century Scottish chemist. With James Irvine, Purdie is known for his work on understanding the chemical structure of simple sugars. The building that houses the School of Chemistry (that he he ...

, Professor of Chemistry at St Andrews University as an external examiner for the school's senior students. From its earliest decades, the school's

sixth form In the education systems of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepare for A-l ...

ers "had the pleasure of attending lectures" in various subjects including

Political Economy Political economy is the study of how economic systems (e.g. markets and national economies) and political systems (e.g. law, institutions, government) are linked. Widely studied phenomena within the discipline are systems such as labour ...

and

Music Music is generally defined as the The arts, art of arranging sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Exact definition of music, definitions of mu ...

at the University of St Andrews whilst others attended the university's

Gifford Lectures The Gifford Lectures () are an annual series of lectures which were established in 1887 by the will of Adam Gifford, Lord Gifford. Their purpose is to "promote and diffuse the study of natural theology in the widest sense of the term – in ...

. In 1999, St Leonards Sixth Form and St Katharines

Prep School Preparatory school or prep school may refer to: Schools *Preparatory school (United Kingdom), an independent school preparing children aged 8–13 for entry into fee-charging independent schools, usually public schools *College-preparatory school, ...

opened their doors to boys for the first time; the school soon became completely co-educational.

St Katharines and St Leonards-New Park

St Katharines School was the original

prep school Preparatory school or prep school may refer to: Schools *Preparatory school (United Kingdom), an independent school preparing children aged 8–13 for entry into fee-charging independent schools, usually public schools *College-preparatory school, ...

of St Leonards, making full use of the campus and facilities while retaining a degree of autonomy. In March 2002 it was announced that the prep school would be relocated to the main building and renamed St Leonards Junior and Middle Schools. Following a further announcement in March 2005, St Leonards Junior and Middle schools merged with

New Park School New Park School was an independent preparatory school in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. The school was founded in 1933 by Cuthbert Dixon,The New Park Register 1933–1983 previously a teacher at Merchiston Castle School. The school was situated a ...

, also located in St Andrews, operating as one unit under the name St Leonards-New Park. In June 2011 it was announced that the Junior School would be known in future as St Leonards Junior School. At the same time, work commenced on a £2.5m redevelopment of the junior school. Today, St Leonards is an all-through, coeducational school, from Year 1 through to Year 13.

Lacrosse

The school is believed to be the first place in the world to have played

women's lacrosse Women's lacrosse (or girls' lacrosse), sometimes shortened to lax, is a sport with twelve players on the field at a time (including the goalkeeper). Originally played by indigenous peoples of the Americas, the modern women's game was introduce ...

after it was introduced by Louisa Lumsden in 1890.

St Leonard's Chapel

Situated in the grounds of the school is St Leonard's Chapel, owned by the University of St Andrews. Regulations outlined by the University of St Andrews stipulate that "funerals for both

alumni Alumni (singular: alumnus (masculine) or alumna (feminine)) are former students of a school, college, or university who have either attended or graduated in some fashion from the institution. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for grou ...

of the university and members or former members of St Leonards School may take place in the university's St Leonard's Chapel".

Academics

At St Leonards, year groups are named following the system used in England and Wales (Year 1 to Year 13). Years 1–7 form the Junior School, Years 8–11 the

Senior School A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...

and Years 12–13 the

Sixth Form In the education systems of England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and some other Commonwealth countries, sixth form represents the final two years of secondary education, ages 16 to 18. Pupils typically prepare for A-l ...

. The IB's Primary Years Programme (PYP) is taught from Years 1–6, while the IB's Middle Years Programme (MYP) is introduced in Year 7 and continues through Year 9. Therefore, the MYP overlaps across the Junior and Senior years. In Year 10, pupils begin a two-year course in preparation for their

exams at the end of Year 11. Students are given a degree of choice as to which subjects they take, however a number remain compulsory: English, Maths, Science and a foreign language. As an alternative to the above for pupils who join the school in Year 11, St Leonards offers a one-year Pre-IB course. These students sit IGCSE exams only. In Years 12–13, St Leonards pupils may undertake one of two programmes: the

IB Diploma Programme The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is a two-year educational programme primarily aimed at 16-to-19-year-olds in 140 countries around the world. The programme provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry int ...

(DP) or the IB Career-related Programme (CP). A large majority choose the DP, with the latter being available for those who would prefer a more vocational qualification. Academic study is still very present for CP students alongside the practical aspect, as this programme incorporates at least two DP courses. The average IB Diploma points score for St Leonards pupils from 2015 to 2019 is 33/45, compared to a global average of 29/45 points for the same period. St Leonards has been recognised as the "Top Independent Secondary School Sixth Form in Scotland for IB/A Level Results" in 2016, 2017 and 2018. In 2019, St Leonards was named "Top Independent Secondary School in Scotland" by The Sunday Times Parent Power guide. Almost all St Leonards graduates go on to university. Approximately one third of the graduating class studies in Scotland, one third studies elsewhere in the United Kingdom and the remaining third studies overseas.

