St Helen's School

A fantastic achievement for our Chess Team, who secured silver in the inaugural Herts and Hillingdon Chess Championship! The team delivered an outstanding performance, recording the highest number of individual match victories and demonstrating great skill, determination and sportsmanship throughout the competition. Congratulations to Ishani, Piya, Jivaali and Saanvi on representing St Helen’s so brilliantly.

At St Helen’s, we are proud to nurture excellence both inside and outside the classroom. Our 11+ Scholarship programme recognises exceptional talent across a range of areas, including Academic, Music, Sport, Art, Drama and Chess. Visit us at our Whole School Open Morning on 19 September to learn more about our scholarships.

Book your place here:
https://www.sthelens.london/admissions/visit-us-open-events/

Celebrating Creativity Through Co-Curricular Life

At St Helen's, our co-curricular programme is one of the most varied and enriching you will find in any school, offering girls countless opportunities to discover new passions, develop their talents and build confidence beyond the classroom.

This Summer Term, Veeya in Year 8, a member of our Book Chat Club, created a fantastic poster inspired by her love of reading. Her creativity and initiative perfectly demonstrate the spirit of our co-curricular programme, where pupils are encouraged to pursue their interests and share them with others. The Book Chat Club is just one of more than 200 clubs and societies available at St Helen's.

A sample of what we offer includes:
🏅 Sport: from netball, swimming and tennis to fencing, climbing and Tae Kwon Do. As a Pentathlon GB North London Hub, we are particularly proud to offer girls unique opportunities to develop as multi-sport athletes.

🎭 Performing and Creative Arts: including orchestras, choirs, musical theatre, drama, gymnastics and dance.

🚀 STEM and Innovation: from Robotics and 3D Design & Print to our ever-popular Rocket Science Club.

🤝 Leadership and Service: including Model United Nations, Young Enterprise, the Combined Cadet Force in partnership with Merchant Taylors' School, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

Our aim is to enrich and enhance the lives, personal development and wellbeing of every girl, igniting new and existing passions while uncovering hidden talents along the way.

The Great Egg Drop Challenge! 🥚🔬

In Science, our Year 2 girls explored different materials and their everyday uses through a hands-on investigation inspired by Egg Drop by Mini Grey.

As Mrs Gibson explains: "The girls tested bubble wrap, paper, fabric and foil to discover which material would best protect an egg when dropped from height. To ensure it was a fair test, each egg was dropped from the same height with the same force."

Taking their experiment to the Gables stairs, the girls carefully observed the results of each drop. After plenty of excitement and anticipation, they discovered that bubble wrap was the only material that kept the egg completely uncracked — and, remarkably, there was very little mess! Swipe to see all the photos.

Experience life at St Helen's at our 7+ Entry Taster Day

Is your daughter preparing for 7+ entry? Join us for an exciting 7+ Taster Day and experience a typical day at St Helen's. This is a wonderful opportunity for girls to spend time in lessons alongside a Year 2 class, begin making new friends, and enjoy our warm and welcoming school environment.

Throughout the day, girls will take part in a variety of engaging lessons, including:
🎨 Art/DT
🔬 Science
➗ Maths
📚 English
🏃 PE or Swimming

They will also enjoy lunch and playtime, giving them a true feel for daily life at the school.

📅 1 October | 9.00am – 2.45pm
📅 8 October | 9.00am – 2.45pm

Book your place: https://www.sthelens.london/admissions/visit-us-open-events/

What can a spiral, a handful of colourful shapes and a snail craft teach a Nursery child?

Quite a lot, actually!

Our Nursery girls explore patterns, shapes and snail-inspired art through hands-on activities designed to develop fine motor skills, creativity, collaboration and early mathematical thinking. From arranging natural materials into intricate patterns to creating colourful snails bursting with personality, every activity encouraged curiosity, confidence and independent learning. Read more about this learning experience: https://www.sthelens.london/blog/2026/05/19/nursery-explores-patterns-shapes-and-snail-inspired-art/

We are delighted to be hosting several Stay and Play sessions this Autumn Term for girls aged 3 and 4. Come and experience the warmth, creativity and excitement at St Helen’s, explore our Early Years environment, and meet our dedicated staff.

