St Mary's School,

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tradition, offering day and boarding provision for girls aged three to eighteen. The school occupies three sites within walking distance of each other, and Cambridge city centre, close to the University Botanic Gardens, with state-of-the-art sports facilities a short distance away on Long Road and a Boathouse for rowing on the River Cam.

History

St Mary's School, Cambridge, was founded 1898 by the Sisters of Mary Ward and the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who had also founded a school of the same name in

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13 years earlier. The sisters started out with two day girls and two day boarders. In 1904 the swelling numbers necessitated a change of venue and 'The Elms' on Bateman Street was purchased for £6,000. The house had a tradition that was very much in keeping with Mary Ward's vision. It had previously belonged to Benjamin Hall Kennedy, former Regius Professor of Greek at

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. As the school continued to grow, other premises were added. Paston House was purchased in 1909. The Junior School was part of St Mary's School, Cambridge, until it closed in 1987, when it reopened as St Catherine's Prep School and was governed by a group of parents who became the board of directors. In 2007 St Catherine's became St Mary's School, Cambridge's junior section. Both schools are governed by a single board. The school sees the 17th-century nun Mary Ward as a role model for pupils because of her radical vision for

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, in the form of education for girls in the sixteenth century. It aims to give the girls self-belief and confidence, able to cope with set-backs in life (as experienced by Mary Ward) alongside an academic education. The girls are trained to have supportive and trusted networks of friends, as experienced by Mary Ward. The hope is that they will make a positive difference to society after they leave school.

Houses

The school had four houses:

Boarding

The school offers a full, weekly or flexi boarding programme for years 5 to upper sixth (ages 9 to 18). Approximately 20% of senior school pupils board. In 2016 the school purchased a new dedicated boarding house on Brooklands Avenue, Mary Ward House, to replace the two buildings previously used: Bateman House for

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ers and 'The Elms' for girls from years 7–11.

Alumnae

Former pupils are known as Pastonians, named after Paston House. * Emerald O'Hanrahan, actress * Maisie Ward, writer and publisher

References

External links

School WebsiteProfile
on the ISC website *2010 ISI Inspectio
Report
(Senior School) *

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Social Care Inspectio
Reports
* ISI Inspectio
Reports
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Mary's School, Cambridge Roman Catholic private schools in the Diocese of East Anglia Catholic boarding schools in England 1898 establishments in England Girls' schools in Cambridgeshire Boarding schools in Cambridgeshire Private schools in Cambridgeshire Member schools of the Girls' Schools Association Educational institutions established in 1898 Schools in Cambridge Sisters of Loreto schools Catholic Church in Cambridge