Happiness is important here, and we support student well-being from day one.
Keeping active
Our boarders have access to a wider choice of fitness and sporting activities. From our well-being room in Mary Ward House, through to yoga, competitive sport and rowing on the River Cam, there are plenty of opportunities to keep active.
Sport for all
Prefect team and our community
Every year, some of our older boarders will take on additional responsility as Head Boarder, Deputy Head Boarder and Boarding Prefects. These girls support the staff in the smooth running of Mary Ward House and also act as ‘Big Sisters’ to younger boarders.
Each week, we celebrate a 'Boarder of the Week' - a girl who has displayed a Mary Ward Characteristic or values and attitudes associated with High Performance Learning. Boarders also join together every week in a series of weekly meetings, as a whole community and with the Housemistress.
Healthy eating
It is important for our girls to have a balanced and healthy diet, packed with nutrients, to keep them healthy and provide the energy that their bodies and minds need to function at their best. Our Sixth Form students are encouraged to study for the Leiths Academy Cookery Certificate a comprehensive course provided by the most prestigious cookery school in the UK.
Boarding meals
All our food is labelled and care is taken to cater for students with medical or religious dietary needs wherever possible.
Week days
Our kitchen team create a wide range of high quality, nutritious and varied school meals. Breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner are provided during the week with the addition of a breaktime snack on weekdays.
Boarders are expected to attend all mealtimes where there is a range of delicious food on offer such as hot dishes, salads and fruit. A register is taken at each meal time.
Weekends
The weekends are more relaxed with flexible times for breakfast, brunch between 11am and 12 noon and a more formal meal in the evenings.
At weekends students may choose to cook for themselves. Students in all years may cook their own food, order in or eat out on Friday and Saturday evenings. Sixth Formers have an extra privilege of being able to do this on a Sunday evening too.
Happiness
St Mary's offers exceptional pastoral care to all students. Our boarders are supported by an experienced team of staff who live at Mary Ward House. In our wider school community, teaching staff are committed to guiding students through their educational journey, by nurturing new talents and opening doors to creativity, self-development and friendship.