Lavant House School


An Independent Co-educational Day School for ages 3 – 18, Boarding from 8 to 18, 160+ pupils, County of East Sussex

About the School
Lavant House is an independent girls' school established in 1952, with a very special atmosphere. A key strength is its small size, about a hundred and sixty pupils. Thus, classes are small and girls are treated as individuals, each pupil is encouraged to develop her ability to the full and achieve success, whether academic or in sport, drama, art or any of the wide variety of activities that go on daily within the school. Just over an hour away from Gatwick Airport, set in glorious Sussex countryside close to the attractive cathedral city of Chichester, Lavant House is home to our boarding pupils from overseas as well as the UK. Parents and girls appreciate the family atmosphere in the boarding house and many of our day girls take advantage of our fully flexible boarding arrangements.

Addmissions
Girls may be admitted to boarding at any age from 8. An academic assessment and report from their current school will normally be required.

Boarding
The school received an excellent boarding inspection report in June 2008, reflecting the very high standards of care and provision for the girls who board. "Boarders at Lavant House enjoy their sensitive and supportive boarding environment. The happy ethos endeavours to develop a family atmosphere." The boarding house in Lavant House is a home away from home for the girls who live there on a full-time basis as well as on a weekly, flexible basis. One of the main attractions is the informal family atmosphere which is promoted by the boarding staff. Girls and staff are encouraged to live co-operatively with others and to see their own needs within the context of the needs of the community. Lavant House welcomes overseas pupils from many countries for both long and short stays. The Boarding House has a homely and caring atmosphere, and the House staff is expert in making our overseas pupils feel comfortable and secure in their new English environment. Girls can stay for GCSE and ‘A' level courses - each two years in length - or they may wish to join classes at a younger age and spend some years working their way up through the school. Lavant house welcomes overseas students for short-term stays too - anything from a few weeks to a term or two. Such stays are most helpful to our overseas visitors who can experience life in an English boarding school and by immersing themselves in British culture; quickly improve their English and understanding of British life. Overseas girls form lasting friendships with their English counterparts and often return for further visits. The number of overseas girls in boarding house is quite small, over the last few years Lavant House has welcomed visitors from Hong Kong, China, France, Spain, Russia and Italy. In small classes overseas girls soon make friends, and their English rapidly improves. The teaching staff is experienced in having one or two pupils in the class who still need support with their English, and are very understanding if pupils lack confidence at first.

English as an Additional Language
Specialist English teaching is available for overseas pupils. They can be prepared for the Cambridge First Certificate, IELTS and other English Language qualifications. IELTS examination at various levels may be crucial for successful university applications. All of our overseas students go on to secure university places, mostly in British universities. Girls joining Lavant House from overseas follow the same syllabus as the rest of the school.

Sport and the Outdoors
Set in such a beautiful location at the foot of the South Downs and soon to be within the South Downs National Park, we make use of our grounds and the countryside beyond, perhaps most notably in our Duke of Edinburgh activities. While every girl may not enjoy every sport, we offer a range of sporting activities to suit most tastes. Our small size means that the opportunity to be in teams is an added incentive to play well. Matches against other schools are organised regularly for all age groups, and overseas netball tours have been to Malta in 2002, Cyprus in 2004 and Barbados in 2006. Netball and hockey are the current main winter games. Teams from each year group frequently compete and achieve success in area tournaments and regular fixtures. Some girls achieve County standard and represent clubs outside school. In the summer the girls play rounders, tennis, athletics and swimming. The school's large heated outdoor pool is a glorious facility. Other physical activities include badminton, gymnastics, football, dance, volleyball and tag rugby. There is the opportunity to attend lunchtime dance sessions run by a qualified dance teacher and also use of the fitness suite. Lunchtime sports clubs are offered every day and all girls are encouraged to take responsibility for their own health and fitness in the hope of promoting an active and positive future.

Creative Arts
Art at Lavant House is thriving and is very evident throughout the school building. Standards in Art & Design are exceptionally high in Art Department with the majority of girls achieving A* and A grades at GCSE and A - C grades at A level. Lavant Art Studio, formerly the stable block, was opened in 2006 by artist Bill Woodrow R. A. and provides a wonderful creative environment. Girls have the opportunity to explore their own particular interests in a variety of areas including fine art, textiles, photography and three dimensional designs. The School offers the unendorsed course at GCSE and both Fine Art A level as well as Textiles A level. The studio is fully equipped with computer facilities, and photography is offered by a professional photographer as an extra-curricular activity. There is a very popular Art Club for all ages and plenty of opportunity to use the Studio during lunch time and after school for GCSE and A level students. Pupils' art work is regularly exhibited throughout the school and a major exhibition to celebrate the examination work is held annually on Speech Day.

Location
Lavant House is within easy reach of Gatwick & Heathrow Airports (both approximately within 1 hour 20 minutes) and Chichester Railway Station.

Visit the Lavant House School website.