Mrs Sally Davis, Principal

Principal's Welcome I am thrilled to have been appointed as Principal of Howell’s School. As educators I think we face the challenge to equip all our children and young people with the skills needed in a rapidly changing and competitive world. Society in the 21st century is set in a fast-moving and complex technological and social landscape. Access to the internet, together with better telecommunication systems and affordable travel, is continuously widening our knowledge of the world. Developing our excellent ICT provision, increasing our languages provision and the international dimension are some of my top priorities for the school. It is also essential to ensure that we teach the children how to think and work. This starts, of course, in the Nursery with developing a child’s emotional intelligence. It continues in the Junior School by talking to the children about how their brain works and in the Senior School and College by encouraging students to think about their multiple intelligences and how best to use them all in order to improve their performance. This is something I feel passionately about and will be continuing to develop in the school. It is a privilege to work at Howell’s with talented, dedicated teaching and support staff, wonderful young people and committed and interested parents. I look forward to ensuring that we continue to educate the students of today to become the active, concerned global citizens of tomorrow.

School History

Howell’s School, Llandaff has a long and distinguished tradition of nurturing excellence. In 1537 Thomas Howell, son of a Welshman and a merchant, left a substantial sum of money to the Drapers’ Company to provide dowries “every yere for maydens for ever”. From this far-sighted charitable bequest the school was founded by the Drapers’ Company in 1860. The bequest is still used today to provide bursaries for girls from a broad social background. Decimus Burton, the renowned Victorian Architect, designed the school. Here, below, is his drawing of 1858. In 1860 the school opened to the first pupils, with Miss Baldwin as the first Headmistress.. Key Dates in the School's History 1859-60 Howell’s School built. 1860 Miss Baldwin appointed Headmistress. 1860 Classes started with 60 pupils. 1872 Miss Ewing appointed Headmistress. 1880 Miss Kendall appointed Headmistress. 1887 Sanatorium built. 1896 Cookery School built. 1900 Great Hall built. 1906 Steward's Wing built. 1906 Hywelian Guild established. 1920 Miss Kendall retired. 1920 Miss Trotter appointed as Headmistress. 1937 Swimming pool built. 1937 Miss Knight appointed as Headmistress. 1941 Miss Lewis appointed as Headmistress. 1950 Science laboratories built. 1960 Bryntaf and Oaklands acquired as extra boarding houses. 1960 Hywelians donated grand piano. 1978 Miss Turner appointed as Headmistress. 1980 Howell's School joined the Girls' Day School Trust. 1984 Junior School for ages 7-11 opened. 1990 Music Block and Octagon Room built. 1991 Mrs Jane Fitz appointed as Headmistress. 1993 Boarding ceased and houses remodelled for the Sixth Form. 1997 Nursery opened accepting girls from the age of three. 1997 Sports Hall and Fitness Suite built. 2001 New laboratory and renovation programme completed. 2003 New Junior School building and extension project commenced. 2004 Ty Hapus(Happy House), new building for Junior School completed and Junior School intake doubled. 2005 Co-educational Sixth Form College established - first young men in school in 145 years. History of Howell's 1860-1890 Ty Hapus( Happy House) the New S-shaped Junior School Building 2004

The view of the school from playing fields

The main building, designed by the renowned Victorian architect Decimus Burton, provides the setting for a superbly equipped learning resources centre, administrative offices, ICT suites and communal facilities. An ICT network links all areas of the school, including four computer suites, which are available for use from 8am to 5pm. Eight well-equipped laboratories ensure specialist teaching areas for the sciences, whilst the music school provides 18 practice rooms, an octagonal rehearsal and concert room, and computers linked to keyboards. Art is well served with two light and airy art studios with a dark room for photography, a sixth form studio, a ceramics room and kiln.

One of the Art Studios	One of eight science laboratories
Welsh Guards parade at the back of the Great Hall	Sports Hall - Careers Convention

Fees cover tuition, pupils’ personal accident insurance, most stationery, textbooks and scientific materials. The senior school fees cover the cost of the Independent Schools' Careers Organisation (Isco) Futurewise scheme which evaluates skills and attributes that help students in Year 10 make informed choices for Higher Education and Career paths, and the membership of the Minerva Network for the Sixth Form College.

Fees do not include school lunches except in the Nursery.. A cash cafeteria operates in the Senior School and the Junior School operates an obligatory lunch, which is added to the fees account.
Public examination fees are included but requested re-marks or re-sits post-16 will be charged.
Optional extras including Music and Drama will be charged directly by the visiting teacher.

Optional Extras

Music (new fees to be confirmed)
Piano, all orchestral instruments, guitar and voice (senior girls only) are taught individually at £160 per 10 sessions.

Group Music Lessons are available for senior girls:-
violin/viola, oboe/bassoon, trombone, guitar and saxophone.

Group Music Lessons are available for junior girls:-
violin/viola, oboe/bassoon, clarinet, intermediate recorder and guitar.

A group of 4 pupils  £35.70 per 10 lessons
A group of 3 pupils  £47.60 per 10 lessons
A group of 2 pupils  £71.50 per 10 lessons

Speech and Drama Lessons (new fees to be confirmed)
Junior School to Year 10    £33 per 10 sessions
Years 11-13 group lessons £47 per 10 sessions

Payment of Fees
Fees must be paid by the Bank Direct Debit system and the necessary form can be provided either by the school or from Trust Head Office. The fees must be paid either annually or termly in advance or by monthly instalments (four per term). The Trust’s regulations relating to fees and notice are set out in the agreement between parents and the Trust and on the fee account.

Registration and Entrance Examination Fees
A non- returnable registration fee of £33 is charged for taking the Entrance Examination. On accepting a place, a fee of £250 is payable, which is retained as a deposit and returned after the pupil’s final term. This £250 is forfeit if a pupil does not take up the accepted place.

Childcare Vouchers
Employers are now able to help employees who pay for registered or approved childcare to benefit from tax and national Insurance savings by substituting part of their salary (up to £50 per week) in exchange for childcare vouchers. the school accepts these vouchers for nursery and after school care.

Educational Maintenance Allowance

An EMA is a weekly payment of up to £30 given by the Welsh Assembly Government to students who attend school regularly, to help with cost of their education. There are also bonus payments of £100 three times a year for students who make good progress on their courses. To qualify for an EMA you must be between 16-18 years of age and your household income must be £30,810 or less. For more information about an EMA you should see Mrs Phillips, the Principal's PA, or telephone the Student Finance Wales information helpline on 0845 6028845. Or visit the website on www.studentfinancewales.co.uk.