St Mary's Preschool and Junior School, Cambridge

Preschool and Junior School Prospectus 

Inspiring girls since 1898 

Independent day and boarding school 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/junior

In 2022, St Mary’s School received the highest 

grade of ‘excellent’ for our Independent 

Schools Inspectorate (ISI) inspection. 

Find out more: stmaryscambridge.co.uk/ISI 

At St Mary’s, pupils find the 

inspiration, opportunity and support 

they need to be themselves and to 

pursue their individual talents with 

confidence and joy. 

Our approach will enable 

intellectual and social confidence 

to flourish. 

Whatever future path your 

child chooses... engineer, artist, 

programmer, leader, linguist, 

mathematician, athlete, musician, 

citizen... we empower each pupil 

to realise their unique potential, to 

follow their dreams and to make a 

positive contribution to society. 

INSIDE 

Why choose St Mary’s? 06 

Preschool & Junior School (3-11) 08 

Boarding (9-18) 24 

Joining St Mary’s School 26 

Visit St Mary’s 

and be inspired... 

Our Open Events and virtual tours 

will enable you to experience our 

unique and inspirational schools. 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/visit

OUR TEACHERS 

TAKE GREAT PRIDE 

IN NURTURING 

SKILLS AND 

ATTITUDES THAT 

ENABLE OUR 

PUPILS TO THRIVE. 

WELCOME 

TO ST MARY’S 

PRESCHOOL AND 

JUNIOR SCHOOL 

Days full of discovery, creativity, friendship 

and fulfilment. 

From the age of three 

onwards, pupils join 

our vibrant school 

community that has 

both a loving ethos at 

its core and a distinctive 

family feel. 

Our teachers take great 

pride in nurturing skills 

and attitudes that enable 

our pupils to thrive, as 

they move seamlessly to 

Senior School, Sixth Form 

and life beyond school. 

Through our inspirational 

curriculum, we will 

inspire your child’s love 

of learning; building 

intellectual independence, 

critical thinking, creativity 

and compassion, 

alongside growing 

knowledge and skills. 

I warmly invite you to 

visit and see us in action. 

Mrs Jo Christian 

Head of Juniors 

4 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/visit or call +44 (0)1223 224 177 

St Mary’s Preschool and Junior School 

5

Scan to 

view 

WHY CHOOSE 

ST MARY’S? 

From our Cambridge location and academic results, 

to our extra-curricular opportunities and inspiring 

role models – there are many reasons to choose us. 

Aim high 

As an accredited High Performance Learning World 

Class school, we teach skills and attitudes proven to 

help young people to aim high – not just in exams, 

but in life. 

ST MARY’S OFFERS 

A GOOD COMMUNITY 

AROUND YOU TO 

FALL BACK ON, AND 

TEACHERS THAT 

GENUINELY CARE 

ABOUT YOU. 

Pupil 

Set no limits 

Here, everything is possible: leadership, science, 

mathematics, sport… our pupils break down gender 

stereotypes, pursuing their goals free of limitation. 

Have integrity 

As a Mary Ward School, our education is built on our 

Catholic heritage, which places timeless values such 

as integrity, justice and compassion at the heart of 

everyday school life. 

Be courageous 

Each pupil’s individual talents are valued, and they 

develop the self-belief, courage and resilience they 

need to make their unique contribution to 

the world. 

Be happy 

We know our pupils can achieve more if they are 

happy at school. Supported by exceptional pastoral 

care and a well-being programme, friendships and 

happiness flourish here. 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/ourapproach 

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YOUR CHILD 

WILL DEVELOP 

THE PLACE 

TO GROW 

AND THRIVE 

INDEPENDENCE, 

INITIATIVE, 

From the very first day at St Mary’s Preschool, 

your child will learn free from gender stereotypes 

in an educational environment rich 

in experiential opportunities. 

CREATIVITY 

AND PROBLEM- 

SOLVING SKILLS 

IN A SUPPORTIVE, 

SAFE AND STRONG 

PASTORAL AND 

They will develop 

their independence, 

initiative, creativity and 

problem-solving skills 

in a supportive, safe 

and strong pastoral and 

academic framework. 

