When
I visited St Teresa’s for the first time before I joined
as Head, I was, of course, impressed by the excellent facilities
and beautiful and extensive grounds but, more importantly, I
fell in love with the people. There is a “can do”,
positive atmosphere here and girls are encouraged to develop
their individual potential in all areas. They
achieve success in public examinations by hard work, under the
direction of teachers who are committed professionals and who
teach with energy and enthusiasm, offering the right level of
support to enable each girl to shine. It was with good reason
that St Teresa’s was ranked 12th in the UK in 2006 in
the Department for Education and Skills League Tables measuring
the value added by schools to their pupils’ achievements!
We are very proud of the GCSE, AS and
A level results achieved by our pupils and have high expectations
of them expecting them to rise to all academic challenges- but
with our help and guidance. As a result, all our Sixth Form
leavers go on to Higher Education including Oxford and Cambridge,
Russell Group universities or the best drama and art colleges.
And
we do not stop at the academic! Education is for life and
should equip young people with the whole range of skills they
will need to succeed in the world beyond the classroom. As
a scientist, I have always admired musical and dramatic talent
and St Teresa’s girls have the opportunity to perform
to live audiences right from Year 7. The tuition they receive
ensures the confidence to do so competently, maturely and
with access to state of the art facilities. Who can fail to
be inspired by the wonderful Mairlot Hall opened in September
2005 with its 750 seat theatre with professional standard
lighting and sound systems, music technology suite and recording
studio?
Art and textiles departments are overflowing
with creativity and girls are encouraged to “think big”!
Sixth formers leaving us to go on to Art School regularly
receive unconditional offers from leading institutions
including Central St Martin’s and our art staff hold
seats on their Advisory Committee panels, such is the esteem
in which the work done here is held. The quantity and quality
of the work displayed at the end of year Fashion Show and
GCSE and AS and A level Art and Textiles preview only bear
further witness to the talents developed here.
An indoor swimming pool complex completed in 2003 and extensive
sports fields enable our girls to maintain a high profile
locally, regionally and nationally in a wide range of competitive
sports.
In addition to all of the curriculum subjects, St Teresa’s
girls are encouraged to take part in a wide range of co-curricular
activities too. In 2005-6 alone they received 5 gold Duke
of Edinburgh Awards, 12 silvers and 23 bronze, won the Area
Finals of the Rotary Club Public Speaking Competition, won
through several rounds in the English Speaking Union debate
and the Oxford Union Schools Championship, took part in innumerable
overseas and UK trips, did Voluntary Service in the local
community, participated in World Challenge expeditions, Young
Enterprise groups, Challenge of Management sessions, work
experience in the UK and overseas and much, much more!
St Teresa’s has a Roman Catholic foundation, although
we welcome girls from all faiths and we are proud that the
education we offer at St Teresa’s takes place within
a spiritual framework. This results in articulate, confident,
responsible girls who care about their fellows and have clear
values and moral foundations upon which to build their academic
successes.
Do come and experience our very special atmosphere and discuss
your daughter’s academic future with me personally.
I look forward to meeting you.
Mrs Lesley Falconer
Headmistress
St Teresa's School will endeavour:
to strive for quality and excellence and to provide the
support and guidance to ensure that pupils achieve high
academic standards
to maintain a happy, disciplined and structured environment
and to promote dignity, equality and respect
to provide a dynamic and challenging curriculum based
on Christian values
to support the growth, development and needs of the whole
person within a spiritual framework
to promote the complete Christian formation of the young
people entrusted to its care
St Teresa's was founded by the Religious
Order of Christian Instruction in 1928 on what was
originally part of a manor site recorded in the
Doomsday Book. The main house, dating from 1799,
forms the centre of the Senior School, and has been
greatly extended to provide the modern facilities
needed for the 21st Century. An all-weather pitch
and new swimming pool complex were completed in
2000 and 2003 respectively and, in September 2005,
Music, Drama and the arts benefited from a magnificent
£3 million, 750-seat performing arts theatre
hall, equipped with the latest technology, with
new music and drama suites.
The
school is situated is in 45 acres of beautiful rural
grounds in a designated area of outstanding natural
beauty amid the Surrey hills.
The original Nursery and Prep School opened in 1953 on a site just over a mile away but has, since January 2009, been replaced by a beautiful, brand new, state of the art school on the rural Senior School site which boasts the latest in classroom technology as well as access to the indoor pool complex, all weather pitch and Mairlot Hall, the performing arts centre and theatre."