The All-Round Approach
The All-Round Approach
STEM, Sport, Arts, Music Future Skills and the Hampton School Partnership
Every girl who joins LEH brings her own unique mix of interests and enthusiasms. Your daughter might be passionate about science and equally at home on the water, or she may spend her evenings immersed in music and her weekends playing sport. She could be curious about engineering while also thriving in the performing arts. Or perhaps she is still discovering what excites her and would benefit from the encouragement to try something new. Whatever her individual combination of interests, she will feel right at home here at LEH School.
A question we often hear from families is whether a school can genuinely support a wide range of interests, or whether, over time, a girl will be expected to choose just one path. At LEH, breadth is not an add-on to school life – it is built into the experience. Pupils are actively encouraged to explore and develop all their interests, with a rich programme of co-curricular clubs and opportunities structured into each day to make this possible.
This page is designed to give you a clear picture of how that works in practice. You will find an overview of the breadth of opportunities available, how they fit into a typical week, and what LEH pupils themselves say about the experience of pursuing more than one passion.
What a typical week looks like at LEH
Rather than describe what is possible, the example timetables below illustrate what a real day looks like at LEH. These are genuine timetables. They show how STEM, sport, arts, pastoral care and futures activity sit naturally alongside each other throughout the school day.
Year 7 (Thirds) – a real example day:
| Time | Activity | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 08.45 – 09.05 | Form Time | Pastoral |
| 09.05 – 09.10 | Assembly | Community |
| 09.10 – 09.55 | English | Academic |
| 09.55 – 10.40 | History | Academic |
| 10.40 – 11.00 | Break | |
| 11.00 – 11.45 | Enrichment – Digital Detectives (AI investigations) | Futures / STEM |
| 11.45 – 12.30 | PE | Sport |
| 12.30 – 13.45 | Lunch / Indoor Cricket Lunchtime Club | Sport / Co-curricular |
| 13.45 – 14.30 | Life Advice (PSHE) | Pastoral |
| 14.30 – 15.15 | Science | STEM |
| 15.15 – 16.00 | Science | STEM |
| 16.00 | End of school day | |
| 16.00 – 17.45 | Shrek the Musical Jr Rehearsal | Arts |
Lower Sixth (Year 12) – a real example day:
| Time | Activity | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 08.45 – 09.05 | Form Time | Pastoral |
| 09.05 – 09.10 | Assembly | Community |
| 09.10 – 09.55 | History | Academic |
| 09.55 – 10.40 | History | Academic |
| 10.40 – 11.00 | Break | |
| 11.00 – 11.45 | Enrichment – Nobel Critical Thinking | Futures / Co-curricular |
| 11.45 – 12.30 | Enrichment – Food and Nutrition | Futures / Co-curricular |
| 12.30 – 13.45 | Lunch / Young Enterprise | Futures/Leadership |
| 13.45 – 14.30 | Chemistry | STEM |
| 14.30 – 15.15 | Chemistry | STEM |
| 15.15 – 16.00 | History of Art | Arts |
| 16.00 | End of school day | |
| 16.00 – 18.30 | Senior Rowing – LEH Boathouse | Sport/Co-curricular |
What these timetables show is that STEM, Sport, Creative Arts and future skills all sit alongside each other in the school day. Girls do not have to reduce their sporting commitment to pursue science. They do not have to step back from music to take part in enrichment sessions. The structure of the school week is designed to make it straightforward to do more than one thing well.
STEM at LEH
LEH has a well-established tradition in science and mathematics. Girls regularly go on to study medicine, aerospace engineering, computer science, physics and mathematics at leading universities. The STEM department runs dedicated societies, a Sixth Form STEM Scholarship funded by Worldwide Energy Logistics Ltd. Girls take part in a huge range of national initiatives as part of a highly dynamic STEM programme combining academic excellence, competition success, and research-led learning.
Students regularly achieve strong results in major UK competitions including British Physics, Biology and Chemistry Olympiads, and UK Mathematics Trust Challenges alongside engineering and applied STEM competitions such as the Airgineers Micro Drone Challenge, National Faraday Challenge, and the BIEA STEM Competition. LEH also participates in sustainability-focused engineering initiatives such as the F24 Greenpower Green Car Challenge, where students design and race electric vehicles.
