About NHSG
NHSG supports, nurtures, and challenges every girl to be herself – to be everything she can be.
Our aim is to be champions of excellence in all-girl education, empowering girls to be leaders, trailblazers, and world shapers.
At Newcastle High School for Girls, we are committed to offering an outstanding all-girl education from age 3 to 18, allowing all girls to flourish academically and pastorally and guiding them to their place in the world.
Our ethos is based around our belief that every girl has huge potential arising from her unique character, strengths and attributes. We support, nurture and challenge every girl to be the best version of herself, to achieve her potential and to approach life with real enjoyment and enthusiasm.
Every day at school we introduce our three year-olds to the wonders of the world, spark the intellectual curiosity of eleven year-olds, and intellectually stimulate and challenge our Sixth Formers to engage with their learning at the highest possible level.
The success of our approach is reflected not only in outstanding examination results at GCSE and A Level but also in the girls’ growth in knowledge, skills, aspiration and confidence.
At NHSG, your daughter will be inspired by teachers who are experts in tailoring the learning experiences to the needs of girls. Through our bespoke curriculum, which goes beyond national requirements, your daughter will discover her strengths and find her niche. She will study and grow in an environment characterised by high academic standards, excellent teaching, outstanding pastoral care and first-class facilities and resources.
She will learn without limits. And as one of the schools of the Girls’ Day School Trust, she will be part of a unique family of schools that puts girls first in every way and offers an array of opportunities beyond those available in the North East.
I do hope you will visit the School soon so that you can experience our happy yet purposeful atmosphere, and see for yourself the sheer joy of our pupils as they learn and grow together in our special community.
Mrs Amanda Hardie
Head
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Current Parent
I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for the outstanding work you and the school have been doing with both of my daughters. They genuinely enjoy coming to school and I have witnessed them thriving in the nurturing environment you provide and I couldn't be more grateful for the support you offer them
GDST. The UK’s leading network of independent girls’ schools.
We’re proud to be part of the Girls' Day School Trust (GDST). The GDST is the UK’s leading family of 26 independent girls’ schools including two academies. In all GDST schools, academic excellence is a given – at the GDST we develop character beyond the curriculum.
We focus not only on what is learned but how it is learned. Ensuring our girls are confident and fearless, determined to show what they can do. Nothing holds our girls back – they’re encouraged to embrace every role and subject. As a result, they trust their own abilities and are alive to every opportunity.
We concentrate on creating an environment where all can thrive and learn from one another. Physical and emotional wellbeing is paramount, which is why every GDST school provides an unsurpassed array of co-curricular activities and pastoral and wellbeing programmes.
Independent Schools Inspectorate 2023
Because of the clear structure and delivery of lessons by teachers, pupils are confident in asking questions and contributing to class discussion, are self-motivated and respond with enthusiasm to opportunities to improve their understanding.
Your daughter's future is in excellent hands.
The 2025-2026 Senior Leadership Team, focused on delivering an exceptional education for every girl.
Mrs Amanda Hardie
Head
Overall responsibility for the strategic leadership of Newcastle High School for Girls, creating a shared vision which expresses the core values of the school alongside promoting excellence in teaching and learning and a culture of high expectation and achievement in which every girl is empowered to be the best version of herself.
Mrs Tori Snowdon
Deputy Head Academic
Leading the academic programme for Newcastle High School for Girls, including the development and implementation of the curriculum and ensuring outstanding teaching and learning and high academic standards across Senior School.
Mrs Emma Barnett
Head of Junior School
Responsible for leading and managing the Junior School in close partnership with the Head. Creating and communicating a shared vision within Junior School, which expresses the core values of the whole School and motivates and inspires others. Driving Junior School forward through excellence and innovation in teaching and learning.
Mrs Lucy Franks-Doyle
Senior School Deputy Head Pastoral
Leading on the provision for pastoral care within the school. Working alongside the Pastoral Leadership Group to develop and implement a wide range of initiatives to support the personal development and well-being of all the girls within Newcastle High School for Girls.
Mr John Crosby
Director of Finance and Operations
Responsible for the smooth running of the School's finances and support functions including estates coordination, travel planning, administration, ICT support, facilities and catering.
Mrs Janice Graves
Director of Marketing and Communications
Leading the marketing, communications, admissions, alumnae, administration and philanthropy areas of the school. Ensuring that our values and ethos are shared with prospective and current parents and pupils as well as delivering excellent services and experiences. Supporting and working with our powerful network of alumnae.
