Queens’

VIRGINIA SELDON, HOUSEMISTRESS

Queens’ House takes its name from three remarkable queens whose reigns each mark a significant milestone in the history of Gresham’s School: Queen Mary I, Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Elizabeth II.

During the reign of Queen Mary I (1553–1558), Gresham’s School was founded in 1555. Under Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603), the School welcomed its first pupil in 1562. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II (1952–2022), Gresham’s admitted its first female pupils in 1971, a transformational moment in the School’s history. Together, these three queens represent the foundations, growth and evolution of Gresham’s, making Queens’ House a fitting tribute to the women who shaped the eras in which the School flourished.

Originally opened as Britten House in 1996, the House was renamed Queens’ House in 2016, when Vi joined as a Housemistress, to celebrate this unique connection with Gresham’s heritage and to reflect the spirit, ambition and strength of the young women who call it home.

At the heart of Queens’ House is Housemistress Virginia Seldon, known simply as Vi. Having joined Gresham’s in 2008 as a Spanish Assistant, Vi quickly decided to stay here for much longer. After studying English and Spanish at the University of Valladolid, her hometown in Spain, and completing her PGCE at Buckingham University, she spent two years as a resident tutor in the House before becoming Head of Spanish. Following six successful years leading the department, she took on the role of Housemistress in 2016.

Vi lives in House with her husband Mark, who is Assistant Head (Pupil Progress) at Gresham’s, and their children Oliver and Mia. Mark also has an older son, Harry, who has just finished his IB Diploma. Vi has a passion for cooking, wellbeing and creating a happy, supportive environment for the girls in her care. As a family, the Seldons enjoy returning to Spain whenever they can to spend time with family and friends and soak up a little Spanish sunshine.

The values that underpin Queens’ House are kindness, compassion and sisterhood. These qualities are woven into everyday life through assemblies, celebrations, traditions and countless moments of support between pupils and staff. Queens’ is a place where young women are encouraged to be ambitious, resilient and confident in who they are. Sisterhood, encouragement and looking out for one another are central to everything the House stands for.

In Queens’, we love to get together and party; favourite events include the Street Party which is complete with bunting and high tea at tables linings the ‘streets’ of the house. Other events include the the Queens’ Day Party celebrating the founding of the house and the legendary Christmas Party which includes a whole house hide and seek, treasure hunts and a secret Santa, the evening often concludes with a mass sleepover. Year groups also are invited to visit the private side of the house annually, for dinner, after dinner games and  a crash-out sleepover in the Common Room.

Queen’s House has a very special and beautiful location on the North East edge of the campus, backing onto the School woods and overlooking the playing fields, Chapel, and the Auden Theatre. It has a particularly colourful and cheerful interior and a fantastic family feeling. It has a warmth and vibrancy which are quite unique and is currently home to around 81 girls, including boarding pupils and day girls.

The House has a homely Common Room with comfy sofas and a TV, there are three kitchens used for different year groups, which are also used as social spaces.

Year 9 girls share a large study for prep (homework), and there is a cheerful dormitory for Year 9 boarders. Years 10 and 11 have shared bedsits, along with some Lower Sixth pupils.

Upper Sixth students have their own rooms and Lower Sixth are likely to share a room.