Bright World Partner School Profile

St Mary's is a Catholic day and boarding school for girls aged 4–18 (boarding from 13) located in Cambridge, UK. They welcome and appreciate students of every religious background, or none and they offer girls an independent education in a caring Christian environment, within which they can realise their spiritual, intellectual, social and physical potential. St Mary's is wonderfully positioned; backing onto the Botanic Gardens gives it a feeling of peace and tranquillity yet all the many and varied resources of the city of Cambridge are immediately available a short walk away. The railway station with its quick and easy links to London, airports and other transport links to all parts of the country are an additional benefit to our boarding students. They are a comparatively small boarding community of just under 70 pupils, are well staffed and offer a friendly and relaxed atmosphere where they do their very best to make the girls, many of whom have come a long way to be there, feel very much at home and cared for. Students throughout the school for whom English is an additional language take an internal English placement test involving listening, reading, writing and use of English at the beginning of the academic year. EAL boarders in Years 9 – 13 are supported with additional English if appropriate. St Mary's boarders have the opportunity to form strong friendships with girls from all over the world. In order to include everyone in conversation and activities all girls are expected to speak English in the classrooms, dining room and in all communal areas. In the boarding house they expect girls to demonstrate sensitivity to other nationalities and to speak English when in an international group so that all may be included. All pupils take part in Inter-house competitions to develop their inter-personal skills and sense of fair play. These take place during curriculum time and include cross-country, hockey, netball and swimming.