The Spirit of Mrs Payne
When the wind blows from the east, a low whistling noise can be heard in old sports hall (now the lecture theatre.) It is thought this is because Mrs Payne, a legendary PE teacher, did not want the move to the new sports hall, having taught for 31 years in the old one. The noise represents her disapproval. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sir Lockselot
It is said that if you rub the heart-shaped padlock on the nose of our welcoming rhino, Sir Lockselot, it will help you perform your very best in exams. The statue, covered with thousands of padlocks, represents the need to protect the White Rhino from extinction. 

 

 

 

The Beast of Brittany
For many years the school owned a House in Tregourez, Brittany which all Year 7 and Year 9 students visited in the summer. There is a local legend which says the village is haunted by a mysterious beast and on more than one occasion girls have reported hearing a howling noise at night. The morning after, footprints and teeth marks were found in the garden.

Neighbourly Rock
At the entrance to the school there used to be a grass roundabout with a cherry tree. When this blew over the geology teacher, Mr Neighbour ordered a giant limestone boulder to take its place. Unfortunately, the rock was delivered when the school was closed and dropped 10 metres from its intended destination. It is said Mr Neighbour was so cross, that he rolled the rock the last ten metres himself. hence it is known as the Neighbourly Rock.

The Deportment Sash
In the 1930s great store was set by being seen to stand upright without slouching. If staff judged that a girl had managed to do this, in public, over a two-year period then she was awarded a deportment sash. A mock-up of this can be seen in the archive corridor. It is generally agreed that no student is likely to achieve this nowadays.

The Missing Statue of Caractacus
Very old girls tell of a statue that used to adorn the stairs up from the vestibule. The statue was of a tribal chieftain from ancient Britain called Caractacus. He fought the Romans but was captured and taken to Rome and sentenced to death as a military prisoner. However he made a brilliant speech before his execution that persuaded the Emperor Claudius to spare him. No living person knows what became of the statue, so, we have replaced it with our only other statue, the iconic art deco female robot from the 1927 classic sci-fi film Metropolis. We have named her Carina.