Sunday Times Top Ten listed Harrogate school 'goes beyond' by launching its own wellness centre

Basking in the glow of being selected in the top 10 Independent schools in the North in the 31st edition of The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide, Harrogate Ladies’ College College Principal, Sylvia Brett highlighted its new Wellness Centre as evidence of the school's ethos.

“Re-entering the regional top 10 list shows we are making significant strides in academic excellence.

"But the all-round health and well-being of our students is of paramount importance to us.

“We have invested in a dedicated on-site Wellness Centre, which is designed to help pupils develop their physical, mental and social well-being.

“We want our students to be happy and healthy.

"This means helping them to develop their own strategies and techniques to cope physically, mentally and socially.”

The Sunday Times Parent Power Guide utilised post-pandemic examination results from across the country to rate the UK’s highest-achieving secondary schools.

Widely acknowledged as the most authoritative survey of the country’s top schools, Harrogate Ladies’ College produced strong results in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), as well as French and Textiles.

College Principal Mrs Brett said: "While we are proud of our high academic achievements, we also look for creative potential”.

“We say that girls here don’t fit the mould, we create it”.

The Parent Power Guide also found that conversations around mental health are now ingrained in the top schools with many offering mentoring systems, talks from motivational speakers and workshops offering study tips and techniques to help with anxiety.

Mrs Brett said: “We teach our students to develop their personal wellbeing; to recognise when things aren’t quite right; and to know what to do when they need help.

"We believe that our dedicated Wellness Centre means that we can go beyond most schools in providing the support and guidance to help achieve this”.

Harrogate Ladies’ College was established in 1893 and is one of the UK’s leading independent schools for girls aged 11-18 years.