Inspection reports.
2023 ISI Inspection Report
The ISI School Inspection which took place in September 2023 provided an opportunity for our staff and pupils to demonstrate the brilliant work that takes place at NHSG every single day and we are delighted that the subsequent report issued in January 2024 encapsulates and articulates so well our school ethos and lived experience. To receive an ISI inspection report of this calibre, within the rigorous new ISI framework, is in our view outstanding. We would like to congratulate our staff, girls, and the wider school community, for everyone has contributed to this outcome. Rest assured that we are far from complacent and will continue to drive progress, through a culture of continuous improvement and reflection, so that our school is blazing a trail in its own right as a beacon of excellence and supporting your daughter to be the very best version of herself.
Please read this letter from the Head, Mrs Hardie
Downloadable reports
Our School Governing Board.
Our Governors provide support and guidance. They come from a variety of backgrounds and, through their expertise, assist the School in delivering our vision to empower girls to be leaders, trailblazers, and world shapers.
To contact the Chair of the School Governing Board, please write to Mrs L Moody, c/o Newcastle High School for Girls, Tankerville Terrace, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 3BA
E: i.williams@ncl.gdst.net
Chair
Lesley Moody OBE
Managing Director, AES Digital Solutions Ltd
Vice Chair of the Board of North East Chamber of Commerce
Chair of the Bernicia Foundation
Board Member, Bernicia Homes
Board member, Northumbria University Business School Advisory Board
Lesley is from Northumberland and is married with two grown-up children and four small grandchildren. Having started her working life in the education sector, she’s passionate about education and our region and has been a governor for over 30 years.
With her company, AES, she’s worked with companies around the world and has been a Department for International Trade Export Champion.
In June 2015 Lesley was awarded an MBE as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to education, international trade and business and was awarded an OBE in the 2022 Queen’s New Year’s Honours for services to business and the community.
Kay Carrick
Director of Fundraising and Development, Beamish Museum
Trustee for the Michael Carrick Foundation, Chair of the North-East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) Women’s Leadership Forum
As Director of Fundraising and Development at Beamish, The Living Museum of the North, Kay leads the fundraising, philanthropy, and development strategy, building partnerships and securing investment to support the long-term sustainability and growth of one the UK’s most significant cultural institutions. She is passionate about connecting people, businesses, and communities to achieve Beamish’s vision to ignite curiosity, creativity and collaboration, using stories of the past to inspire a positive future and continue the legacy of the founding principles to create a museum ‘for the people by the people’.
Prior to this, Kay worked at St Cuthbert’s Hospice for over 14 years leading the income generation team to significant growth and established partnerships.
A founding figure of the Michael Carrick Foundation, Kay helped shape the charity from inception and oversaw income-generation operations for Michael’s testimonial match, raising over £1,000,000 for young people in Newcastle and Manchester.
As Chair of the NEECC Women’s Leadership Forum, Kay champions gender equity and leadership development across the region.
Outside of work, Kay is an active parkrun participant and a dedicated volunteer Run Director, committed to community wellbeing and connection.
Tim Bowman
Former CEO of Star Partners
Tim was a CFO in design, advertising and research business for the last 20 years. Working with independent, owner-managed businesses, Tim helped to professionalise the businesses to provide operational efficiency and drive shareholder value. Tim also used to provide consulting CFO services to a number of design and advertising companies. Tim is passionate about education and guiding young people as they develop as individuals.
Louise Eckford
Head of Property, Planning & Transformation, Marks and Spencer plc
Louise attended Central Newcastle High School for Girls alongside her sister; her own daughter and niece subsequently attended NHSG.
Louise's career has been largely spent at Marks and Spencer where she has worked for 26 years. She has enjoyed a varied career in commercial, operations, transformation and property and now heads up the property and transformation function for ‘Channels’ which encompasses their significant franchised business, wholesale and Ocado.
Louise is delighted to be able to continue her long relationship with the School now as a Governor and looks forward to using her experience and expertise in supporting the School to deliver its vision of excellence in all-girl education.
Katherine Gianfreda
Audit Senior Manager, Deloitte LLP
Katherine studied Economics and Accounting at the University of Edinburgh before returning to Newcastle where she qualified as a Chartered Accountant at Deloitte. She has worked with a diverse portfolio of clients and brings a strong financial and governance skillset to her role.
As a proud alumna of Central Newcastle High School, having attended from 1995 to 2009, Katherine is passionate about contributing to the School's continued success in offering girls a high-quality education and empowering them to achieve their goals. Having played sport to a high standard during her school days, she is also committed to supporting NHSG in providing a diverse and enriching range of co-curricular opportunities.
