More girls, more empowered - St Mary’s Colchester
Kindergarten Lower School Senior School Visit Us
Visit Us
HomeMore girls, more empowered

More girls, more empowered

At St Mary’s we provide an enlightened, empowering and complete education, designed specifically for girls to thrive.

We believe that girls are remarkable and have different educational needs. With us, your daughter will be inspired, build resilience, advance academically, learn what interests her and grow. We understand that girls’ wellbeing matters and is critical to achieving. Girls at St Mary’s are not only self-confident and capable, but also kind and considerate.

We know that as parents, you want the world for your daughter – and so do we. And when she leaves us she’ll be empowered to rise to the challenges and the opportunities the world presents.

 

More parents are choosing St Mary’s for their daughters

Demand for places at St Mary’s is continuing to grow, with the pupil numbers for 2025-26 due to be the highest in over ten years.

We are very proud to share that:

  • 55% of GCSE results were graded 9-7 in 2025, more than double the national average
  • the Lower School has been ranked 12th highest performing prep school in England
  • St Mary’s received the top rating of Excellent in our ISI inspection
  • we achieve exceptional 11+ results and are the top feeder school to Colchester County High School for Girls
  • St Mary’s has been shortlisted for Independent Girls’ School of the Year 2025

More places available at St Mary's Kindergarten and Lower School

Due to increased demand for places at St Mary’s Lower School, additional classes have been added. St Mary’s Kindergarten is also expanding with new classrooms for small group learning.

Register today

More girls age 11-16 attend St Mary’s Senior School than any other independent school within a 20 mile drive

Using our expertise in educating girls and the latest research, we empower girls by inspiring them to see the world as one full of limitless possibilities and by equipping them with the knowledge, experiences and skills needed to thrive at St Mary’s and beyond.

Register for St Mary’s Senior School before 31 August 2025 for a reduced registration fee of £50 (usually £150).

Register today

Contact Our Registrar

Mrs Justine Tierney

01206 594256
registrar@stmaryscolchester.org.uk

Contact us

A strong academic education

We are very proud of our pupils’ success in their GCSE examinations. This year, 55% of GCSEs were 7-9 or equivalent (comparable to grades A*-A), more than double the national average. More than half of the results for the core subjects of Maths, English and Science were graded 9-7. An exceptional 100% of results for Latin, Fashion & Textiles and Hospitality & Catering were graded 9-7 or equivalent.

St Mary’s Lower School is the 12th highest performing Prep School in England, as ranked by the Sunday Times. This year, eight pupils passed their 11+, making us the biggest feeder to Colchester County High School for Girls. Our pupils also achieve outstanding SATs results. In 2025, 90% achieved the higher standard in Reading, almost three times the national average of 33%, 74% achieved the higher standard for Maths, almost three times the national average of 26%, 58% achieved the higher standard for Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling, almost double the national average of 30%, and 42% achieved greater depth for Writing, over three times the national average of 13%.

We’re able to achieve such success by tailoring the education to suit the needs of each individual in our small classes, and by giving the pupils the encouragement and support they need to aim high.

Empowering girls to thrive

At St Mary’s we use our expertise in educating girls to empower pupils. We also inspire pupils to see the world as one full of limitless possibilities. Our aim is to equip girls with knowledge, experiences and skills to thrive at St Mary’s and beyond. We do this in an environment designed specifically for girls. One that is free from judgement and stereotypes, and full of respect and support.

At St Mary’s, we know that success in life comes from more than just impressive exam results and we offer a brilliantly balanced education in order to develop exceptionally well-rounded individuals. The girls have opportunities to take part in a wide variety of clubs, enrichment activities, music and drama productions, visits and international travel experiences, giving them ample opportunity to learn new skills and develop talents.

There are numerous positions of responsibility available to the girls, which help develop their leadership skills. We also foster team spirit through initiatives such as the School Council and School Houses. St Mary’s is a global member of the Round Square Organisation, a worldwide network of over 200 top schools in more than 50 countries, and St Mary’s pupils benefit from our international links, helping broaden their horizons.

Arrange a visit today to find out why more parents are choosing St Mary’s for their daughter

Arrange a visit (select your preference)
St Mary’s understands and acknowledges that it is a data controller in relation to the personal data that you have provided. We will ensure that we comply with all legislation and regulatory requirements in force relating to its use. For more information about how we use the data and your rights, please read our Privacy Notice.
Consent
On occasion we may contact you with information that may be of interest to you, for example upcoming admissions deadlines, news and events.
Note - you may withdraw consent at any time by contacting the School’s Data Protection Manager at dpm@stmaryscolchester.org.uk. This will not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out by the School before you withdraw your consent.