The St Marylebone CofE School

Behind St Marylebone Parish Church, where Georgian elegance meets the bustle of Marylebone High Street, stands one of London's most distinctive state schools. Founded in 1791 as a charity school for the poor, St Marylebone has transformed into an exceptional comprehensive with performing arts at its heart. The February 2025 Ofsted inspection awarded Outstanding in every category, confirming what local families have long recognised: this is a school where creativity and academic rigour coexist without compromise.

With 1,170 girls from Year 7 to Year 11 and a co-educational sixth form of approximately 330 students, St Marylebone draws from across Westminster and beyond. Roughly 65% of pupils come from ethnic minority backgrounds, representing over 60 languages spoken at home. This diversity, combined with the school's Church of England foundation, creates an environment where faith and multiculturalism interweave naturally.

The school occupies a distinctive urban campus that reflects its layered history. The original Victorian red-brick buildings cluster around the parish church, while a modern three-storey performing arts block, opened in 2007, houses dance studios, a recording studio, and a fully refurbished theatre with LED lighting and retractable seating. The sixth form operates from a separate purpose-built centre on Blandford Street, giving older students their own space while maintaining connections to the main school.

Kathryn Pugh has led the school since January 2014, becoming one of the country's youngest headteachers at the time of her appointment. She read English at Cambridge, graduating with first-class honours, and arrived at St Marylebone in 2005 to teach English before rising through the ranks. Her predecessor, Elizabeth Phillips OBE, served from 1993 to 2013 and oversaw the school's transformation from a struggling institution to one rated Outstanding in every Ofsted category.

The Christian ethos is genuine but underpins rather than dominates daily life. School assemblies and concerts take place in St Marylebone Parish Church, a Grade I listed building designed by Thomas Hardwick. The school's biblical foundation, drawn from Colossians 3:12-17, emphasises compassion, kindness, humility, and forgiveness. The approach attracts families from multiple faith backgrounds; while 60% of pupils are Church of England, Muslim pupils form the next largest faith group, and pupils of all faiths and none are welcomed.

The house system, named after figures connected to Marylebone or embodying the school's values, structures pastoral care and builds community. Ada House honours mathematician Ada Lovelace; Barrett commemorates poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning; Dove celebrates singer Evelyn Dove who studied at the nearby Royal Academy of Music; Hardwick recognises the architect of St Marylebone Parish Church; Nightingale remembers Florence Nightingale, who established her nursing institution in Harley Street; and Wesley acknowledges hymn writer Charles Wesley. House competitions span fundraising, sport, and creative arts, with House Cups awarded annually.

Academic outcomes place St Marylebone firmly in the top tier of state schools in England. At GCSE in 2024, 45.4% of grades were 9-7, with an Attainment 8 score of 61.5 compared to the England average of 45.9. The Progress 8 score of +0.69 places the school in the top 5% in England for the progress pupils make from their starting points.

The school ranks 491st in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England. Locally, it ranks 8th among secondary schools in Westminster. At A-level, the school ranks 297th in England, again within the top 25% of schools in England, and 7th in Westminster.

At A-level in 2025, 75% of grades achieved A*-B and 41% reached A*-A. The performing arts subjects excel: Dance achieved 71.4% at A*-A, Drama 69.6%, and Politics 63.2%. Art reached 55.9% and Classics 50%. Mathematics, with 52 students entered, achieved 42.3% at the top grades.

The banding assessment ensures the school maintains a genuinely comprehensive intake, with equal numbers admitted from each ability band. This makes the progress figures particularly impressive; the school adds significant value regardless of starting points.

The curriculum combines breadth with the school's distinctive specialisms. St Marylebone was designated a Specialist Arts College in 1998 and gained a second specialism in Mathematics and Computing in 2006. The Gold Standard Arts Mark, achieved three times in succession by 2012, reflects sustained commitment to creative education.

At GCSE, students choose four subjects freely while all maintain access to humanities and modern foreign languages. High take-up of languages has produced excellent results in French and Spanish. Religious Studies results are particularly strong. Each year, roughly a full class opts for triple science, while most take combined science. The Ofsted inspection noted that the curriculum is ambitious and teachers have strong subject knowledge.

