St Mary's has a strong ethos based on the life and ideas of Mary Ward the foundress of the Congregation of Jesus, the order of nuns that started the school. St. Mary's is a Catholic school and that continues to be at the heart of all we do.

Celebration of Mass:

• On Sundays at 10.00am, prepared by Houses on a rota system
• Daily at lunchtime (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday); 8.15am Friday
• Form/class group, by arrangement with school chaplain
• Weekly Spanish Mass, Saturday 5.30pm
• Holy days of obligation
• Other special occasions e.g Mary Ward’s birthday, Parents’ Day etc

Prayer Life:

• Monday – whole school, led by the Head
• Tuesday – Forms, led by Form Mistresses/Tutors
• Wednesday – Whole school Chapel assembly, led by Forms on a rota system
• Thursday – Forms, led by Form Mistresses/Tutors
• Friday – House led
• Morning Prayer of the Church – daily at 8.15am
• Evening Prayers – House based within year groups, leading up to individual prayer as girls get older
• Whole school Night Prayers – twice per term
• Occasional extra night prayers – led by Liturgy Prefect
• Reconciliation services, including individual Confession – Lent and Advent
• Confession – also available on Tuesdays and Fridays during morning break and on request at other times

Retreats for each year group and theme:

• LIII: ‘Becoming’ – a half day, home based
• UIII: ‘Experience of Mary Ward country in York’ – 3-4 days
• LIV: ‘Friendship’ – a half day, home based
• UIV: ‘The Life of Christ’ – one day, Guildford
• LV: ‘Masks’ – one day at Hilfield Friary
• UV: ‘Prayer’ – two days, staying overnight at St Gilda’s, Langport, Somerset
• LVI: ‘Realizing our potential as Christians’ – two and a half days at Maypool Youth Hostel, Brixham
• UVI: a Synthesis of all earlier retreats and Embarking upon an independent life, led by an Ampleforth monk, held in Mary Ward House, two and a half days

Chaplaincy provision:

• Residential Catholic Priest

Sacramental Preparation:

• Confirmation in UIV and LV or as appropriate to individual stages of Faith
• development – optional extra-curricular programme
• First Communion – where needed, by individual arrangement
• Baptism –occasionally, when requested, by arrangement

RE Teaching – what is taught:

• Compulsory for all up to GCSE
• Optional AS and A Level
• Compulsory General RE in the Sixth Form

Requirements to teach RE at St Mary’s:

• To be a practising Catholic
• To be professionally qualified

All round GCSE success for St Mary's girls

Our girls are celebrating spectacular GCSE successes in Sciences, Latin, Art and Sport.

For the second year running, over 98% of grades were between A* and C.

Head Mr Richard James said:  “Results for the single Sciences and Maths were particularly good as were Latin.  Physical Education was a great success which is encouraging as this is the first time it’s been offered as an option.  Art was also extremely impressive.”

He adds:  “This is a great set of results which shows that girls excel in all areas of the curriculum.  I’m extremely proud of our pupils and our staff who have all worked so hard.”

In Chemistry over 95% of grades were graded A*-A, with Physics at over 91%.  Nearly 75% of Maths’ grades were A*-B and Latin at nearly 92%.  Art & Design notched up an impressive 90% of grades at A*-A with Physical Education and Music each scoring 100%.  

Individual successes included Sophia Chan who got ten A* grades and two A, Isabel Aquith (ten A*, one A), Sarah Flower (nine A*, two A) and Charlotte Lewis (eight A* and three A).

The GCSE results come hot on the heels of last week’s A level results which saw students at St Mary’s gaining 93% grades A-C.