In our purpose-built 

early years setting, set in 

our leafy and spacious 

grounds, children are 

nurtured, cared for and 

inspired. They benefit 

from our specialised 

experience of teaching 

and empowering young 

people – giving them 

the head start in their 

academic journey that 

they truly deserve. 

Find out more: stmaryscambridge.co.uk/preschool 

ACADEMIC 

FRAMEWORK. 

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A SPIRITUAL 

FOUNDATION 

Your child will join a welcoming community 

of pupils, aged 3 to 18, from all faiths and secular 

backgrounds. 

Inspired by the life of 

our foundress, Mary 

Ward (1585-1645), a 

pioneer of education for 

girls, we offer a learning 

community rooted in 

faith. Our approach 

balances tradition with 

innovation, combining 

timeless values with 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/ethos 

a forward-looking 

approach to education. 

Mary Ward lived a life 

of integrity, courage 

and love. As a role 

model for our pupils, her 

achievements provide a 

core moral and spiritual 

foundation for life at 

St Mary’s School. 

I LIKE THE ETHOS OF 

ST MARY’S SCHOOL… 

IT HAS A HOLISTIC 

APPROACH TO 

EDUCATION AND I THINK 

THAT THE STAFF ARE AS 

CONCERNED ABOUT THE 

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL 

DEVELOPMENT OF 

PUPILS AS THEY ARE 

WITH THE EXAMINATION 

RESULTS. 

Parent 

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A RECENT 

INDEPENDENT 

SURVEY 

CONDUCTED BY 

RSAcademics 

OFFERS REAL 

INSIGHT INTO THE 

VIEWS OF OUR 

PARENTS. 

A HAPPY 

COMMUNITY 

Your child will join a small class of approximately 

20 pupils in our Junior School, with ready access 

to the individual attention they deserve. 

By getting to know 

each child individually, 

we offer exactly the 

right balance of support, 

inspiration and challenge 

they need to succeed. 

Each child’s happiness 

is our priority, as we 

believe children achieve 

more if they are happy 

in school. Our tailored 

pastoral care provides 

support that evolves 

with each stage of their 

development. 

Quality of teaching, 

good or very good 

100% 

Behaviour, 

good or 

very good 

Relationships, 

good or very 

good 

Find out more at: 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/junior 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/junior 

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THE PLACE TO 

BE INSPIRED 

From Early Years through to the day they join our 

Senior School, your child’s natural curiosity will 

be ignited, as we nurture a love of learning to last 

a lifetime. 

Pupils are supported to 

discover what motivates 

and inspires them. 

Rather than focusing 

on tests and exams, 

learning itself will be the 

goal and the reward. 

Our consistently strong 

results, including Value- 

Added scores, from 

STEM subjects to the 

creative and performing 

arts, languages and 

humanities, illustrate the 

success of our approach. 

ST MARY’S IS THE BEST 

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT 

FOR BOTH OUR DAUGHTERS, 

EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE 

SO DIFFERENT! 

Parent 

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HIGH 

PERFORMANCE 

LEARNING 

Academic excellence, creative thinking, sporting 

talents and serving the community are all qualities 

we support and encourage in every St Mary’s pupil. 

AS PUPILS MOVE 

THROUGH THE SCHOOL, 

THEIR CONFIDENCE 

INCREASES, NURTURED 

BY EXCELLENT WELFARE 

AND PASTORAL SUPPORT. 

ISI Report 

As a World Class High 

Performance Learning 

(HPL) School, we place 

no limit on what can 

be achieved. 

HPL is developed from 

research into how children 

learn. It reflects what is 

known about advanced 

thinking skills and learning 

behaviours that help us 

build ‘better brains’. 

Our pupils develop 

evidence-based skills, 

such as confidence, 

collaboration, risk-taking 

and perseverance. We 

encourage a broad set 

of skills, qualities, and 

values which alongside 

excellent academic 

results, set a firm 

foundation for study 

and work in the future. 

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LEARNING 

OPPORTUNITIES 

Our broad, innovative curriculum will enable your child to establish their 

preferred learning styles as they prepare for Senior School. 

A cross-curricular 

approach integrates 

subjects into engaging 

topics, which encourage 

creative, critical and 

reflective thinking. 

This will encourage 

your child to explore 

subjects in a way that 

sparks natural curiosity 

and innovative thinking. 

Progress will be 

reviewed in a way that 

minimises pressure, 

whilst enabling us to 

regularly update you. 

