St Catherine’s is about education in its broadest sense. Moreover, as a girls' school, St Catherine's ensures that its students develop in an environment which suggests to them in everything they see around them that there is nothing that a woman cannot achieve.

We believe that St Catherine's girls are well placed to pursue their further education when they leave school at eighteen as independent, sensible, caring and competent young women who will have much to offer in life. We provide sound advice and guidance on further education and careers and we prepare them to take their place as citizens of the world.

Academic results are important - the school is comfortably placed in the infamous league tables - but we believe that there is much more to an all-round education for the young women of the 21st century.

Our hallmarks are the breadth of opportunity afforded to our students and the special atmosphere of support and encouragement. The philosophy that happiness at school is the key to success and enjoyment for each individual underpins everything we do.

The Ethos of St Catherine's School is embedded in its Aims which are:

• to provide an exceptional all-round education which will prepare girls for happy and fulfilling lives

• to create a safe and healthy school environment in which our pupils enjoy their education

• to provide excellent academic teaching, up-to-date facilities and a wide range of extra-curricular activities

• to foster the personal, social, spiritual, cultural and physical development of our pupils as well as their academic potential

• to recognise each girl’s unique character and encourage her to see herself as an individual

• to encourage our pupils to treat everyone with respect and courtesy and show concern for the needs of others, fostering team work and community spirit

• to give our pupils the right guidance and self-belief to help them develop fully their own talents and abilities, both in and out of the classroom

• to encourage a love of learning and an ability to think creatively and independently

• to encourage Christian values, thoughts and deeds

• to encourage each girl to develop the skills of leadership and a sense of responsibility towards others, within School and beyond

• to develop a strong partnership between staff and parents to support the girls throughout their school years

• to encourage the girls to embrace the inclusive spirit of St. Catherine’s as active members of the St Catherine’s Association for life.

Fellow head, Rosie McColl and I are as one in our ambition for girls only-education. "Our aim is to create an environment in which girls can flourish, and we do this by providing a safe space for them to discover their passions and develop their strengths, alongside teachers who are experts in understanding the pressures and the challenges of being a young woman in the world today."

How would we describe a St Catherine’s student?

They are inquisitive, thoughtful, and will be passionate about the things that matter to them. They are also tolerant, inclusive, and interested in what makes each of us different. Equality is important to all of us in the St Catherine’s community.

Pupils readily promote an understanding of their own and other cultures at the school. They are tolerant of others and respect differences, particularly those who have particular needs or characteristics. Pupils thoroughly enjoy the cultural diversity of the school community.

ISI Educational Quality Inspection, 2016

Discrimination of any kind is therefore not tolerated here. Students are encouraged to be who they are and to explore who they may become.

It is important that St Catherine’s provides an environment to support everyone. Staff and students are working together to build on our foundation to create an even more inclusive culture.

Each academic department reviews its schemes of work to provide as much diversity as possible and will take opportunities in displays and presentation to embrace difference.

Beyond the curriculum, students are being encouraged to contribute by developing discussion groups and links across the School. The Straight and Gay Alliance (‘SAGA’) is an example of what our students are doing – self-organised and self-maintained. Dedicated EDI Sixth Form prefects work with staff and students in promoting diversity issues and programmes.

St Catherine’s aims to support all our students equally. We are delighted to welcome students with disabilities and our Learning Support team provides detailed support to those with specific learning needs or neurodiverse profiles. 

We want all students at St Catherine’s to feel valued and to feel that who they are is important. Dialogue between students, parents, and School staff is welcomed.

Principles and values are actively promoted which facilitate the personal development of pupils as responsible, tolerant, law-abiding citizens.

ISI Regulatory Compliance Inspection Report, 2019

It is part of the ethos of St. Catherine’s that our able young women of all ages and stages are encouraged to take on leadership moments or role. They start with first steps in the Pre-Preparatory years where putting on an assembly presentation leads the school in worship, and into the Prep. School years where they can take up monitor responsibilities, form captaincies, school council membership and so on, culminating in Year 6 prefect positions of all kinds in preparation for serving the community both in their senior schools and in life in general.

The Governors’ Strategic Plan for the School and 20 year development plan for the School site is revisited annually and advice and guidance sought from the School Architects.  The balance we strike is always in favour of expenditure on teaching and learning, and having the right academic staff throughout the school.  This is what we call our A* priority.  

To deliver outstanding lessons, teachers need many resources, including technology, materials and to a lesser extent books etc.  The buildings in which they work are important too, and a balance has to be struck to ensure that the facilities are ‘fit for purpose’ and enabling teachers to excel as they educate all our girls. 

Schools aim to make a modest surplus from their income to invest in new buildings and facilities. Below we offer you a quick look at building projects over the past decade and what is on offer for our students.  

In particular we highlight here: 

• The 125th Anniversary Halls were dedicated by HRH the Duchess of Cornwall in February 2014. The whole school community benefits from this award-winning facility which includes a 300-seat auditorium, boasting some of the best acoustics in the country.  An orchestra pit, technical box and recording studio provide girls with exciting opportunities to enjoy Music and Drama. In addition the Drama Studio is in full dark mode.  The Auditorium offers a capacious environment for weekly Senior School assemblies and has proved a perfect venue to host prestigious speakers.  Prep School girls also make the best use of the facilities with their drama productions and nativity plays.  The Forum Cafe and Bar enable an event to have a wonderful social element. 
• The equally impressive sports’ facilities, adjacent, offer a multi-purpose sports’ hall, dance studio, gymnasium, swimming pool, squash court and fully-fitted fitness suite.
• The Sixth Form Library - enables Lower and Upper Sixth Form girls to study quietly and this independent learning leads into the introduction to University.
• The Music Block - home of different sized music rooms, a small recital room and music technology.
• The Prep Music Room - this is no ordinary music room.  It is a Soundscape.  Allowing Prep girls to explore, discover and be immersed in music.
• The Prep Science Laboratory - our WonderLab – opened in 2019, this space is carefully designed for young minds to be inquisitive about science and hands-on with experiments.

Other School buildings include:

• The Lecture Theatre – a superb lecture space for smaller presentations and conferences which allows the girls to have a closer interaction with subject leaders.
• The Littlewood Lodge - named by former Prep School girls, this garden building nestles at the edge of the little woods.  This building provides Prep girls with an education inside space outside.
• The 6 – our new Sixth Form boarding and social space for all Sixth Form girls.

To see how the School site has evolved since opening in 1885, please see our timeline. 

To read about our plans to Create the Future at St Catherine’s through further enhancing our facilities and the opportunities available to girls in both the Arts and Sciences please click here.