A school designed for girls | Woldingham School

Founded in 1842 by the Society of the Sacred Heart, Woldingham is proud to be a pioneer of women’s education. Our supportive and stimulating all-girls environment enables students to grow into independent women who will make a positive contribution to the world. Woldingham has a Catholic foundation, but we warmly welcome students of all faiths and none. The Sacred Heart goals of faith, community, intellect, social awareness and personal growth underpin everything we do, resulting in a forward-thinking and caring community, where girls flourish in and out of the classroom.

Our ethos

Woldingham is a happy and successful school, where students become confident, compassionate and courageous young women.

As part of the global network of Sacred Heart schools, Woldingham has a Catholic foundation. The five Sacred Heart goals of faith, community, intellect, social awareness and personal growth underpin everything we do. The result is a unique, forward-thinking and caring community, where girls thrive in and out of the classroom

Students leave Woldingham with academic results that open doors, values to navigate careers and family life ahead, and friendships that last a lifetime.

Sacred Heart

The Society of the Sacred Heart was founded in France in 1801, a few years after the French Revolution, to provide ‘a first-rate education for young women’. Woldingham was the first Sacred Heart School in England. Woldingham is now part of the Sacred Heart Network, which has schools in more than 30 countries around the world. Woldingham is a Catholic school, where we welcome girls of all faiths or none.

The Sacred Heart’s five goals of education are Woldingham’s values of:

Faith
Intellect
Social awareness
Community
Personal growth

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THRIVE

THRIVE – learning for life – underpins everything at Woldingham. THRIVE promotes emotional wellbeing and enables every student to develop the growth mindset, resilience and self-worth to enjoy success as well as learn from setbacks.

Our aim is for each of our students to thrive as an individual, reaching goals through a balanced, healthy and mindful approach. We want students to be able to face changes with flexibility, meet failure with resilience and manage their own busy lives calmly. This means they will live their life to their full potential and they’ll be happy.

As part of the THRIVE programme, students develop study skills. Study skills are developed as girls move up through the school, with foundations built in Years 7 and 8 carried on through to the Sixth Form.

THRIVE focuses on the importance of wellbeing. Students learn about handling social media, self-esteem and body image. They learn how to deal with pressure, responsibility and making the right choices. All skills needed to be successful at school and as an adult.

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Pastoral care

Pastoral care is our most important role. When girls are in our care – whether day or boarding – we care, nurture and support them. The ages from 11 to 18 are some of the most important of a girl’s life. We feel privileged to educate and guide our girls through this time.

At Woldingham every student is known and supported as an individual by both teaching and support staff. At the heart of our pastoral care is kindness. Staff are kind to the students and each other. We support – and expect – girls to be kind to each other.

Our single-sex environment is supportive and stimulating. It enables girls to be themselves and to grow into independent women.

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