Book your place here:
https://www.sthelens.london/admissions/visit-us-open-events/

to Senior School Sports Day 2026

What a day it was! From record-breaking performances and incredible House spirit to the unforgettable moment Bronte was crowned Sports Day champions, the atmosphere was electric from start to finish.

One of our favourite reflections comes from Year 9 pupil Kimaya: "Covered in blue face paint, we all felt included and valued and proud to represent our House."

A wonderful reminder that Sports Day is about so much more than competition – it's about community, belonging and cheering each other on every step of the way.

EYFS, Year 1 & Year 2 Sports Day

A little rain certainly didn't dampen spirits at our EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2 Sports Day! Smiles, races and plenty of enthusiasm made for a fantastic morning of sporting fun.

From sprinting and jumping to cheering on their friends, every girl gave her best and embraced the joy of taking part. We were delighted to be joined by pupils from the older Prep years, who enthusiastically supported competitors and helped throughout the event, demonstrating the caring and encouraging spirit of our school community.

A huge thank you to all the parents who came along to support the girls and create such a wonderful atmosphere. It was especially lovely to see mums and dads taking part in the running races, much to the delight of the pupils and spectators alike!

Filled with laughter, encouragement and memorable moments, the day was a wonderful celebration of friendship, teamwork and perseverance. Well done to all our girls for their fantastic effort and sportsmanship.

Over 3,500 one-to-one reading opportunities and counting.

Since 2021, St Helen's Outreach Programme has been working with local partner schools to inspire a love of reading and support literacy development across the community.

Each year, all Year 12 students take part in outreach activities, with many dedicating six months to weekly paired reading sessions in schools including Hillside Infants, Hillside Juniors, Greenfields, Holy Trinity, Frithwood, St Joseph's, Coteford, Harlyn and River Pinn.

The impact is remarkable. Pupils develop greater confidence in decoding unfamiliar words, applying phonics strategies independently and engaging more enthusiastically with reading.

As one Year 1 teacher shared: "Our struggling readers now pick up books without hesitation, and they're more confident sounding out tricky words. The Sixth Form volunteers make reading fun!"

Another teacher added: "The pupils who used to shy away from reading are now volunteering to read aloud during class."

Our Sixth Formers receive specialist training from Dr Ryan, Director of Outreach and Partnerships, and Mr Johnston, Head of Literacy, ensuring every session aligns with phonics best practice while developing valuable leadership, communication and mentoring skills.

At St Helen's, outreach is about more than reading. It's about building confidence, creating connections and inspiring a lifelong love of learning - for everyone involved.

Stay & Play Sessions at St Helen’s

Our themed Stay & Play sessions are a wonderful opportunity for families to discover our imaginative, play-led approach to early education and see our nurturing environment in action.

If your daughter will be joining 3+ or 4+ in September 2027, we would love to welcome you.

Upcoming Stay & Play Sessions:

📅 Wednesday 9 September 2026
⏰ 1.30pm–2.30pm
🎨 All About Me & Starting School

📅 Thursday 15 October 2026
⏰ 9.30am–10.30am
🍁 Autumn Adventures

📅 Thursday 12 November 2026
⏰ 9.30am–10.30am
✈️ Let’s Go on a Journey!

Places are limited – reserve yours today https://www.sthelens.london/admissions/visit-us-open-events/

We're delighted to be partnering with Play Badminton for a fantastic day dedicated to badminton, health and wellbeing, and bringing people together through sport.

Join Us for a FREE Community Badminton Festival
📅 Sunday 26 July
📍 St Helen's Sports Centre

Whether you're picking up a racket for the first time, returning to the sport after a break, or already a keen player, everyone is welcome.

The day will feature:
- Badminton sessions for all abilities
- Inspirational talks
- Interactive workshops
- Health and wellbeing activities
- Opportunities to meet new people and connect with the local badminton community

We're also proud to be shining a spotlight on Women in Badminton, encouraging more women and girls to experience the physical, mental and social benefits of the sport, while ensuring the event remains open and welcoming to everyone.
Places are free, but spaces are limited.

👉 Reserve your place today: www.womeninbadminton.org/festival