Joe Telford
Chief Technical Officer, AES Digital Solutions Ltd
From an initial career in education, developing curricula for Computer Science, IT and Technology, Joe moved into assisting companies with their educational support policies and overseeing the provision and deployment of world-class software systems in the UK and as far away as Japan, Australia and the USA.
For Joe, learning never stops, and current spare time interests include working with AI and IoT, for medical device support as well as for leisure activities. Joe recognises that young people have valuable contributions to make while they are learning and is keen to ensure Technology helps them develop creative abilities and problem-solving skills.
Dr Davina Nylander
Doctor (GP Trainee) at University College London Hospital
Davina, now a doctor and writer, attended Central Newcastle High School from 2008-2014. She was the very first Head Girl of Newcastle High School for Girls from 2014-15, following the merger of Central High with Church High School.
Davina went on to study Medicine at University College London and is currently training to be a General Practitioner. She has also followed her creative passions in the form of Music Journalism as a freelance writer; Davina has now built up a growing portfolio of articles and artist interviews for various publications, online and in print.
Dr Alison Charlewood
Trustee for St Oswalds Hospice
Alison attended Central Newcastle High School between 1970 and 1983 and then went on to Nottingham University to study Medicine. She returned to the North East and became a partner in General Practice, working in Fawdon and Kingston Park, for over 30 years.
Focusing on education and professional development, Alison initially taught undergraduates, then became a GP Trainer and now teaches on the scheme’s Intending Trainer Course, whilst also continuing her role as a GP Appraiser. After retirement from Clinical Medicine, Alison has taken on some voluntary work for a local church as the PCC Secretary and Safeguarding Committee Member, and has been appointed as a Trustee of St Oswald’s Hospice.
Our School Policies.
Our School Polices are focused on putting our pupils' welfare first. You can read them here by clicking on the button below.
We’re proud to be on our journey of Diversity and Inclusion
Every one of us at NHSG is listening, learning and making a difference for our community.
We’re proud of our diverse community and are committed to ensuring that each and every pupil is treated equally and with respect regardless of the many differences between them. Staff training, PSHE lessons, co-curricular clubs and assemblies are just some of the ways we continue to educate ourselves and our pupils about embracing difference and respecting all cultures and lifestyles. Celebrating Black History Month and Diversity Week, teaching about different religions and faiths, all of these practices go some way towards keeping diversity and inclusion on the agenda. Our school policies state our commitment to deal with prejudice and discrimination firmly. We want our school to be a safe and happy place for everybody.
Working towards the GDST Undivided Charted for Action also means that the whole family of GDST schools has the same ethos and goals – to ensure that the wellbeing of every young person comes first, and where every girl – no matter her background – can learn without limits. Our Senior Leadership Team liaise closely with the Undivided Steering Group which meets regularly to ensure that all GDST schools are supported on an ongoing basis.
Whilst we’re an all-girls’ school, of course not all girls are the same. The NHSG community is made up of people from all backgrounds, of all ethnicities and religions, of different sexualities and from all cultures. Every single member of the community deserves equal respect. We’re all here for the same reason – to provide an outstanding education without limits and open doors to bright and successful futures in which our pupils can achieve anything they aspire to.
Feeling happy, comfortable, accepted and respected at school is a huge part of doing well and succeeding both academically and emotionally while still retaining that uniqueness that makes you, you! We want our pupils to be part of the wonderful NHSG community but also to be themselves; that’s why diversity and inclusion are so important to us.
Above all, we encourage our community to be proud of who they are, comfortable in their own skin and accepting of others.
We have 150 years of experience in educating girls.
In September 2014, Church High School and Central Newcastle High School merged to become Newcastle High School for Girls. Founded in 1872, and 1876 respectively, both were established to offer girls an exceptional education and to ensure girls and young women could have an equal place in the world. Their success is noted in the education of thousands of girls from the North East of England who passed through their doors and whose trailblazing spirit is today at the forefront of NHSG's vision and mission.
When NHSG was formed in 2014, we were determined to reflect the School's roots, which are so firmly planted in the city and surrounding area. Our iconic seahorse emblem symbolises our strong links with Newcastle – two mythical seahorses appear in Newcastle’s heraldic coat of arms, dating back to the 16th century. The seahorse represents patience, friendship, generosity, and persistence – everything that embodies our pupils.
