How often do you offer Mass, Benediction, etc, and where? Do pupils attend confession?
All significant events in the school year are marked by whole school Mass where the community gather together. We have wonderful participation by our students who serve, are ministers of the Word and contribute to the liturgical prayers and music.
In addition, we have Grade Masses and Mass at the weekend for our boarders. We are delighted to have a Priest Chaplain at Marymount who ensures the sacramental life of the school is being nourished. Our Director of Spiritual Life creates a wide range of opportunites for all of our community, staff, students and parents to deepen their faith. We have a vibrant and engaged student Campus Ministry group and each Grade has a prayer leader.
Do you offer any interesting or unusual subjects?
As an IB school we offer a broad range of subjects. In the Middle Years Programme, students study up to 14 subjects including Dance, Design, Music, with elements of Religious Education and Service embedded in the curriculum. At Diploma Level students take six subjects and in addition study the Theory of Knowledge, complete an Extended Essay and complete the required number of Creativity, Action and Service hours.
We have a mother tongue policy which means students can take examinations in their mother tongue. Currently we offer 13 languages! We have also for many years dedicated time to STEAM, linking the Arts to STEM, demonstrating to our students the inter-relatedness of these areas.
What sort of pastoral care do you offer?
Our pastoral care is excellent. Each student is assigned to a very small Advisor (tutor) group of approximately 10-12 students. They meet daily and as such our students are known as individuals by their advisor. Each grade has a Head of Year. We have a Deputy Head Pastoral, a DSL team, a full-time nurse and a school counsellor.
As a small school we know our students very well and create a culture of trust, support and genuine care. We work in close partnership with parents and offer many parent talks pertaining to teenagers and their wellbeing.
Are you selective or non-selective?
What kind of pupil thrives at Marymount? Some schools think solely about the 11+ academic ability but we like to think differently. Students who flourish within our environment are curious, comfortable with discovering the answers, students who demonstate the IB Learner profile attributes of Inquirer, Thinker, Caring, Balanced, Knowledgeable, Open Minded, Risk taker, Communicator, Reflective and Principled and who are aligned with our mission and ethos.
How do you prepare students for life after school?
Throughout their education with us, our students are not only educated with knowledge, but they know where this knowledge fits in to the world. The curriculum is broad and balanced, conceptual and contextualised. In addition, our students learn how attributes such as their sense of agency, self-advocacy, balance and curiosity can contribute meaningfully to the world in which we live. They go to university and beyond assured in their ability to discover, to embrace lifelong learning, to recognise their agency and to use their gifts and talents for the service of others.
What are the school’s strengths – particular subject areas and extra-curricular?
We provide an excellent academic education (achieving results well above the global average in IB scores), without neglecting the other facets of our being. Our students are knowledgeable but know how to use this knowledge. They are committed to making a difference and developing their many gifts and talents to the full. Our extra-curricular programme facilitates this well.
Do you offer A-Levels/IB? What percentage of students go on to university and which universities do they favour?
We are solely an IB school offering both the MYP and DP. We were the first all girls’ school in the UK to offer the IB diploma, and the only all-girls’ school to continue to focus on this singular curriculum. Our students attend universities such as Oxbridge and other Russell Group universities. For us it is about finding the most suitable course for our students with some going to Art College or Conservatoire. As an international school we have students gaining entry across the globe including America, Canada, Asia – eg Japan and South Korea – Europe and beyond.
From our recent cohort of graduates, one of our students received a full scholarship for her tertiary education. Another received full marks making her one of only 25 to achieve this in the United Kingdom. So much achievement has led to ever so much choice for our students.
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