Beyond competitions, LEH students engage in astrophysics research through the Window to the Stars (WTTS) project, developed in collaboration with the University of Surrey. LEH also supports entrepreneurial development through the Atherton Award, an international initiative encouraging girls’ entrepreneurship and innovation. LEH students have also repeatedly been recipients of the Everywoman Technology Awards ‘One to Watch’ prize LEH students have also repeatedly been recipients of the Everywoman Technology Awards ‘One to Watch’ prize, which celebrates the most inspirational women working and studying in STEM today.
Over the past five years, between 30–40% of LEH leavers in every cohort have progressed to STEM-related degree programmes at many of the world’s leading universities, including the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, University College London, Imperial College London, the University of St Andrew’s and the University of Bath. These pathways reflect both academic rigour and breadth, spanning disciplines such as engineering and biotechnology, motorsport and mechanical engineering, neuroscience, biology and natural sciences, medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and computer science. We currently have alumni studying Medicine, Veterinary Science and Dentistry at over 40 Universities in the UK and Europe.
In the Junior School, every girl is introduced to specialist science and computing from Year 3, and regularly take part in competitions and events including the LEH annual STEM Fair, and regularly take part in competitions and events including the LEH annual STEM Fair. By the time they join the Senior School, the curriculum spans Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics and Product Design, with access to specialist laboratories throughout.
What makes the STEM offer at LEH distinctive is the culture around it. A girl who loves Chemistry is also encouraged to row, to perform, to lead and to be creative and to be creative. Science sits alongside everything else here – it is one strand in a rich school life, not a separate track.
Sport at LEH
Sport at LEH has a genuine competitive tradition. The Sporting Roll of Honour for national and international representatives regularly features 15 or more students, across sports as varied as Rowing, Lacrosse, Netball, Gymnastics, Fencing and Cross-Country. It extends even further when you include LEH alumnae – Gemma King (Class of 2018), an LEH Alumna is studying a PhD at Cambridge currently, while also being President of the Cambridge University Boat Club and leading the first boat in the 2026 Boat Race against Oxford, for whom her twin sister, Catherine (Class of 2018), also studying for a DPhil, competes.
LEH also has alumnae playing in the British National Lacrosse team, with Cece Green (Class of 2018) and Charlie Wilson (Class of 2019) representing Great Britain at the 2026 World Cup in Tokyo alongside juggling busy and demanding careers.
Rowing is a recognisable part of LEH’s sporting identity. In the spring of 2025, the Senior Crew had what the school described as their best ever day at the Schools Head of the River Race, finishing fourth overall among non-scholarship schools. Junior and intermediate crews also won medals. At the Junior National Sculling Head, the J14s won in every category, with the A boat winning by a 32-second margin. Rowing at LEH runs from Year 8 (Lower 4) through to Sixth Form and is built around a culture of teamwork, resilience and personal growth as much as results.
Recent competition success across all sports has been outstanding. The Senior 1st Netball team were crowned County Champions, with many other LEH teams reaching finals. Junior and Senior swimming teams won Borough titles across multiple age groups. In March 2026, LEH won the National Lacrosse title. Girls have also achieved success in Gymnastics, Cross-Country and Fencing, with younger Lacrosse and Netball players earning strong results and a number of pupils training or competing on national pathways.
Algong with competing externally, our 24-acre campus provides facilities for Cricket, Football, Fencing, Gymnastics, Trampolining and athletics along with a state of the art Body Conditioning Suite. LEH shares its boathouse with Hampton School, reflecting the warm and practical partnership between the two schools.
For pupils in Year 7 onwards, LEH offers the Talented and Aspiring Athlete Programme (TAP), a unique initiative designed to support and nurture the dreams of student-athletes. Whether your child is a gymnast, rower, netball player, or participates in another sport, TAP provides a development-focused environment that helps athletes take their performance to the next level. Alongside this, Sports Scholarships are available at Sixth Form for girls demonstrating exceptional ability on a regional, county or national pathway in athletics, cricket, fencing, gymnastics, lacrosse, netball, rowing, swimming or tennis.