Over time, broader 

school life is full of ways 

to learn wider skills 

– such as resilience, 

leadership, teamwork 

and listening skills – 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/juniorcurriculum 

through involvement 

in assemblies, trips, 

performances, 

fundraising, Eco Council 

activities, House 

meetings, meetings 

of our Tech Council, 

Arts Council and Faith 

Council, as well as our 

School Council. 

Scan to 

view 

STEM 

At St Mary’s, we are dedicated to instilling a passion 

for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and 

Maths) subjects, with an inspiring curriculum and 

programme of talks, events and outings throughout 

school life, and teachers who are STEM specialists. 

Our dynamic Yingting Qian STEM Lab enables us 

to further nurture our pupils on their journey to 

becoming innovators of the future by providing 

specialist equipment and dedicated spaces for 

study, creativity and experimentation. It is welldocumented 

that learning in an all-girls environment 

increases the number of girls who select STEM 

subjects at university and beyond. 

Arts 

Creative and performing arts are an integral and 

important aspect of our education. Art workshops, 

timetabled drama lessons (with the opportunity 

to take LAMDA exams) and weekly sessions with 

a specialist music teacher all play an important 

role in helping pupils to build confidence, develop 

interpersonal skills and express themselves creatively. 

Languages 

Our pupils have the opportunity to study French 

and Mandarin, and regularly take part in language 

competitions, such as the UK Association for the 

Promotion of Chinese Education competition. 

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SPORT AT 

LONG ROAD 

Pupils from Preschool and Junior School 

through to Sixth Form now enjoy using our new 

state-of-the-art sporting facilities at our Long Road 

sports ground. 

Developed in partnership with Homerton College, 

part of the University of Cambridge, to deliver our 

ambitious vision for sporting education, Long Road 

includes: 

• Athletics facilities for track and field 

• AstroTurf pitches for hockey, rugby and football 

• Cricket nets 

• Netball and tennis courts 

• Floodlighting 

• Pavilion with kitchen and changing rooms 

A PLACE 

TO EXPLORE 

Learning and fresh air go hand in hand, 

and our leafy grounds are full of adventure. 

From minibeast hunts to outdoor drama and 

science investigations, our spacious setting 

offers plenty of creative, outdoor learning 

experiences. Every class enjoys Woodland 

Explorer sessions, which develop confidence, 

independence, teamwork skills and creativity 

through hands-on learning experiences. 

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THANK YOU TO ALL 

STAFF FOR MAKING 

THESE PRECIOUS 

YEARS SO INCREDIBLY 

INSPIRING AND FUN 

FOR OUR LITTLE GIRL. 

Parent 

A LOVING AND 

NURTURING 

SETTING 

Based in Chaucer Road, our learning environment 

is dynamic, unique, tranquil and safe 

From Preschool to 

Year 1, your child will 

settle into the Coach 

House, our dedicated 

home to Early Years and 

our bespoke art room. 

In Years 2 to 6, pupils 

move to Acton House 

which includes our 

assembly hall, library, 

dance and gym facilities. 

Outside there is plenty 

to explore: outdoor 

classroom, a water 

play park, woodland 

space, sensory garden 

and multi-purpose 

sports court. Each 

summer our outdoor 

theatre provides the 

perfect setting for a 

Shakespeare play. 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/juniorsetting 

PARENT 

PARTNERSHIP 

Take a virtual tour... 

View the latest films and visit our 

interactive map of our unique and 

special site at: 

We support, encourage and equip parents in their 

role as the child’s first educator – emotionally, 

spiritually and ethically, as well as academically. 

We believe that a good understanding and 

warm relationship between parents and teachers 

enhances each pupil’s education. 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/virtual 

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49% 

AS A REGULAR 

of our teaching staff are 

Oxbridge-educated. 

BOARDER, WE 

FEEL SHE HAS 

GOT THE BEST 

OF BOTH WORLDS. 

SHE HAS ENJOYED 

COMPANIONSHIP 

A PLACE 

TO BELONG 

WITH OTHER 

BOARDERS AND 

A SENSE OF 

Boarding at St Mary’s is full of activities, 

friendship and fun. Pupils aged 9 to 18 

make their ‘home away from home’ in safe, 

welcoming accommodation, just a five 

minute walk from our Schools with 

stunning views across Cambridge 

University Botanic Gardens. 

