On Friday 1 May 2026, we marked a very special moment in the life of Northampton High School: our 148th birthday.
Birthdays invite us to pause. They give us a chance to look back with gratitude, to celebrate the present, and to look ahead with hope. For our school, this birthday was not simply about a number, impressive though 148 years certainly is. It was about the generations of girls and young women who have walked through our doors, learned in our classrooms, performed on our stages, competed on our sports fields, made lifelong friendships, discovered courage, and learned to believe in themselves.
Since 1878, Northampton High School has been made for girls. A place where girls learn without limits, so they can go on to lead lives without limits. For 148 years, we have seen what happens when girls are put first every single day.
Our story began as Northampton Middle-Class Girls’ School, led by our first Headmistress, Miss Mary Pearson. On that first day, 29 pupils entered the school’s original home at 83 Abington Street. From the very beginning, the school had a clear and powerful purpose: to give girls access to education, opportunity and ambition.
Another remarkable figure in our history was Miss Alice Straker, who became Headmistress in 1890 and led the school for 21 years. Her motto, “The Utmost for the Highest”, may sound rather formal to modern ears, but its meaning remains deeply relevant. It speaks of aspiration, effort and the pursuit of something worthwhile.
In Miss Straker’s time, school life placed great emphasis on discipline, courtesy, good conduct and character. Some traditions may now feel very different, but the values behind them remain familiar: how we treat others matters; the effort we put into our learning matters; and the small choices we make each day shape who we become.
The school also became known as Northampton High School for Girls under her leadership. While the words ‘for girls’ were removed in the latter part of the 20th Century (largely to avoid confusion with a newly renamed local school!), we are still known by this longer name by many people. Miss Straker’s legacy of ambition and integrity is woven into the very fabric of our school.
As part of this year’s birthday celebrations, our marketing team created a birthday trail, encouraging students and staff to explore the school with curious eyes and discover the stories hidden in plain sight.
One clue led us to the Senior School foyer, where our Hardingstone site was officially opened by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in October 1992. Another invited us to look up at the 19 colourful umbrellas suspended from the ceiling, part of the Neurodiversity Umbrella Project. The display is a joyful reminder that different minds bring different strengths, and that inclusion is central to who we are.
Our school has changed greatly since 1878. Our buildings, uniforms, classrooms, technology and opportunities have all evolved. Yet something at the heart of Northampton High School has remained constant: we are, and always have been, a school that believes in girls.
From “The Utmost for the Highest” to our modern motto, “We believe in our girls, and they believe in themselves”, the spirit of the school endures. We continue to put girls first, helping them to ride high, be 10% braver, and meet the future with confidence.
So here’s to our past, our present and our future.
Dr May Lee
Head