Setting begins in Year 7 for mathematics. Class sizes average 14:1, with 84 teachers and 17 teaching assistants. The Director of SEND, SENCo, and specialist learning support assistants work with approximately 12.9% of pupils receiving SEN support and 2.5% with EHCPs. Around half the cohort speaks another language at home (not just English), making EAL support a significant area of provision.

The STEM programme, despite the school's arts reputation, is substantial. The school has 15 STEM Ambassadors and offers mathematics and ICT scholarships for sixth formers. Partnerships with Imperial College and UCL provide enrichment opportunities, and the CREST Awards scheme runs at Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels. The First Lego League and CyberGirls First programmes encourage female participation in technology and engineering.

University destinations reflect the school's academic and creative strengths. In 2025, students secured places at Oxford (Music) and Cambridge (Classics, Natural Sciences), alongside strong representation at Russell Group universities including LSE, Durham, King's College London, UCL, Edinburgh, Manchester, Warwick, and Bristol.

The school reports that 53% of sixth form leavers progress to Russell Group universities. In the 2024 cohort, 54% of leavers went to university overall, with 9% to further education, 1% to apprenticeships, and 20% entering employment directly. The lower university percentage reflects the school's performing arts specialism; many students pursue conservatoire training, art foundation courses, or professional opportunities that do not follow the traditional university route.

Oxbridge performance places the school 150th in England for combined applications and acceptances (FindMySchool ranking). In the measurement period, 41 students applied to Oxbridge, receiving 9 offers and 7 acceptances. Oxford applications were particularly strong, with 30 applicants, 6 offers, and 6 acceptances.

Course diversity is notable. Students pursue Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry, Pharmacy, and Speech and Language Therapy alongside Drama, Music Production, Animation, and Art Foundation courses. This range reflects genuine choice rather than narrow academic channelling.

Between 40% and 50% of students leave after GCSE, many for further education colleges, independent schools, or other state schools with a broader A-level menu or a more vocational/technical offer. This is not a sign of weakness; the school openly acknowledges that its post-16 provision suits particular students and encourages others to find the right fit elsewhere.

Competition for places is intense. With approximately 875 applications for 164 Year 7 places in 2024, the school operates at a subscription ratio of 5.34, meaning over five families apply for every available place.

The admissions process allocates places across three categories. Sixteen places each year go to students demonstrating significant aptitude in the performing arts, assessed through auditions in Music (Instrumental or Choral), Drama, and Dance held during September and October. Church of England applicants fill 60% of remaining places, requiring a completed Clergy Form, while the remaining 40% are open places for students of other denominations, other world faiths, or no faith. For open places, distance from the school is the sole criterion once priority has been given to children in care and to applicants with an EHCP naming the school.

All applicants, regardless of category, complete a banding assessment test to ensure comprehensive intake across ability levels. The school admits equal numbers from each of four bands.

Key dates for September 2026 entry included: Supplementary Information Form deadline of 31 October 2025, assessment day on 15 November 2025, and National Offer Day on 2 March 2026. Open days typically run in autumn; check the school website for specific dates, or contact the school directly for the current schedule.

The sixth form admits boys for the first time, significantly expanding the cohort. Up to 15 scholarship places are available in Maths and Performing Arts (Dance, Drama, Music, Music Technology). Entry requirements include five GCSEs at grades 9-6, with English and Maths at grade 5 or above. Some subjects require higher grades. Internal students have priority but must meet the same requirements. External applicants, including boys, face competitive selection.

The Ofsted inspection rated Personal Development Outstanding, noting that students flourish both academically and personally within a strong spiritual ethos. The house system provides the primary pastoral structure, with House Assemblies at least five times yearly and two Heads of House, senior members of staff, leading each house alongside Year 13 House Captains.

Behaviour is good and consistently managed. The inspection noted that cases of bullying are rare. A zero-tolerance approach means detention for talking in class, setting clear expectations from the outset. Mentoring between older and younger pupils strengthens the community and gives sixth formers leadership responsibilities.

The school's location in inner London brings both opportunities and challenges. Students access arts venues, cultural institutions, and professional networks unavailable elsewhere, but the urban environment requires careful safeguarding. The inspection confirmed this as effective.