COMMUNITY. AT 

THE SAME TIME, 

SHE HAS ACCESS 

Boarders form one big happy family, led by 

a team of dedicated, caring staff. They enjoy 

organised activities across Cambridge, from 

punting, Evensong at King’s College, cream 

teas by the River Cam to cultural visits and 

historic attractions. 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/boarding 

TO THE FAMILIARITY 

AND COMFORT 

OF HOME. 

Parent 

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JOINING OUR 

PRESCHOOL AND 

JUNIOR SCHOOL 

We welcome girls with a broad range of 

academic abilities, who are enthusiastic and have 

a desire to engage in learning. 

We accept applications for all Preschool and 

Junior School years all year round, but typically 

girls join us: 

• In Preschool (age 3) to start as they mean 

to go on 

APPLYING TO 

ST MARY’S 

1. Visit us 

We warmly invite you to arrange a personal 

visit or to attend an open event, to understand 

more about life at St Mary’s and to meet our 

leadership team, staff and pupils. 

2. Apply for a place 

To apply, simply download 

and complete an application form at 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/apply 

and return it to our admissions team. 

• In Reception (age 4+) as early education 

is so formative 

• In Year 3 (age 7+) to begin Prep 

• In Year 5 (age 9+) to ease transition into our 

Senior School 

Find out how to apply at: 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/joinus 

+44 (0)1223 224 167 

admissions@stmaryscambridge.co.uk 

OPEN EVENT 

Book an open event or arrange 

a personal visit today: 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/visit 

or call +44 (0)1223 224 177 

Contact us with any questions you may 

have on +44 (0)1223 224 177 or 

at admissions@stmaryscambridge.co.uk 

3. Assessment and interview 

Our admissions process involves formal 

and informal assessments; including ageappropriate 

tests and an interview. We make 

this an enjoyable experience, so we can 

recognise your daughter’s true potential. 

Next steps 

Arrange your personal visit or to attend an 

open event stmaryscambridge.co.uk/visit 

or call +44 (0)1223 224 177 

Scholarships: 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/scholarships 

Admissions FAQs: 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/admissionsfaq 

Assessment and sample papers: 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/assessment 

Fees: stmaryscambridge.co.uk/fees 

Application deadlines: 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk/application 

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Grand Arcade 

Shopping Centre 

Downing St 

St Andrew’s St 

Regent St 

PARK TERRACE 

Parker’s Piece 

Fire Station 

East Rd 

Mill Rd 

Willis 

Parkside 

Swimming 

Pool 

Kelsey Kerridge 

Sports Centre 

Gresham Rd 

Guest Rd 

Mackensie 

Perowne St 

Gwydir St 

Kingston St 

Tennis Court Rd 

Lensfield Rd 

Boathouse on 

the River Cam 

Glisson Rd 

Tenison Rd 

St Barnabas Rd 

Devonshire Rd 

Hills Rd 

Brookside 

Sixth Form 

Russell St 

Senior School 

Norwich St 

Bateman St 

Tenison Rd 

Station Rd 

Trumpington Rd 

Preschool & 

Junior School 

Botanic Garden 

Visual Arts Centre 

Mary Ward 

House Boarding 

Train Station 

Chaucer Rd 

Brooklands Avenue 

STEM Lab 

Gilmour Rd 

Shaftsbury Rd 

Aberdeen Ave 

Henslow 

Mews 

Wilkinson Pl 

Latham Rd 

Sports facility 

at Long Road 

Kingfisher way 

4 

5 

A428 

A303 

2 

3 

A14 

Cambridge 

1 

PARK AND RIDE 

1. Babraham 

2. Madingley 

3. Trumpington 

4. Cambourne 

5. Hardwick 

6. Saffron Waldon 

M11 

A11 

St Mary’s minibus 

B184 

6 

Saffron 

Waldon 

ADMISSIONS 

St Mary’s School, 

Bateman Street, 

Cambridge CB2 1LY 

+44 (0)1223 224 167 

admissions@stmaryscambridge.co.uk 

stmaryscambridge 

@StMarysSch 

StMarysSchoolCambridge 

stmaryscambridge.co.uk

St Mary's Preschool and Junior School, Cambridge

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