Head of School welcome
I am delighted to offer you a warm welcome to our website and to our community. I hope it helps you discover something of who we are, what we do and what we stand for.
St Mary’s College is a very special, unique and pioneering school which is built on traditional values with a modern outlook. We are one of the most successful schools in the country and are rightly proud of our reputation and track record in delivering the highest of standards for all students. The relentless hard work and dedication of our staff and students never stops. At our school we love and care for students: we focus on knowing the child as well as we know the student. We aim to develop young people who know they are adored and individually valued, who will go into the world and make a difference.
St Mary’s College is one of the biggest Catholic schools in the country serving over 2400 students from Hull and the East Riding. However, despite our size, we pride ourselves on knowing students individually, and ensuring they feel seen and known to us.
We have added significantly to our state-of-the-art campus, theatre, sports facilities and exceptional Sixth Form centre. The size of the school is not an end in itself. However, it does allow us to offer a huge range of academic and extra-curricular programmes to cater for the many talents and interests of our community. Our distinctive enrichment programme is designed to ensure all students have amazing experiences that otherwise they may not be exposed to.
As a Catholic school we believe that all people, young and old, have an amazing capacity to do great things. The pursuit of excellence is not an option, it is our mission, our vocation, our very purpose. Underpinning our ambitions is our commitment to the personal pastoral care of every person. We especially focus on our SEND children whom we see as fully complete humans, who have important and beautiful qualities, they enrich our school community without end.
We have invested heavily in the leadership and staffing of a sophisticated pastoral care system which provides appropriate and timely support for individuals in order that learning, development and successful outcomes happen. We are a community that cares for one another and firmly believe that every member of our school has an important part to play. For me, in my role as Head of School, our disadvantaged children will always be a priority for no child should ever be born unlucky by circumstance. It is our job as a school to offer all our children, regardless of background, opportunities that they would not find anywhere else.
Our multi-national community celebrates the diversity of cultural and language traditions contributed by students and staff. As an International School we offer exceptional opportunities to experience the life, language and culture of other countries, to develop global awareness and a respect for justice, peace, the climate and our environment. Our school has a key role to play in our local community: respect and tolerance are paramount.
We offer a bespoke transition programme which ensures that all youngsters joining us in Year 7 feel fully supported and excited at the start of their journey at St Mary’s College. Furthermore, we have a huge range of extra-curricular and enrichment activities which offer all students the chance to pursue all of their interests, try new ones and fully engage in the wider life of our wonderful school.
Aiming to be one of the very best schools possible, St Mary’s College is a demanding and challenging place to learn and to work. It is also a hugely rewarding and enjoyable place to be. We promise to do our absolute best to look after your child, just as they are your world, so they will become ours.
If you would like to come to visit you are very welcome.
Kind regards,
Maria Stead
Head of School