With girls from 24 nationalities and every kind of social background, St Paul's brings together cultures and ideas from around London and the world.

Our involvement with the wider world begins close to home. Thousands of London children share our facilities, which are used for everything from swimming for youngsters with learning difficulties to concerts for young musicians and advice on university preparation for the academically gifted.

We share our facilities and expertise with the wider community simply because we think it's the right thing to do.

Some girls work with local primary schools in areas as diverse as IT, drama and extremely popular Latin clubs. They also help to run homework and holiday clubs. Others teach computer skills and English as a foreign language to the elderly. Every year, the girls raise around £15,000 for three charities they have chosen themselves.

This outgoing approach is reflected in our assemblies. These can be Christian, Indian, Islamic or Jewish, although, as a school that welcomes girls of all faiths and none, the emphasis is on culture rather than religion.

More than 100 school trips each year, plus sporting and musical tours, ensure that the girls see different ways of life and get a first-hand insight into the subjects they study, whether through seeing the power and intrigue of the Renaissance through the art treasures of Florence or making friends with lacrosse players in Australia. A further nine exchange visits with other schools from Beijing to Boston give a flavour of other nations’ lives and values.