Range and diversity
With a long history of pioneering an innovative education for girls, the GDST now also educates boys aged three to seven in some of its all-through schools, has one co-educational sixth form college and is developing a selective group of preparatory schools, some of which are co-educational.

All GDST schools are non-denominational day schools, but The Royal High School, Bath also takes boarders.

The GDST’s small group of prep schools – Kensington Prep, Great Houghton Prep, The Hamlets and Hilden Grange – prepare pupils for entry to non-GDST schools at age 11 or 13.

All the other schools in the network offer an ‘all-through’ education, and cater for pupils from three or four to 18 years of age, with thriving sixth forms and, in many schools, nursery classes as well.

Howell’s School, Llandaff in Cardiff has a co-educational Sixth Form College.

In a new initiative, The Belvedere Senior School in Liverpool transferred from the independent sector to Academy status and opened as The Belvedere Academy in September 2007.