St Francis College
Same Cambridgeshire area with a comparable local commute
School profile
Verified 18 August 2026
St Mary's School is a private secondary-stage school in cambridge, Cambridgeshire, with a published age range of 3-19.
Private school Girls Ages 3-19 Sixth form Boarding school
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-19
- ISI ?
- Standards met
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
St Mary's School
1
On this page
At a glance
Key facts
- Sector
- Private school
- Gender
- Girls only
- Application ?
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-19
- Boarding ?
- Boarding school
- Route check
- Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
- ISI ?
- Standards met
Overview
Overview
Mary Ward's belief in the intellectual equality of women remains the thread running through St Mary's School, founded in 1898. Catholic values shape a girls' education that welcomes pupils from different faiths and secular backgrounds, with integrity, justice, hard work and freedom treated as habits for life. Junior, Senior and Sixth Form stages share a Cambridge community, with boarding from Year 5.
The academic path grows with each stage. Junior pupils follow a broad, creative programme; Years 7 to 9 move through arts, humanities, languages, sciences, technology and physical education before GCSE or IGCSE courses. Sixth Form students choose A Levels and may take an Extended Project Qualification, while Philosophy, Ethics and Religion remain part of the wider education. Small classes and individual support keep the programme personal.
Mary Ward House, close to the main sites and Cambridge centre, gives boarding a family-like shape. Girls from Year 5 through Sixth Form live with experienced staff, and older pupils help younger boarders settle. Around a fifth of the community boards, with girls from more than 15 countries; wellbeing and contact with home remain central to the international atmosphere.
STEM, music, drama, art, sport, the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, enterprise, leadership and community partnerships give academic work a wider life. Entry routes include two-year, five-year and seven-year programmes, covering pre-GCSE, GCSE and A Level stages. Separate assessment and support arrangements apply to UK and international applicants, reflecting the school's long-established local and international reach.
Key points
Key points
- Assessment route
- Applications are made directly to the school. Check the school's own admissions pages for registration dates, entrance assessment stages, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
- Places and demand
- Published Year 7 place numbers and applicant-per-place data are not included in GIAS for this private-school seed profile.
- Catchment
- Private-school eligibility is not controlled by the local-authority grammar catchment model; check boarding, day-pupil, transport and any sibling or faith rules on the school site.
- Results
- 81% grade 5+ in English and maths and 51.8 Attainment 8
- Sixth form
- Sixth form available with 41.9% AAB or better.
GCSE benchmark
Latest 2024/25 KS4 measures compared with Cambridgeshire and England.
School Local authority England
- Attainment 8
- 51.8
- Grade 5+ English and maths
- 81%
- EBacc APS
- 3.28
- EBacc entry
- 0%
Attainment 8 trend
Recent published Attainment 8 scores compared with Cambridgeshire and England.
School Local authority England
School details
School details
- Sector
- Private school
- School type
- Other independent school
- Funding
- Independent fee-paying
- Application
- Apply direct to school
- Gender
- Girls only
- Age range
- 3-19
- Headteacher
- Mrs Hannah Helliar
- Pupil roll
- 510 pupils
- Sixth form
- Yes
- Boarding
- Boarding school
Location and contact
Location and contact
Address
- Address
- Bateman Street, cambridge, Cambridgeshire
- Postcode
- CB2 1LY
- Area
- Cambridgeshire
School leadership
- Headteacher
- Mrs Hannah Helliar
School contact
- School phone
- 01223353253
Admissions contact
- Admissions team
- Admissions
- Admissions phone
- 01223353253
Admissions
Admissions
- Application route
- Apply direct to school
- Age range
- 3-19
- Gender
- Girls only
- Boarding
- Boarding school
- Day fees
- £8,815 per term for Years 7 to Upper Sixth day students (from September 2026, including VAT)
- Boarding fees
- £15,800-£18,755 per term for Years 7 to Upper Sixth weekly/full boarding (from September 2026, including VAT)
- Scholarships and bursaries
- Check school site
- Entrance details
- Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Admissions note
- GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
GIAS confirms the school type and age range; fees, scholarships, bursaries and entrance assessments should be checked on the school's own website.
Independent schools do not use the local-authority grammar-school catchment model; check the school site for boarding, transport and eligibility rules.
Oversubscription and eligibility
Use the official admissions policy for the current priority order and eligibility rules.
Exam and test format
Exam and test format
Entrance route and assessment
Entrance assessment details are not part of the GIAS open data extract.
- Assessment route
- Apply direct to school
- Papers and stages
- 1 paper
- Format
- Mixed format
Papers and rounds
-
Paper 1
Year 7 and Year 9 entry assessment
The annual entrance assessment for Year 7 and Year 9 entry is held on the last Saturday of January.
Application
Application
How to apply
- 1
Apply direct to the school
Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
Check school admissions
Results
Results
Attainment snapshot
- Attainment 8 ?
- 51.8 Attainment 8
- GCSE results
- 82% grade 4+ in English and maths
- Grade 5+ English and maths ?
- 81% grade 5+ in English and maths
- EBacc average point score ?
- 3.28 EBacc APS
- A-level results
- 41.9% AAB or better
- A-level average points
- 43.11 A-level points per entry
Inspection
Inspection
Standards met
Latest inspection: Not yet verified
- Leadership, management and governance
- Standards met
- Quality of education, training and recreation
- Standards met
- Physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing
- Standards met
- Social and economic education and contribution to society
- Standards met
- Safeguarding
- Standards met
Quick summary
- Latest ISI report: Routine Inspections 2025 is the latest report listed by ISI. The report says the relevant standards were met.
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Shortlist comparisons
Explore this school in context
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Related pages and guides
Related pages and guides
Area and ranking pages
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Guides and related reading
Related guides are still being added.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How does St Mary's School handle admissions?
St Mary's School handles applications directly. Check the school website for registration dates, entrance assessments, interviews, fees, scholarships and bursaries.
How do I apply to St Mary's School?
1. Apply direct to the school: Independent-school admissions are handled by the school rather than the local authority CAF.
When are the key dates for St Mary's School?
Use the school admissions page to confirm registration, assessment, interview and offer dates.
What does the latest inspection picture look like for St Mary's School?
St Mary's School is currently rated Standards met.