The school is a Trust with a Board of Governors in membership of AGBIS and the Headmaster belongs to the GSA.
Leicester High School is a well-established day school for girls situated in lovely grounds on the south side of the city. Founded in 1906 as Portland House School, it now comprises a Junior Department of approximately 80 girls (3–9 years) and a Senior School of approximately 200 girls (aged 10–18) sited on the same campus.
The Headmaster is responsible for both the Junior Department and Senior School. The staff are well-qualified specialists and the school is renowned for both its academic excellence and extra-curricular programme. At present 18 subjects are offered at GCSE Level and 18 subjects at A Level.
Facilities. The premises are a combination of modern purpose-built units and the original Victorian house, skilfully adapted to its present purpose. The facilities of the School have been systemically improved and updated over recent years. The school has a Junior Department and a Senior School in separate buildings on one site. The Junior Department has its own hall, library, IT suite, garden, playground and outdoor learning area. The Senior School has a central gym, library, drama/dance studio, ICT suites, language computer suite, 6 science laboratories, art and design studio, separate sixth form area and food studies room set around an award-winning courtyard garden. The school benefited from a £3.7m extension in 2010. The 3-acre grounds of the school have tennis and netball courts within extensive gardens. Most recently a specialist music centre has been added.
Religion. The school has a Christian foundation but welcomes girls of other faiths or of none.
Admission. All candidates over the age of 7 are required to pass an entrance examination for admission into the Junior and Senior sections. Direct entry into the Sixth Form is dependent on GCSE results. Entrance into the Early Years Unit is by assessment. A registration fee of £100 is payable for all applicants.
The Headmaster is always pleased to meet parents of prospective pupils and to show them around the school. All communications should be addressed to the Admissions Manager from whom prospectuses, application forms and details of fees may be obtained.
Fees per term (2024-2025). £3,743–£6,073, including VAT.
Extras. Individual Music lessons, Speech and Drama, Ballet and Taekwondo are offered.
Scholarships and Bursaries. The Headmaster’s Scholarship is a five-year scholarship for entry into Year 7 for an academic girl. All those interested must sit the January Entrance Examination. Registering for the examination costs £100.
Scholarships are awarded to any student – either existing Year 6 or external candidates – on the basis of performance in the Year 7 examination papers in English and Mathematics sat on Entrance Examination day in January.
The LHS Sixth Form Scholarship: Girls entering the Sixth Form from a state school, and resident in Leicestershire or Rutland, have been invited to apply for a Sir Thomas White Scholarship, which is 100% fees-only funded for two years. The School has had seven Sir Thomas White Scholars in recent years.
A small number of Bursaries are available from Year 6 onwards up to the value of full fees.
Charitable Status. Leicester High School Charitable Trust Limited is a Registered Charity, number 503982. The Trust exists to promote and provide for the advancement of education based on Christian principles according to the doctrines of the Church of England.
