Private School News

Stunning New Facilities

Girls at Farnborough Hill are looking forward to pushing creative boundaries even further following the completion of the St Anne’s Art and Design Technology Centre. The building was blessed and officially opened by the Bishop of Portsmouth, The Right Reverend Crispian Hollis, in a ceremony attended by students, staff and guests.

The Grade 1 listed building has been extended and enhanced to provide a Design and Technology workshop, three art studios, a graphic design suite and dedicated 6th Form studios. The wide range of resources in both departments allow pupils to become involved in painting, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, glass, graphic design, photography, fashion, animation, computer generated imagery, woodwork, plastics and metalwork. The beautiful building, built in 1860, was formerly the laundry, stable block and coach house of the Empress Eugenie and has been sympathetically restored, with many of the features retained and highlighted.

Design and Technology began in its infancy at Farnborough Hill in the early 90s – back then a bold and forward-thinking move for a girls’ independent school to introduce a subject traditionally associated with boys’ education. The girls instantly took to the subject, and immediately disproved the myth that it was not a subject for girls!

Results at the school have often been outstanding in both art and design & technology, for instance: in 2005 Charlotte Hull, was one of the top 10 students nationally for A level Design and Technology: resistant materials. At the same time she also became the regional finalist for the Audi Young Designer of the year award, being 1 of 17 students to attend the national final in Newcastle. Part of her prize included an all expenses paid trip to the Audi headquarters, in Germany, where we understand the highlight of the trip was getting to drive an Audi TT around the track! Last year Naomi-Rose Alexander was one of the students achieving the top ten marks in the country for GCSE art and design.
This year, Corinne Stuart, a GCSE D & T student, applied for the Arkwright Scholarship, which supports A-Level students wishing to follow a career in Engineering. The D & T department became affiliated to the Arkwright Scholarship program, proving Farnborough Hill’s commitment as a school to Engineering as a future career. Corrine attended a rigorous day long interview programme and sat an exam. Her strength as a future engineer shone through and she was fortunate to be chosen from over 400 applicants to be one of their scholars.

Mrs Emma Matthews, Head of Design and Technology, says ‘Staff and students value the changes made to St Anne’s greatly. Each and every one of our girls from Year 7 upwards, achieves great things when she is able to create, develop and realise a product of her own design in such well-equipped and inspiring surroundings.’

Photo:(l to r): Headmistress, Mrs Sarah Buckle, Bishop Crispian and Chair of Governors, Mr Michael Maher