St Margaret's School

First-class facilities, almost three centuries of history, and a campus of around 60 acres on the edge of London: St Margaret's School in Bushey packs a great deal into a single site. Founded in 1749 for the children of clergy, it is now a co-educational independent school for ages 2 to 18, taking pupils from a nursery for two-year-olds right through to A-level. Around 806 pupils are on roll, day and boarding, under Head Lara Péchard. Academic results sit comfortably above the England average at both GCSE and A-level, and a 2025 inspection found every standard met. The pull here is breadth and warmth rather than hot-house pressure: a school that wants pupils to be happy as well as successful, with strong pastoral care and a co-curricular list that runs from a Biomedical Society to floodlit pitches and a 25 metre pool.

The Bushey site is dominated by a single, striking Victorian building designed by Alfred Waterhouse, the architect behind the Natural History Museum in London. Commissioned in 1893 and completed in 1897, it still anchors the school today and lends day-to-day life an unusual sense of permanence. That history is not decoration. St Margaret's began in 1749 as a foundation of the Clergy Orphan Corporation, created to educate the children of Church of England clergy who had died, and the Church of England ethos remains part of its identity. The school did not always sit in Bushey: it began in Southwark and moved through several homes, including St John's Wood and Windsor, before settling on its present site in 1897. The name itself came from Headmistress Emily Baylee, appointed in 1886, who chose St Margaret of Scotland as a role model for the school. The first fee-paying pupils arrived in 1902, the first day girls in 1940, and the school became fully independent of the Clergy Orphan Corporation in 1996.

What has changed most is who the school is for. For most of its life this was a girls' school; the transition to co-education began in 2020, starting with the sixth form, and was completed across the senior school by 2022, so the school is now fully mixed from nursery to sixth form. The atmosphere leans on three words the school returns to often: creativity, curiosity and compassion. Leaders have set out a clear strategic vision that is ambitious and responsive to pupils' needs, and a culture of kindness, respect and inclusion runs through the place. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and constructive, and the school deliberately frames itself around happiness as well as success.

The early years feel like a school in miniature rather than an add-on. The nursery takes children from age two, with provision tailored to individual development, an emphasis on outdoor learning, and generous space within the wider grounds. For boarders, life centres on the top two floors of the Waterhouse building, home to a genuinely international community, which gives the school a more outward-looking feel than its leafy Hertfordshire setting might suggest. The result is a campus that feels at once historic and busy: a Victorian landmark put to thoroughly modern use, with a nursery, a junior school, a senior school and a sixth form all sharing the same grounds.

St Margaret's is a solidly above-average performer that does not trade on league-table aggression. At GCSE, results place it in the top 25% of schools in England. To put that in proprietary FindMySchool terms, rankings built from official data position the school at 640th in England for GCSE and 2nd within the Bushey area. Roughly 28% of GCSE entries reached the very top grades of 9 or 8, and close to half (about 48%) were graded 7 to 9, the band most selective sixth forms and universities look for. For a school that selects on potential rather than purely on prior attainment, getting that many entries into the highest grades is a meaningful result.

At A-level the picture is similar: above the England average and within the top 25% nationally. The proprietary FindMySchool A-level ranking places St Margaret's 515th in England and 3rd locally in Bushey. Around 35% of A-level entries were graded A* or A, against an England average of roughly 24%, and about 62% reached A* to B, comfortably ahead of the England figure of around 47% for that wider band. The standout headline grades are A* at around 14% of entries. Taken together, GCSE and A-level give the school a combined academic ranking of 458th in England, a position that reflects steady strength across both phases rather than a single peak.

These are the numbers of a school that gets a broad cohort to genuinely good outcomes, not one that selects hard and polishes a narrow elite. The school's own framing is telling: it points to the progress each pupil makes over time rather than to raw percentages, which fits an all-through model where many children arrive at age two or four and stay for the long haul. Families who want to see how those results stack up against neighbouring schools can line them up side by side in the FindMySchool local hub comparison.

Teaching at St Margaret's is well planned and pitched to keep pupils engaged, so pupils take an active part in their lessons. Teachers use clear strategies to track progress and to identify those who need extra help, including pupils with special educational needs or disabilities and those learning English as an additional language. The curriculum is aspirational and broad across every phase, from the nursery through to the sixth form, and it is built to respond to pupils' needs rather than to a one-size-fits-all template.

In the early years, that responsiveness shows in provision shaped around each child's stage of development, with practitioners and room staff using the key-person approach typical of strong nursery settings. Higher up the school, the same instinct produces a wide subject menu and a sixth form built on independent study habits. Pupils take four AS-level courses in Year 12 before settling on three A-levels in Year 13, with timetabled General Studies, physical education and an Independent Research Project, through which most Year 12 students complete the Extended Project Qualification. That structure pushes students to read, research and write well beyond the syllabus before they reach university.

