Why All-Girls?

At Malvern St James, everything is totally geared for girls; there are no barriers. In a single-sex environment, there is no gender stereotyping, and subjects that have traditionally been dominated by boys, are not seen as off limits to girls. In-fact, they are embraced! Over 50% of Year 13 Malvern St James leavers go on to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related degree courses at top universities, including Oxbridge, Imperial, Warwick, Bristol and UCL.

Younger girls see the older girls as leaders and mentors and this creates a ‘can-do’ attitude towards learning and aiming high, but there is more to it than that. Empowered by our growth mindset philosophy, girls are motivated and have no hesitation, as they feel the world is here for the taking.

They know they can achieve anything they set their mind to.

For more guidance on the benefits of girls’ single-sex education, please see information from the Girls Schools Association (GSA).

Freedom to be herself - Parent, Year 11

"The all-girls environment of Malvern St James (MSJ) means that there is far less pressure to conform to social expectations. After coming top in a science test, shortly before joining MSJ, my daughter told me she wouldn’t carry on with science because ‘’girls just don’t do it.’’  Since joining MSJ in Year 8, her thinking is radically different. She sees other girls enjoying and doing well in science. Her favourite subjects are sciences and she’s predicted top GCSE grades. MSJ’s smaller class sizes and their encouragement of girls to pursue what interests them, have contributed to this success. 

Every morning when I drop my daughter at school, she is happy, looking forward to the day and catching up with her friends. At MSJ my daughter has learned a great life lesson – to appreciate that every single person has something to contribute. Respect for others seems to be embedded within the DNA of the School. I have had lectures from my daughter about tolerance and difference, learning in respect and kindness that the School has imparted.

At MSJ my daughter is free to find out what she is good at. A little while ago she was nervous about taking GCSE music, because she didn’t have an instrument. The music teachers suggested the saxophone, provided an instrument and supported her in a subject about which she felt very under-confident.  Two nights ago, she suggested that we should play ‘Girl from Ipanema’ as a duet (I also play, badly). Thank you for this miracle! A wonderful proud-parent moment. 

You have given my daughter incredibly good manners, the self-discipline to revise for weeks before exams, and the motivation to love doing well. You have given her excellent pastoral care and friends for life.  You have given her a love of her chosen subjects and a determination to do her best.  She has the self-confidence to engage in conversation with any age group, to join in adult discussion of politics or science, the sophistication to enjoy and appreciate the arts.  Thank you."