Arts at LEH
Music, Drama and Creative Arts from age 7
The arts at LEH have a long and well-loved place in school life. LEH has a composer in residence (Mr Ashe) and a dedicated 240-seat Jane Ross Theatre, Recording Studio and Music practice rooms and classrooms. Our music scholars regularly perform at school events and our Drama Programme begins with weekly lessons in the Junior School and continues through to Trinity Guildhall Speech and Drama preparation in the Senior School. LEH is a designated Trinity Champion Centre, recognised for its excellence in delivering Trinity College London examinations in Drama, Art and Communication Skills.
Music
There are timetabled music lessons each week. Instrumental tuition is available in over 27 different instruments, including piano, violin, cello, flute, clarinet, double bass, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, French Horn, harp, guitar, singing, percussion and more. Ensembles include orchestras, choirs, jazz bands, chamber music groups and rock bands. The Big Sing House competition is a particular highlight of the year. Music Scholarships and Exhibitions are available at both 11+ and Sixth Form entry.
Drama
Drama is taught as a curriculum subject and runs as a lively co-curricular programme. Annual highlights include the joint musical co-produced with Hampton School: recent productions have included Legally Blonde, Little Shop of Horrors and 42nd Street which won The National Theatre Schools Awards Musical of the Year 2025. The wider Drama programme includes Write the Girl, a playwriting initiative to encourage more scripts for large female casts. A dedicated Drama Pathway is available from Year 7 (new for September 2027 entry), and Drama Scholarships are available at Sixth Form entry, with free individual Speech and Drama lessons, development workshops and complimentary theatre trip tickets included as part of both initiatives. Creative arts and textiles
The Art department works from light-filled studios with specialist facilities for ceramics, life drawing and mixed media, with large windows and views across the campus. Our pupils’ art is displayed across the school in dedicated Art spaces. We regularly run exhibitions and open studios. Art and Textiles are consistently mentioned by parents as a particular strength of the school. Art Scholarships are available at Sixth Form.
“The school attracts high-performing girls and standards in art, music, drama.” The Good School Guide 2025
Bold Futures: Looking Beyond the Curriculum
Bold Futures is the LEH Academic Enrichment programme that connects girls with industry, enterprise, mentoring, and university guidance from Year 7 through to Sixth Form. It grew from the belief that some of the most important skills, such as leadership, collaboration, oracy, and creative problem-solving, are vital for the future. A forward-thinking education should help girls develop these alongside their academic qualifications.
LEH offers a leading enrichment and super-curricular programme, with dedicated, timetabled sessions each week from Year 7 to help pupils develop well beyond the academic curriculum. These sessions encourage the development of key skills such as oracy, debating, and presenting, alongside modules in AI and digital safety. As pupils progress through the school, this is supported by a dedicated Futures Team, who work with them to explore their skills and interests and how these may translate into rewarding work experiences, university applications, and future careers. Many former LEH students return to share their stories and to guide and inspire current pupils.
In the Sixth Form, the programme includes initiatives such as Young Enterprise, where students take a product from idea to market. Recent teams have sold their products at Eden Walk and Portobello Market. The class of 2025/26 won the Richmond Young Enterprise Marketing Award and became regional finalists.
The broader enrichment programme includes lectures from leading thinkers and academics from top universities, industry speaker sessions, research placement opportunities, and US and Oxbridge university guidance alongside the standard UCAS process. Sixth Form students also take on a range of leadership responsibilities: introducing initiatives that shape the running of LEH, acting as peer mentors and subject representatives, leading creative whole-school events, and running outreach programmes with local state primary schools. Sixth Form students also take part in a range of co-curricular classes and clubs with boys from Hampton School, in areas such as robotics, Combined Cadet Forces, cooking, first aid and current affairs.
Bold Futures is designed to complement academic work, sport, and the arts rather than add pressure. A student who rows, plays in the orchestra, and studies three or four A Levels can still take part in Young Enterprise, attend Be Bold! lectures, and benefit from mentoring. The programme is woven into school life at every stage.
