At St Mary’s we believe a child who is supported in meeting all of their needs is one that will thrive in their development and thus their education. We take a holistic approach to nurturing the care, wellbeing, and development of every girl, seeing them as an individual. All are known by name and welcomed by the Headmistress daily.
We believe in fostering an environment where pupils feel supported in all aspects of their lives, helping them to flourish and to be secure in their development. In turn, they become willing to challenge themselves both in and out of the classroom; ensuring they understand that failure is part of the learning process and resilience is the key to success.
Central to our ethos are our 4 Rs – Respect, Resilience, Reflection and Risk Taking. These core values guide how we approach learning and personal growth, supporting each girl to develop a strong sense of character, a moral compass and passion for learning. The 4Rs are embedded in the daily life of the school and these can be seen in instances such as: respecting oneself and their peers; reflecting on their work, behaviour and spirituality; choosing work that stretches and inspires curiosity and taking risks towards independence.
Inspired by the wisdom of Confucius, we encourage our girls to grow in wisdom, respect others, and to always strive for excellence. This philosophy, combined with the unique St Mary’s Way, shapes how we nurture the individual and collective spirit of our school community. We embrace both rewards and sanctions in a balanced but supportive approach. Through positive reinforcement, girls learn the importance of behaviour, responsibility and self-discipline, whilst we supportively encourage correction when expectations are not met.
Our Big Sister-Little Sister programme further enhances our pastoral care by fostering peer relationships and promoting a caring, supportive atmosphere. Older girls are paired with younger ones, creating bonds that help all pupils feel safe and valued. Adding to the sense of belonging, the community spirit is immediately palpable as you step into St Mary’s, a feeling that is difficult to express fully in words.
Wellbeing is at the heart of our school culture, and we understand that mental health plays a key role in a child’s ability to succeed. Our focus is on building resilience, encouraging open conversations, and providing a safe space for each girl to express her thoughts and feelings. All girls and their families are central to everything we do, and our staff are always on hand to provide guidance. Should further support be needed, the wider community – including the Senior Leadership Team – are actively engaged in daily life of the school. To that end, we subscribe to The Wellbeing Hub, a platform completely free to parents that offers guidance on raising children from 2-18 years of age in the form of webinars, podcasts, Q&A, blogs and videos.
We take a proactive approach to wellbeing and education. By working together with parents, we ensure that each child reaches their full potential. We give parents regular feedback in their daughter’s development through a variety of channels, such as Parents’ Evenings, reports and informally in conversations at regular school events. We remind parents that communication with us is vital and that we too value feedback. Suggestions and ideas are also given to us by the girls through pupil voice, encompassing School Council, Food Committee, Pupil Chaplains and Eco Council. Their ideas are valued and respected, giving them the opportunity to help shape the school.
Communication is vital and we ensure that concerns or issues are escalated appropriately, so that no child ever feels alone or unsupported. We also work hard to remove the fear of failure, empowering our girls to take risks and challenge themselves as an opportunity for growth.