The performing arts provision defines St Marylebone's character. The Performing Arts Faculty comprises Music, Dance, Drama, and Music Technology, committed to maintaining an extremely high level of arts provision. Two annual concerts at Wigmore Hall showcase student musicians; formal music events also include the Festival of Lessons and Carols and Spring Concert at St Marylebone Parish Church. Students perform at the Royal Albert Hall, The Place, BBC Maida Vale Studios, and Unicorn Theatre.

Dance

Two fully equipped dance studios with sprung floors, mirrored walls, air conditioning, and integrated sound systems host an extensive programme. The Year 7 Dance Club, Marylebone Movement choreography group, Step Into Dance with professional choreographers, InNEWvate Junior Dance Company, and the senior Dance Company provide progression from beginner to GCSE and A-level standard. Partnerships with The Place, Rambert, Trinity Laban, and Shobana Jeyasingh Dance bring professional expertise into the school.

Drama

The newly refurbished theatre with LED lighting, Bluetooth sound, and retractable seating hosts annual musicals with casts exceeding 100 students. Productions have included Oliver!, Urinetown, The 39 Steps, and The Duchess of Malfi. Collaborations with the Royal Court Theatre, Donmar Warehouse, and Central School of Speech and Drama extend opportunities. Students have won the National Theatre New Views playwriting competition.

Music

Head of Music Mr Lake emphasises providing high-quality musical opportunities to as many students as possible. Fifteen peripatetic teachers offer individual lessons in piano, voice, strings, and winds. The Music Technology suite and recording studio enable students to release tracks through Under the Block Records. Choirs, orchestras, and instrumental groups meet regularly.

STEM

Despite the arts reputation, STEM provision is substantial. The programme includes CREST Awards at all levels, First Lego League, CyberGirls First, and partnerships with Imperial College and UCL. Two sixth form mathematics and ICT scholarships encourage continued study.

Sport

An underground sports hall and seven-metre climbing wall provide indoor facilities. Lunchtime and after-school clubs offer football, netball, cricket, athletics, basketball, trampolining, cross-country, and tennis. The Duke of Edinburgh Award runs at Bronze (Year 9), Silver (Year 10), and Gold (Year 12) levels. Sports Leaders development and borough competitions extend competitive opportunities.

Other activities include book clubs, Green Committee, Young Entrepreneurs, and Fairtrade group. The school's location enables partnerships and work experience opportunities unavailable in most schools.

The main school site is at 64 Marylebone High Street, W1U 5BA. The Sixth Form Centre operates from 14 Blandford Street, W1U 4AZ, a short walk away. Baker Street Underground station (Circle, Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan, Jubilee, and Bakerloo lines) is the nearest Tube station. Bond Street and Regent's Park stations are also within walking distance. Several bus routes serve Marylebone High Street.

The school website does not publish specific start and finish times for the school day. Contact the school directly for wraparound care arrangements.

Intense competition for places. With over five applications for every place and a complex admissions system spanning faith, distance, and performing arts aptitude, securing entry requires planning. Families outside the immediate catchment or without strong faith connections may find it difficult to secure one of the limited open places.

Post-16 transition. Between 40% and 50% of students leave after GCSE. The sixth form offers particular strengths in performing arts and specific academic subjects, but families seeking a broader A-level range may need to look elsewhere. This is not a failing; the school is transparent about its post-16 identity.

Faith expectations. While welcoming students of all backgrounds, the school's Church of England character is genuine. Assemblies in the parish church, a biblical foundation for values, and 60% of places reserved for CofE families mean faith is woven through school life. Families uncomfortable with this should consider whether the environment suits their child.

Urban environment. The school has no green space and limited outdoor facilities. The location brings extraordinary cultural access but may feel enclosed for students used to playing fields and open grounds.

St Marylebone is an exceptional school that has earned its Outstanding ratings through genuine excellence rather than narrow exam focus. The performing arts provision rivals independent schools, while GCSE and A-level results place the school firmly in the top tier nationally. The Progress 8 score demonstrates that this success comes from teaching rather than selective intake.

Best suited to girls (and sixth form boys) who will engage with the creative and spiritual culture rather than simply tolerating it. The school rewards those who participate in music, drama, dance, or the broader extracurricular programme. Families seeking a high-achieving school with a comprehensive ethos, Christian values that welcome diversity, and exceptional arts opportunities will find St Marylebone hard to beat. Entry remains the primary hurdle; for those who secure a place, the education is extraordinary.