Queen Mary's Private School

• Location: Topcliffe, North Yorkshire, England,
• Founded in: 1925,
• Number of students: about 300,
• Language of instruction: English,
• Type of education: mixed form from 3 to 8 years old, only girls from 8 to 16 years old.

Queen Mary's School is a private school that offers programs in the English national education system, ranging from preparatory groups to grade 11. Queen Mary's School is focused on single-sex education of students: from 8 to 16 years old, programs are taught only to girls, while boys can also study in preschool groups.

In 1925, a preparatory boarding school for girls was opened in Duncombe Park Mansion, near Helmsley, which admitted 23 female students in the first year. In 1931, the institution received its current name, and by 1985 - a campus, where classes of all stages of school education are held today.

Queen Mary's School is part of a group of 20 independent schools of the Woodard Corporation, each of which is distinguished by an individual approach to each student, an extensive selection of areas for extracurricular development, a rich curriculum, and qualified educational staff. International students are surrounded by comprehensive support, thanks to which each girl finds strengths in herself, develops hidden talents, and increases confidence in her abilities. Gradually, from the first days of study in the preparatory group to the final grades, students acquire interdisciplinary knowledge, applied skills, leadership qualities – and an understanding of which direction of the academic path they would like to follow next.

Due to the ideal location of the campus in the countryside, the highly qualified head of the Forest School, students have the opportunity to gain knowledge in the fresh air. The vast lands are adjacent to the Swale River and the lake, so canoeing and rafting are frequent pastimes along with shooting, camping, and rock climbing. Groups of all years take part in various events focused on obtaining knowledge about safety, respect for nature, and the use of improvised materials in different situations.

Teaching is provided at three stages of school education: preparatory, primary and secondary. The school's curriculum does not include the Sixth Form graduation stage, i.e. grades 12-13.

A pony and four thoroughbred horses live in the stables on campus, which are cared for not only by the staff of the school, but also by students.

The residence of Queen Mary's School offers students several types of accommodation:

• Full board – permanent on-campus residency,
• Weekly boarding – the opportunity to stay in the residence for several fixed days each week,
• Flexible boarding – students can book a room for any night as needed.

The residential building is a historic building with a 300-year history, originally built as a family home. Girls live in rooms with bathrooms and modern renovation, fully furnished, high-speed WiFi; There are separate areas for preparatory and older ages, common rooms for recreation, entertainment, self-study.

Depending on which accommodation option the student chooses, she will be provided with a meal plan: from three meals a day to lunches on weekdays. In any case, all pupils of the educational institution can use the services of the dining room, where hot and cold dishes, drinks, snacks and fresh pastries are served every day. The school's chef is Gary Forster, who has invested a lot in his career, from working with Marco Pierre White to the Michelin-starred Seaham Hall restaurant.

An extensive program of extracurricular development gives students the opportunity to try themselves in various sports, creativity, and social activities. About 75 events are organized on campus during the week, including dances, debates, exhibitions, team training, rehearsals. Weekends provide an opportunity for relaxation, fun, and most importantly, the comforts of home – staff staying on campus on weekends provide a wonderful, supportive family atmosphere for the school's regular boarders. On weekends, off-site events are held for students: camping, trips to York, wakeboarding on the Yorkshire coast and others.

Sport is at the heart of Queen Mary's School, ensuring that national teams achieve excellent overall and personal results at local, county, regional and national levels. Eight highly qualified coaches offer lessons, extracurricular activities and competitions in sports such as:

• Hockey,
• Netball,
• Lacrosse,
• Swimming,
• Cross,
• Gymnastics,
• Trampoline,
• Tennis,
• Athletics,
• Multisport,
• Tag Rugby,
• Soccer,
• Quick-cricket,
• Yoga and much more.

At the NSEA championships, the pupils consistently take excellent places in many classes, and in 2018 they received the "Best English School" award in three equestrian categories. Other recent achievements include qualifying for the Royal Windsor Horse Show, with one of the girls representing Great Britain at the national competition. Queen Mary's School offers excellent tuition for female students of all ages, the opportunity to be part of a team and the support needed to combine academic studies with an active equestrian schedule. All children can take individual horse riding lessons after school from 03:30 p.m. to 07:00 p.m. for 30 to 45 minutes. Group lessons last approximately one hour, and there can be up to eight students per lesson.

Creativity is represented by several areas:

• Art groups

Each school year, all Queen Mary's School students have the opportunity to perform on stage. From opera to musical, the possibilities span a variety of genres. Some girls not only take part on stage, but are also responsible for technical and backstage functions.

• Speech, drama

Acting lessons, leadership seminars, humorous master classes, debates and many other areas related to vocabulary, self-confidence in front of the audience are open to all students.

• Dance

Dance is taught as part of the performing arts program, but can also be chosen as an extracurricular activity. Once a week, you can attend classes as entertainment, and those who have successfully auditioned for dance groups can participate in regional and national competitions. For all dancers, there are opportunities such as an annual dance show, a performance in an annual musical for graduates.

• Art

The thriving art department offers dozens of fields, including photography, painting, drawing, printmaking, textiles, and graphics.