Headmistresses and headmasters

For the first 124 years, (when the school was an all-girls school) the Head of St Leonards was always a woman. The first Headmaster was appointed in 2003. * 1877–1882: Dame Louisa Lumsden * 1882–1896: Dame Frances Dove * 1896–1907: Julia Mary Grant * 1907–1921: Mary Bentinck-Smith * 1922–1938: Katharine Howard McCutcheon * 1938–1955: Janet A. Macfarlane * 1956–1970: Janet S. A. Macaulay * 1970–1987: Martha Hamilton (Mrs R Steedman) * 1988–2000: Mary James * 2001–2003: Wendy Bellars * 2003–2008: Robert A. J. Tims * 2008 – April 2021: Michael Carslaw *April 2021 – August 2021: Dawn Pemberton-Hislop (Acting Headmistress) *From August 2021: Simon Brian

Fees

School fees at St Leonards for the 2020–2021 academic year ranged from £9,552 to £15,474 for day pupils and £24,651 to £37,452 for boarders. These fees include tuition, lodging for boarders, meals (lunch for day pupils, full-board for boarders) as well some textbooks and the majority of extra-curricular activities. However, there are some additional extras not included and charged at a supplementary rate. The school does offer financial assistance to a limited number of Senior and Sixth Form pupils who demonstrate sufficient financial need – covering up to 100% of fees. While St Leonards does award scholarships to pupils who've demonstrated excellence in a variety of fields, the scholarship is based on merit and does not result in a reduction of fees.

St Leonards Seniors

Former St Leonards pupils are known as St Leonards Seniors, as is the style at the sister institutions of

Wycombe Abbey , motto_translation = Go in faith , established = 1896 , type = Independent boarding school , religion = Church of England , head_label = Headmistress , head = J. Duncan , chair_label = Chair ...

and

Benenden School Benenden School is an independent boarding school for girls in Kent, England, in Hemsted Park at Benenden, between Cranbrook and Tenterden. Benenden has a boarding population of over 550 girls aged 11 to 18, as well as a limited number of day ...

. St Leonards organises various reunions and events for Seniors in St Andrews and select cities around the world, while also providing online networking tools.

Notable St Leonards Seniors

* Betty Archdale – early barrister; pioneer of women's education in Australia *

Helen Archdale Helen Alexander Archdale (née Russel; 25 August 1876 – 8 December 1949) was a Scottish feminist, suffragette and journalist. Archdale was the Sheffield branch organiser for the Women's Social and Political Union and later its prisoners' secr ...

– feminist,

suffragist Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise, is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to v ...

and journalist *

Elspeth Barker Elspeth Barker (16 November 1940 – 21 April 2022) was a Scottish novelist and journalist. Born as Elspeth Langlands, she was raised in Drumtochty Castle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where her parents ran a prep school for boys. From 1958, she re ...

– author of "O, Caledonia!", formerly married to

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems ( oral or wr ...

George Barker * Wilhelmina Barns-Graham – leading

abstract painter Abstract art uses visual language of shape, form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. Western art had been, from the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19t ...

, based in St Ives,

Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlan ...

* Hilda Bruce – zoologist, discoverer of the Bruce effect *

Hazel Byford, Baroness Byford Hazel Osborne Byford, Baroness Byford, (born 14 January 1941) is a retired member of the House of Lords, where she served as Opposition Parliamentary Spokesman for Food, Farming and Rural Affairs from 1997 to 2007. She sat as a Conservative. H ...

DBE – Shadow Minister for Food and Rural Affairs * Jean Hunter Cowan – artist * Jackie Forster (Jacqueline Moir Mackenzie) –

actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), lit ...

TV personality Celebrity is a condition of fame and broad public recognition of a person or group as a result of the attention given to them by mass media. An individual may attain a celebrity status from having great wealth, their participation in spor ...

, feminist and lesbian campaigner * Louisa Garrett Anderson – medical pioneer, social reformer,

Fiona Gaunt Fiona Gaunt (née Fiona Elizabeth Keet-Gaunt; born 25 May 1947) is an English actress and the mother of actress Genevieve Gaunt. Personal life According to a 1972 newspaper profile, Gaunt was born in Beirut to Scottish Presbyterian parents and l ...

– television actor, mother of Genevieve Gaunt * Elizabeth Girling –

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlism, Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebeli ...

veteran, political activist and charity campaigner * Kitty McKane Godfree – Wimbledon Ladies' Singles Champion, 1924 and 1926 *

Margaret Haig Thomas Margaret Haig Mackworth, 2nd Viscountess Rhondda ( Thomas; 12 June 1883 – 20 July 1958) was a Welsh peeress, businesswoman and active suffragette who was significant in the history of women's suffrage in the United Kingdom. Early life Marg ...

(Lady Rhondda) – founder of political magazine '' Time and Tide'' * Betty Harvie Anderson (Baroness Skrimshire) –

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

and

peer Peer may refer to: Sociology * Peer, an equal in age, education or social class; see Peer group * Peer, a member of the peerage; related to the term "peer of the realm" Computing * Peer, one of several functional units in the same layer of a net ...

