St Mary's School

A happy child is a successful child: that simple proposition gives St Mary's School its emotional centre. Since 1872, the Gerrards Cross community has grown from Nursery and Reception through Prep, Senior House and Sixth Form while keeping girls known as individuals. Warmth is paired with an expectation that pupils will develop confidence, kindness and the judgement to make good choices.

Senior life places academic challenge beside creativity, leadership and pastoral care. Girls are encouraged to think for themselves, take sensible risks and respond constructively to difficulty. Achievement is therefore tied to personal growth and contribution beyond the classroom, rather than treated as a matter of marks alone.

Cedar House provides the Sixth Form setting, with A-level teaching joined by the two-year Ignite programme. Careers and higher-education guidance, leadership and co-curricular activity give the stage a purposeful bridge between school and adult life. The ambitions of the young women are central to that experience, with support designed to help them turn interests into informed next steps.

Entry points include Nursery and Reception, Year 3, Years 5 or 6 before the senior transition, Year 7 and Year 12; other-year applications are considered when places exist. Visits are part of the process, which considers a girl's strengths, interests and talents alongside assessment. The result is an all-through girls' education with a distinctly personal tone in Gerrards Cross.