Miriam Badock established a school for girls in 1858 at Badminton House in
Clifton,
Bristol. By 1898 it had become known as Miss Bartlett's School for Young Ladies. The school developed a broad curriculum, and extracurricular activities, including sports, were encouraged which was unusual for the time. The school grew steadily in size, and in 1924 moved to the present site, under the headship of
Beatrice May Baker (1876–1973). Baker, known as BMB, was fundamental in shaping Badminton's ethos and had a deep personal influence on individual pupils. She encouraged the girls to be aware of world affairs and internationalism. A pioneer in many educational fields, she established Badminton as a much-admired
progressive school. She insisted on the rights of young people to freedom of expression and encouraged a questioning approach to learning: "in chapel 'Jesus often had to share the stage with Lenin". The international outlook she pioneered continues today. In 1958, the school celebrated its centenary with the opening of a new Science Centre by
Countess Mountbatten of Burma.
Dame Sybil Thorndike was president of the school at that time, and a new cantata called "The Crown of the Year" by
Michael Tippett was specially commissioned to mark the event. By the late 1960s, the progressive aspects of the school had all but vanished (Royston Lambert speech at
Exeter University, 19 November 1971) and it had become a standard independent academic school. == Old Badmintonians ==