Anji Hunter Angela Margaret Jane "Anji" Hunter (born 1955) is an English public relations advisor. She is noted for her close partnership with former Prime Minister Tony Blair. Early life Hunter was born in Kuala Lumpur, Federation of Malaya, then under c ...

– former Director of Government Relations, 10 Downing Street *

Christina Keith Christina Keith (12 January 1889 - 1963) was a pioneering Scottish academic and author who travelled to France towards the end of the First World War as a lecturer to the troops. With a friend, she was one of the first women to explore the devas ...

(1889–1963) – academic and author * Kristin Linklater –

vocal coach A vocal coach, also known as a voice coach (though this term often applies to those working with speech and communication rather than singing), is a music teacher, usually a piano accompanist, who helps singers prepare for a performance, often a ...

to many well-known actors, based at

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manha ...

Anne Macaulay Anne Macaulay (11 March 1924 – 1998) was a Scottish musicologist, author and lecturer. Biography Macaulay was born in Aithernie, Fife in Scotland near Lundin standing stones, the youngest child of Alison and Sir David Russell. Her family soo ...

(née Russell) –

musicologist Musicology (from Greek μουσική ''mousikē'' 'music' and -λογια ''-logia'', 'domain of study') is the scholarly analysis and research-based study of music. Musicology departments traditionally belong to the humanities, although some m ...

, antiquarian and

author An author is the writer of a book, article, play, mostly written work. A broader definition of the word "author" states: "''An author is "the person who originated or gave existence to anything" and whose authorship determines responsibility f ...

* Chrystal Macmillan – barrister, feminist and

pacifist Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaig ...

* Catherine Marshall –

and

* Elizabeth Mavor – writer * Anna McElligott – musician * Max McElligott – lead singer of Wolf Gang * Kathleen Ollerenshaw DBE – mathematician and educationalist * Tessa Ransford – founder of the Scottish Poetry Library * Louise Robey – actress, singer, model *

Rosabelle Sinclair Rosabelle Sinclair (1890 – 1981), known as the affectionately as the "Grand Dame of Lacrosse", established the first women's lacrosse team in the United States. She was the first woman to be inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Ea ...

– honoured in

U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame The National Lacrosse Hall of Fame and Museum, is located in Sparks, Maryland at the USA Lacrosse headquarters. Prior to moving to its present location in 2016, the hall of fame and museum was located in Baltimore, Maryland, on the Homewood campu ...

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

* Dr. Alice Stewart (née Naish) – pioneering

epidemiologist Epidemiology is the study and analysis of the distribution (who, when, and where), patterns and determinants of health and disease conditions in a defined population. It is a cornerstone of public health, and shapes policy decisions and evidenc ...

* Josephine Stewart Leading sports person, early Lacrosse and lifer at St Leonards *

Stella Tennant Stella Tennant (17 December 1970 – 22 December 2020) was a British model and fashion designer, who rose to fame in the early 1990s and had a career that spanned almost 30 years. From an unconventional aristocratic family, she worked with Hel ...

–

supermodel A supermodel, also spelled super-model or super model, is a highly paid fashion model who usually has a worldwide reputation and often a background in '' haute couture'' and commercial modeling. The term ''supermodel'' became prominent in the ...

Penny Thomson Penny Thomson (14 November 1950, Manila – 9 July 2007, Edinburgh) was a producer for Britain's Channel Four and former EIFF director. She attended St. Leonard's School for Girls at St Andrews, Scotland. She became a production assistant, lea ...

–

film producer A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...

and former Director of

Edinburgh International Film Festival The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) is a film festival that runs for two weeks in June each year. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival. EIFF presents both UK and international films (all t ...

Fiona Watson Fiona Watson (1968 – 19 August 2003) was a Scotland, Scottish political affairs officer working in Sérgio Vieira de Mello's office who was killed along with other members of United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq staff in the Canal Hotel ...

– UN official killed in the Canal Hotel bombing,

Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesipho ...

* Audrey Withers – editor of '' Vogue'' from 1940 to 1960Drusilla Beyfus, 'Withers arried names Stewart, Kennett (Elizabeth) Audrey (1905–2001), magazine editor' in ''

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

'' (Oxford University Press, 2005)

References

External links

* *

Education Scotland Education Scotland ( gd, Foghlam Alba) is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, tasked with improving the quality of the country's education system. Origins The creation of the Agency was announced by Scottish Government Education a ...

St Leonards School
* Good Schools Guide
St Leonards School
*

Tatler ''Tatler'' is a British magazine published by Condé Nast Publications focusing on fashion and lifestyle, as well as coverage of high society and politics. It is targeted towards the British upper-middle class and upper class, and those interes ...

Schools Guide
St Leonards School
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Leonards School Boarding schools in Fife Charities based in Scotland Education in St Andrews Educational institutions established in 1877 Independent schools in Fife International Baccalaureate schools in Scotland Member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference Primary schools in Fife Secondary schools in Fife Women's lacrosse 1877 establishments in Scotland