More than 50% of students learn to play at least one musical instrument, and many learn two, three, or even four. Whether a student wants to sing or play the piano, harp, double bass, or drum kits, teachers offer comprehensive support, state-of-the-art equipment, and materials to succeed.

• One of the six best private schools in the UK that does not have a Sixth Form – Sunday Times Parent Power Schools Guide 2024,
• Individual academic, extracurricular approach to each student,
• "Strong emphasis on high-quality teaching and learning." – Good Schools Guide,
• The curriculum is filled with a variety of subjects, including coding, entrepreneurship, performing arts,
• Active extracurricular activities – about 75 events per week,
• Same-sex education, which helps to get rid of gender stereotypes and develop in the direction that you really like,
• Excellent GCSE results – girls receive grades from A* to A.

Queen Mary's School occupies an area of 40 acres of countryside between Ripon and Thirsk, a few minutes from the A1M highway, making it easily accessible by public transport and taxis. Inspiring views of the garden, forests, the Swale River, the rhododendron path create a calm atmosphere for focusing on study, sports and creativity. Close to the school are the historic city of York and the resort of Harrogate, the cultural capitals of Leeds, Newcastle, Edinburgh and London are a two-hour train ride away. The school has its own bus fleet, thanks to which students can get to the academic buildings and back home, with comfortable excursions.

The educational process takes place in buildings that have retained their historical appearance. All academic and extracurricular facilities are modernly renovated and equipped to provide students with a full, multifaceted educational experience. Lessons are organized in bright classrooms with interactive equipment, subject laboratories, computer rooms, creative workshops and other educational rooms. Sports infrastructure includes:

• Full-size illuminated field for hockey, netball and tennis,
• Multifunctional pavilion with space for team, individual training,
• New Astro Illuminated All-Weather Course with First-Class Educational Facilities,
• Gymnasium with full-size trampolines for competitions,
• Netball and tennis courts,
• Pool
• Several running trails.

Students who are fond of creative areas have access to a large art, textile and music studios, in which both individual classes and group lessons, exhibitions, and seminars are held. Each studio is equipped with specialized materials for obtaining applied skills in photography, painting, playing musical instruments, singing and other areas. The school has a separate orchestra room equipped with a PA system, drum kit and a variety of keyboards; a music technology room is available to compose using the latest Sibelius software.

The most unique location on the educational grounds is the equestrian centre, approved by the British Equestrian Society. Students can bring their own horse or borrow one of the local horses/ponies to master equestrian sports. The following are prepared for training:

• Livery pens for competitions: full, grass and homemade,
• Fourteen stables with boxes for free movement,
• Four open barns,
• 60m x 40m all-weather outdoor arena, full set of BSJA show jumping tracks,
• A small track with fences from 40 to 90 cm high,
• 33 acres of grazing paddocks,
• Own territory in the park area,
• Hot water, an area for washing horses and a separate room for washing equipment.

There are three semesters in the academic year:

• Autumn: September-December,
• Spring: January-March,
• Summer: April-July.

Classes are held only on weekdays. Weekends, days of national and international holidays, during holidays (summer, Christmas, Easter) are provided for personal activities. After school, entertainment is organised on weekdays and weekends.

The annual cost of the academic program covers the following services:

• Full curriculum,
• Necessary educational materials,
• Mentoring care, including access to a medical center and a registered school nurse,
• Snacks during lunch, breaks,
• All Campus Events,
• Breakfast and dinner, if necessary,
• Opportunities for supervised training after school.

When accommodated in a residence, the price covers:

• Living in a room, using the entire infrastructure of the residential building,
• A meal plan that corresponds to the form of accommodation,
• Weekly and full-board students have access to laundry.

The list of additional costs will include services such as after-school care for younger students, some off-site activities, registration fees for admission, external exams.

Admission takes place in several stages:

• first, families fill out a detailed questionnaire and wait for a response from the admissions committee,
• the future student passes entrance tests and an interview, after which the family receives an official invitation to enroll,

Professioanl managers accompany applicants and their parents at all stages of admission, including the process of obtaining a visa.

Admission of new students is carried out subject to the availability of vacant places in classes and on the basis of previous academic achievements, the results of entrance tests in basic subjects, like English.

High school students earn outstanding grades in their final exams, which gives them access to leading Sixth Form schools, colleges, and universities. The list of institutions where Queen Mary's School graduates are currently studying includes Oxbridge and Russell Group.

Before applying, admissions officers advise visiting the campus, talking to teachers and the principal, and the child will be able to attend a trial study day. If a visit is not possible, educational staff can offer video communication so that parents get answers to all their questions.

International applicants wishing to study at Queen Mary's School must provide academic certificates from the last two academic years. Personal documents will also be required: passport, health insurance, visa or residence permit for long-term study in the UK.

Queen Mary's School offers a number of honorary scholarships to female students who demonstrate exceptional ability and potential in key areas: academics, art, music, horseback riding, sports. The award will cover part of the cost of a year's tuition. Foreign students can also get a 5% sibling discount, a 10% discount on fees.

• Guardianship services during the studies
• Student supervision