Governors & Staff:
Board of Governors:
Chair: Ms J Carroll, BA Hons, PG Cert
Mrs Mary Neilson, BEd Hons
Mrs Claire Flinders, ACMA CBMA
Mrs Harriet Mistry, Hons
Mrs Susan Siesage (nee Webb), BA Hons, PGCE, MBA, NPQH
Mr Paul Hitchcock, BEd Hons
Mrs Dimple Chandarana, LLB Hons
Miss Priya Raithatha, MSc MARLA
Miss Dhara Bhogaita
Mrs Ruth Jolin
Clerk to the Governors: Ms S Shaw
Headmaster: Mr A R Whelpdale, BA, NPQH
Deputy Head: Mr J M Partridge, MA, BSc, NPQSL
Assistant Head: Mrs C Wagner-Lees, BA
Head of Years 6 and 7: Miss A Simpson BSc
Head of Years 8 and 9 (with overview of KS3): Mrs D Morgan, BSc
Head of KS4: Mrs J Rose, BEd
Head of Sixth Form: Mr M Ryman-Tubb, BA
Teaching Staff:
* Head of Department
Careers:
*Mr M Ryman, BA
Computing and Information Technology:
*Mr B Ahmed, BSc
English:
*Mrs J Wallis BA
Dr N Taylor, BA, MA, PhD
Mrs C Dryland BA
Expressive Arts:
Mr A Rose, BA (*Art and Design)
Miss E Ikin, BA (Art and Design/Photography)
Miss R Proctor, BSc, MA (*Music)
Mrs J Rose, BEd (*Drama, Head of KS4)
Food Studies:
*Mrs J Whalley, BSc
Geography:
*Mrs K Haresign, BA
History and Politics:
*Miss A Paul, MA
Mrs F Lodder, MA
Mathematics:
*Mr Newell
Dr S Hills, PhD
Miss C Taylor, BSc
Dr Z Washington, PhD
Modern Languages:
*Mrs N Vicente Lorente, BA
Mrs F Lagarde (French)
Mrs C Wagner-Lees, BA (French and Spanish)
Mrs G Wheeler, BA (French)
Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education:
*Mrs D Morgan, BSc (Head of KS3 Years 8–9)
Philosophy and Belief (RS):
*Mr D Ingram, BA, MA, DipMM
Physical Education:
Miss A Simspon
Mr S Tratt
Science:
*Mr A McMurray, BSc, MBA (Physics)
Mrs K Greenwood, BSc (*Chemistry)
Mrs H Rai, BSc, MSc (*Biology)
Miss E Tyler, BSc (Biology and Physics)
Social Science:
Mrs K Haresign, BA (*Economics)
Mr M Ryman, BA (*Psychology and *Sociology)
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Coordinator:
Mrs P Oaten, MA
Head of House:
Mrs K Greenwood, BSc
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award/Adventure Service Challenge/Outdoor Education:
Mr S Tratt
School Bursar: Ms S Shaw
Accountant: Mrs K Allen, BA, FCA
Finance Officer: Mrs F Mulla
Headmaster’s PA and School Administrator: Ms K Sheikh
Admissions Officer: Mrs L Jaiya, BEd
Admin Officer: Mrs K Kotadia
Examinations Officer: Mrs Y Chan
Head of Marketing: Miss L Burbeck
Librarian: Mrs S Timms
ICT Network Manager: Mr T Fage
IT Technician: Mr E Patel
Health & Wellbeing Officer: Mrs J Wright
Laboratory Technician: Mrs T Johnson
Technician: Mrs Z Ravat
Site Manager: Mr D Parmar
Caretakers: Mr G Neary, Mr M Panter
Groundsman: Mr P Dunn
Visiting Staff:
Mrs H Barwell (Dance)
Mrs W Boswell (Piano)
Mr N Bott, BA (Drums, Electric Guitar)
Mrs J Bound, GBSM (Piano)
Mr A Hewins (Brass)
Mrs K Loomes, FIDTA (Ballet)
Mrs V A Martin, ALAM (Speech & Drama)
Ms A Mee (Violin)
Mrs C Pitchford, LRAM (Violin)
Miss C Smith, BMus (Woodwind)
Miss C Sullivan, BA (Speech & Drama)
Mr M Wells (Taekwondo)
Junior Department:
Head of Department: Mrs S J Davies, BA Ed
Assistant Head: Mrs P Gascoigne, BA
Early Years Coordinator: Mrs L Heywood, BA, PGCE
Class Teachers:
Y5: Mrs C Dryland, BA
Y4: Mrs P Gascoigne, BA, Miss S Williams, BEd
Y3: Miss F Wood, BSc
Y2: Miss E Stell, BA
Y1: Mrs S Neuberg, BA
YR: Mrs L Heywood, BA, PGCE
YF: Mrs J Jethwa, NVQ5
EYFS:
Mrs J Solanki
Mrs L Dunn
Learning Support Assistants:
Mrs R Dye
Miss C Loomes
Mrs X Ma
Administrator: Mrs M Singh, NVQ