Careers education is a particular strength and starts well before the obvious decision points. Pupils receive impartial guidance on GCSE choices, post-16 pathways and higher education, so that subject decisions are made with the next stage already in view. This continuity is one of the quieter advantages of an all-through school: teachers who have known a child since the junior years are well placed to advise on A-level choices and university options, and the school treats teaching as preparation for life after the gates rather than for the exam alone.

Most St Margaret's leavers head to university. In the 2023/24 cohort of 28 students, 82% went on to higher education, with a further 4% taking up apprenticeships. The school's own emphasis is on a broad spread of courses and destinations, including Russell Group universities and a notable flow to institutions in North America, which reflects the international makeup of the boarding community. Student-led societies in law, biomedicine and the sciences, plus an Oxbridge discussion group, help sixth-formers test competitive routes such as medicine, law and engineering before they commit to a UCAS choice.

Progression within the school matters as much as the exit. Because St Margaret's runs from age two to eighteen, many families never need to arrange an external transfer: children can move from the nursery into Reception, on through the junior years into the senior school, and into the sixth form, all on one site. Sixth-form entry is not automatic, however. Students need a minimum of six GCSEs at grade 5 or above, including English Language and Maths, plus the specific grades required for their chosen A-level subjects, so the school's own Year 11 cohort must meet the same bar as external applicants. Offers are confirmed only after results day and a one-to-one interview, which keeps the academic standard of the sixth form consistent whether students are continuing from Year 11 or joining from elsewhere.

The small Oxbridge contingent is supported but not over-promised. Only a handful of students apply to Oxford or Cambridge in a typical year, which is normal for a school of this size and profile, and the careers and Oxbridge support is geared as much towards the right course at the right university as towards a single famous name. For most leavers, the destination is a strong degree course well matched to their strengths, often at a Russell Group institution or abroad.

St Margaret's admits at four main points: the nursery from age two, Reception at age four, Year 7 at age eleven, and the sixth form at sixteen. Mid-year places are considered where capacity allows, though entry into Year 10 is generally limited to the start of the autumn term. Applications go directly to the school rather than through the local authority, since this is an independent school.

The selection approach is deliberately rounded. Rather than leaning solely on an entrance exam, the school weighs assessment alongside interviews and school reports, and states that it prioritises potential over prior attainment. For 11+ and 13+ entry, assessments and interviews typically take place in January of the year of entry; sixth-form offers are conditional on both GCSE results and a one-to-one interview with the Head of Sixth Form or the Head. Younger children joining the nursery and Reception meet staff and take part in a taster session rather than sit a formal test, which keeps early-years entry low-pressure. Families can use the school's date-of-birth tool to map a personalised application timeline for whichever entry point applies.

Open events run throughout the year, with one-to-one tours available for families who cannot attend a set date or who want a closer look. Because published dates change each year, it is worth checking directly with the school for the next available open morning or tour. There is a registration fee per applicant and a returnable deposit, with reductions for siblings, clergy families, British service personnel and alumni children. Because the school sits within around 60 acres yet remains close to London, it draws families from across south Hertfordshire and the northern edge of the capital, so prospective parents should plan the journey as part of the decision.

Pastoral care is where St Margaret's most visibly lives up to its values. Inspectors found that pupils feel safe and well cared for, that behaviour is typically positive, and that the school promotes a deep culture of kindness, respect and inclusion. Physical and emotional wellbeing are supported in practical ways, through structured exercise programmes, healthy-eating initiatives and a dedicated wellbeing centre that gives pupils a clear place to turn.

Safeguarding is effective and placed at the centre of the school's work, with appropriate policies, suitable staff training and effective oversight from governors who review provision regularly. The family-like quality the Head describes is more than a slogan: with many children joining in the nursery and staying through to eighteen, staff get to know pupils and families over years rather than terms, and that long view is what sustains the warmth in daily relationships. Leadership opportunities are woven through senior school life, from prefect and form-captain roles to peer mentoring, sports leadership and coaching qualifications, giving older students a genuine stake in the wider community and younger pupils visible role models.

Co-curricular breadth is one of the strongest reasons to look at St Margaret's. Sport benefits from a 25 metre swimming pool used for lessons, a swim school and competitive galas, a full-sized sports hall, floodlit all-weather pitches for football, tennis and netball, an athletics track and cricket greens, all set within the school's grounds. The roster runs from netball, football, hockey and cricket to gymnastics, trampolining, volleyball, badminton, rounders and athletics, so there is a route in for the committed competitor and the casual player alike. An on-site sports centre extends access for families beyond the school day and through the holidays, which is unusual for a school of this size and a real practical bonus for active households.

Music has its own dedicated Music Centre, where an orchestra, bands and choirs sit alongside individual instrumental lessons and a regular calendar of concerts, so a child who picks up an instrument has somewhere to play it in earnest. Drama is just as active: a drama studio dating from 1993 hosts LAMDA lessons, drama clubs, a theatre-appreciation society, comedy sketch groups, coffee-house performances and the school's annual dramatic and musical productions, giving performers both formal training and frequent stage time.