Our Hampton School Partnership
LEH sits next door to Hampton School, and there is a gate that joins the two schools for all shared activity. The relationship between the two schools goes well beyond proximity. From Year 7, LEH girls benefit from shared facilities, joint activities and sessions with peer mentors from both schools.
The annual leadership weekend and joint school musical are the most visible examples of the partnership, but the connection runs through sport (a shared boathouse for rowing), academic enrichment (for example, the Classics Society and annual dinner and shared lecture programme), the Sixth Form social programme and the shared coach network that runs from the Junior School.
For families weighing up single-sex and co-educational options, the LEH and Hampton School partnership offers something genuinely unusual. Girls benefit from the confidence and focus of a girls-only academic environment throughout their school day, while enjoying warm co-educational social and co-curricular experiences with the boys next door. It is a natural partnership between the schools and a combination that very few schools in the country are able to offer and facilitate so easily.
What parents and pupils say
My child has been both nurtured and stretched and we are delighted with LEH and the all-round education it provides. My child has benefitted from excellent academics and great co-curricular opportunities, especially rowing.
LEH parent, Senior School
My daughter loves LEH and is really happy. She loves learning and has great relationships with the teachers. The school has a healthy balance of discipline and fun.
LEH parent, Senior School
She has access to amazing opportunities to sing, act, lead and play sport. She adores her teachers and feels seen and listened to by all staff members.
LEH parent, Senior School
The pace can be fast, but there is a lot on offer that is not just about learning, like Life Advice, talks, trips and wellbeing days. They give us space to reset. Teachers really care about how we are doing, not just what grades we get.
LEH pupil
This is a school where you can do it all: you can be Head Girl or on the leadership team, run a podcast, be a rower, sing in the choir and achieve the grades you need for the top university courses. There is so much to do at LEH and we have a lot of fun doing it all!
LEH pupil
The school has really encouraged our daughter in every area – she is able to pursue fantastic competitions and opportunities in STEM, while competing at a very high level in lacrosse and netball. It was the perfect choice for an all-rounder like our daughter.
LEH parent, Senior School
Your questions, answered
Can a girl really pursue science, sport and music all at the same time at LEH?
In most cases, yes. Girls who join LEH with a range of interests find that the school is structured to support all of them. The timetable is designed with breadth in mind, and the co-curricular programme runs in parallel with the academic day rather than competing with it. Girls who want to row and study sciences and perform in drama productions and play music regularly do so. What helps is coming in with a genuine appetite for being involved and being open to trying new things.
What if my daughter is not sure yet what she enjoys?
That is entirely fine, and quite common. The Junior School and the early years of the Senior School give girls a lot of room to explore. With over 100 clubs and activities available each week – from debating, art, literature, photography to war hammer and Model United Nations – there is genuine space to try things before committing. Many girls discover a love of rowing, drama or STEM at LEH for the first time.
Is LEH primarily an academic school or a sporting one?
It is genuinely both, and the same is true of the arts. The girl who rows at national level is working hard academically too. The music scholar is also studying three or four (and in some cases, five) subjects. LEH actively supports girls in holding more than one identity at once, and the school community tends to celebrate all of them equally.
How does the Hampton School programme work in practice?
From Year 7, LEH girls and Hampton boys come together for joint activities outside the academic timetable – for example, LEH’s annual STEM Fair, charity fundraising and quizzes. The most well-known is the annual joint musical, performed in the Jane Ross Theatre or in the Hammond Theatre next door on alternate years. There is also a shared boathouse, a joint academic enrichment programme including joint lectures, and a shared coach network running from the Junior School. Academic teaching remains single-sex; the social and co-curricular life is shared.
What scholarships are available for girls with sporting or creative talent?
At Sixth Form entry, LEH offers Sports Scholarships, Music Scholarships, Drama Scholarships, Art Scholarships and STEM Scholarships alongside Academic awards. Sports Scholarships are open to girls on a regional, county or national pathway across a range of sports including rowing, lacrosse, netball, tennis, swimming and fencing. Music Scholarships are available at both 11+ and Sixth Form entry.
Come and see it for yourself
The best way to get a feel for life at LEH is to visit. Open events run throughout the year – come and meet the girls, see the campus and get a real sense of what the school is like.