St Mary's School
School summary
Founded in 1898 and rooted in the Roman Catholic tradition, St Mary's is a girls' school in Cambridge that takes pupils from age 3 right through to 18, with day and boarding places. The Independent Schools Inspectorate rated it excellent for both education quality and personal development at its most recent inspection, and compliance requirements were met. With around 510 girls on roll it sits in the medium-size band, and a notably high proportion - over a quarter - receive SEN support, suggesting a school that pays attention to individual needs. Mrs Hannah Helliar leads as Headmistress.
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
63%
National average 23%
A-level A*-A
54%
National average 28%
A-level A*-B
77%
National average 55%
Inspection reports
- ISI rating
- excellent
- ISI personal development
- excellent
- Last inspected
- 30 September 2025
Teaching & academics
Results sit well above national benchmarks: 63% of GCSE entries reach grades 9-7 against a national average of 23%, while at A-level 54% are graded A*-A and 77% A*-B, comfortably ahead of the 28% and 55% national figures. The curriculum is broad, with GCSE options spanning Latin, Classical Civilisation, three modern languages and several creative subjects, and a sixth form of around 70 pupils studying everything from Further Mathematics and the sciences to Psychology, History and Chinese. The EPQ is offered alongside GCSEs and A-levels for those wanting to stretch beyond the standard syllabus.
Languages
GCSE subjects
Headmistress · Mrs Hannah Helliar
Sixth form
- Sixth-form pupils
- 70
A-level subjects
Qualifications offered
Beyond the classroom
Sport centres on hockey, touch rugby and football, and language learning extends to French, Spanish and Chinese.
Main sports
School life & ethos
- Founded
- 1898
- Religious character
- RC
- Boarding
- Yes
- SEN support
- 27.13%
- EHC plans
- 0.17%
Mobile phone policy
Years 5-6 can attend school with mobiles but must hand these in at the beginning of school and collect at the end of school. Years 7-10 hand mobiles to reception at the start of school and collect at the end of school. Year 11 may keep mobiles in their bag, locker or blazer pocket and can use in the dining room, forms rooms and library. Years 12-13 are allowed mobiles in the sixth form areas. Students with phones must switch them off in lessons, corridors and between 12-2pm.
Fees & bursaries
- Day fees (per year)
- £16,170 - £25,425
- Boarding fees (per year)
- £46,020 - £54,630
- Bursaries up to
- 110% of fees
Bursaries (means-tested) are available via the school or through the Royal National Springboard Bursary Scheme. Awards are given up to 110 per cent of fees.
Schools nearby
Stephen Perse Cambridge Sixth Form
Cambridge, East of England
Heritage School
Cambridge, East of England
The Stephen Perse Foundation
East of England
The Leys School
Cambridge, East of England
St. Andrew's College Cambridge
Cambridge, East of England
Sancton Wood School
East of England
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A long-established Catholic girls' school with strong results and genuinely inclusive support. Day fees run from £16,170 to £25,425 and boarding up to £54,630, with means-tested bursaries - some covering more than full fees - widening access.
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.
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St Mary's School 11+: frequently asked questions
Compiled from public data. Last checked 5 June 2026.