The academic enrichment list is unusually long and student-led, which is exactly where curious children thrive. Alongside a STEM Club, a Law Society, a Biomedical Society, an Ancient Greek group and coding, pupils can join Model United Nations, an Oxbridge discussion group, a philosophy club, a psychology society and an economics podcast society, or take up song-writing, outdoor creative writing and a physics journaling club. The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, outdoor leadership and a full programme of trips round out a co-curricular offer that is genuinely extensive and well structured. Crucially, these are clubs that pupils run and shape themselves, which is why the list reads as genuine interest rather than box-ticking.

St Margaret's publishes its fees on a per-term basis. From September 2026, day fees run from roughly £1,320 per term in the youngest years to about £6,960 per term in the senior school, while boarding fees range from around £4,757 per term to about £13,237 per term, both quoted before VAT. Fees cover tuition, textbooks and core materials, after-school supervised study, meals during the school day, and laundry for boarders. For nursery fee details, see the school website; government-funded hours are available for eligible families, and you can see our guide to nursery funding.

Financial support comes in two forms. Scholarships are merit-based and awarded at 11+, 13+ and 16+ across a wide span of talents: academic, art, drama, music, STEM, design technology, dance and sport. Bursaries are means-tested and aimed at families who need help with fees, with fee remittance of up to £1,000 per term available to those who qualify and perform well at entry. On top of this, the school offers a 10% sibling discount and reductions for clergy families, British service personnel and alumni children, alongside a returnable deposit and a per-applicant registration fee. The breadth of scholarship categories is worth flagging: a child strong in dance, drama or design technology, not just academics, has a recognised route to an award here.

Boarding is available as full, weekly or flexi-boarding from Year 7, which gives families real flexibility: a child might board every night, only on weekdays, or for occasional nights to fit around family or travel needs. Accommodation occupies the top two floors of the historic Waterhouse building, with sixth-form rooms offering more independence, including in-room sinks and access to kitchenettes, while younger boarders share bathroom facilities on each floor.

The boarding community is genuinely international, with pupils from around the world living together, and dedicated boarding staff are on hand 24 hours a day. Weekends are busy rather than idle: trips to London galleries, museums and theatres sit alongside shopping outings, theme parks, go-karting, horse-riding and themed dining nights through the year, from Chinese New Year to pizza and pancake evenings. For families weighing boarding against a day place, the flexi option is a practical way to test the water before committing to full or weekly boarding, and it suits busy working parents who want occasional cover rather than a permanent move away from home.

St Margaret's is an all-through day and boarding school for ages 2 to 18 on a single Bushey campus, with a nursery providing early-years care and wraparound provision for the youngest children; families should confirm exact nursery hours and wraparound times directly with the school. The location is a notable practical advantage: the school sits in around 60 acres yet is close to London, putting the capital's galleries, theatres and universities within easy reach for trips and visits. For families using the FindMySchool map search, it is worth comparing your home's travel time to the site, since this is a school many pupils reach by car or coach rather than on foot. Boarders, of course, remove the daily commute altogether, and the flexi and weekly options can soften a long journey for families on the edge of the catchment.

Fees are a serious commitment. With day fees reaching around £6,960 per term and boarding higher still, this is a substantial outlay, and means-tested bursaries are limited in number. Families should explore scholarships and the sibling and clergy reductions early, and view the deposit and registration fee as part of the upfront cost.

Results are strong, not stratospheric. St Margaret's sits comfortably in the top 25% in England at both GCSE and A-level, which is a genuine achievement, but families seeking a hyper-selective hot-house with the very highest grade tallies may find the academic profile broader and gentler than at some rivals. The trade-off is a less pressured, more rounded experience.

Behaviour and admin have minor edges to sharpen. The most recent inspection, while positive overall, asked the school to apply its behaviour policy more consistently so that low-level disruption is managed everywhere, and to tighten the recording of contractor employment checks. Both were framed as refinements rather than failings, and the second was rectified quickly while inspectors were on site.

Boarding suits some families more than others. Living at school, even on a weekly or flexi basis, is right for some children and not others. The international, around-the-clock community is a real strength, but distant or overseas families should think through exeats, weekend arrangements and travel before committing.

St Margaret's is a warm, historic and genuinely all-through school that does the hard part of independent education well: it gets a broad cohort to above-average results without sacrificing happiness, breadth or pastoral care. The Waterhouse building and the 1749 foundation give it character, the co-curricular list gives it depth, and the flexible boarding gives it reach far beyond Bushey. The latest inspection found a school in good health, with kindness and inclusion at its core.

It is best suited to families who want one school for the whole journey from age two to eighteen, who value pastoral warmth and a long co-curricular menu as much as exam metrics, and who can either meet the fees or compete for a scholarship or bursary. Families chasing the absolute top of the league tables, or who cannot make the fees work, will need to weigh that carefully; the main caveat is cost, with strong but not stratospheric results the trade-off for a more rounded, less pressured education.