St Margaret's School
School summary
Tracing its roots to 1749, St Margaret's School in Bushey blends a long heritage with a notably intimate scale. A pupil-to-teacher ratio of around eight to one is unusually generous, and with roughly 496 pupils across an age range that runs from two to nineteen, families benefit from real continuity of education. The Independent Schools Inspectorate rated the school 'excellent' for both education quality and personal development, with all compliance standards met. Boarding and day places are both available, and the school is led by Mrs Lara Péchard.
Where every mark matters.
Places are limited and demand is high, so exam performance is what sets candidates apart. Passmate turns the months ahead into ten focused minutes a day on the exact topics this school tests.
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Latest results
GCSE grade 9-7
43%
National average 23%
A-level A*-A
37%
National average 28%
A-level A*-B
65%
National average 55%
Inspection reports
- ISI rating
- excellent
- ISI personal development
- excellent
- Last inspected
- 14 October 2025
Teaching & academics
Results sit comfortably above national benchmarks: 43% of GCSE entries reached grades 9-7, against a national average of 23%, while at A-level 37% achieved A*-A and 65% A*-B. The sixth form is small, with 73 pupils, and offers A-levels alongside the EPQ. Popular subjects span the sciences, humanities and creative fields, from Mathematics and Biology to Religious Studies, Psychology and Classical Civilisation. Nearly a fifth of pupils receive SEN support, suggesting the small classes are used to give individual attention.
Languages
GCSE subjects
Head · Mrs Lara Péchard
Sixth form
- Sixth-form pupils
- 73
A-level subjects
Qualifications offered
Beyond the classroom
Sport has a strong aquatic flavour here, with swimming and water polo alongside cricket and rugby. Scholarships are offered across academic, music, art, sport, STEM and drama, signalling breadth beyond the classroom. French, Spanish and Latin feature in the curriculum.
Main sports
School life & ethos
- Founded
- 1749
- Religious character
- None
- Boarding
- Yes
- SEN support
- 19.23%
- EHC plans
- 0.5%
Mobile phone policy
Mobile phones may be brought to school by pupils from year 7 upwards but use for any purpose including listening to music during the school day (8am to 6pm) including at break, lunch, supervised study is strictly forbidden. Phones, smart iWatches and ear pods should be stored in a Yondr pouch during school hours.
Fees & bursaries
- Day fees (per year)
- £26,622
- Boarding fees (per year)
- £43,575 - £50,631
Means-tested bursaries on offer
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Watch Passmate decide how to teach.
Answer as a child would. Left: what they see. Right: what it learns about them.
A small, established co-educational school where low class sizes and consistently strong results meet a wide scholarship and bursary programme. Worth a look for families seeking individual attention and boarding flexibility from age 11.
That’s where Passmate comes in. Tutoring is the most effective thing in a child’s preparation - a well-tutored child can outperform the vast majority of their peers. Passmate works alongside your tutor, not instead of them: it learns how your child thinks, finds the gaps, and shows the tutor exactly where to spend each session - so the limited time you have lands on what actually decides a place.
Works alongside your child’s tutor - not instead of them.
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St Margaret's School 11+: frequently asked questions
Compiled from public data. Last checked 5 June 2026.