The level of pastoral support and guidance is excellent and makes a significant and positive contribution to the educational needs and personal growth of the pupils. Pupils value the high quality of care, support and guidance they receive from their teachers and tutors. – ISI Inspection 2004

“Pupils are supported by excellent pastoral care within the caring Christian environment central to the school's ethos. Older pupils develop good relationships with younger ones. Arrangements to ensure the pupils' welfare and health and safety contribute effectively to their care. The boarding experience contributes well to the pupils' personal development and boarders benefit from good quality accommodation.”

“The school's arrangements for pastoral care contribute greatly to pupils' development of self-esteem and confidence.”

“The support and guidance provided for pupils is highly successful in fostering their personal development and supporting their academic achievement. There is a clear and effective pastoral structure centred on heads of year, who work closely with form tutors, boarding and teaching staff. Relationships between pupils and their teachers are positive and those between pupils are good. Pupils comment that staff are always available to help, and that they give of their time generously, with further individual guidance provided by staff mentors.”

ISI Inspection Report 2010

‘A happy and caring school' is a statement that is frequently heard about St Mary's and as a Catholic school and Christian community we believe in the importance of the Gospel, social values of respect and care for the individual as well as awareness of the needs of others, both in the school and in the wider community. These values are communicated in word and by example. We believe that every pupil should actively contribute to the sense of community within the school. We help girls to meet our high expectations, nurture their individuality, demand good manners and challenge them to achieve their utmost.

All girls are assured of a warm welcome from staff and pupils alike on joining St Mary's Senior School. In the first five years girls are grouped into forms of about 20 pupils, and in the sixth form into groups of about 15. Forms are not split academically but are arranged to have a mix of girls from different backgrounds. Each girl is under the direct daily care of a Form Tutor who ensures her academic and pastoral well-being. Year 7 Form Tutors specialise in helping girls to make a smooth transition from their junior school to St Mary's Senior School. Other tutors usually stay with their form for a two-year period, enabling them to develop a particularly strong rapport with their tutees. Heads of Year maintain an overview of the pastoral care of pupils in their respective year groups, liaising with other staff, parents and outside agencies as appropriate.

Not only Form Tutors, Heads of Year, the School Chaplain, Medical and Boarding Staff, but all members of staff have a concern for other members of the School community. St Mary's fully supports the Every Child Matters initiative. Through assemblies, liturgy, religious services, the formal curriculum and a wide range of extracurricular activities, girls at St Mary's are educated to be healthy, challenged to achieve, encouraged to enjoy and comforted in a safe yet stimulating environment. By building confidence and enhancing self-esteem in every girl, spiritual, intellectual, physical, aesthetic and emotional potential is developed to the full.

St Mary’s is proud to support CAFOD and the livesimply project.  Click on the links below for more information.