St Margaret's School
St Margaret's School is a co-ed boarding and day school in Bushey, Hertfordshire, educating pupils aged 2 - 18 and founded in 1749. Boarding fees are £16,877 - £16,877 per term. Our advice on this school is independent and free.
- Type
- Co-ed boarding & day
- Boarders from
- 11 - 18
- Ethos
- Church of England
- Guardian required
- Yes
About St Margaret's
The story, ethos and character of St Margaret's.
- Setting
- Rural
- Ethos
- Church of England
- Head
- Ms Lara Pechard

St Margaret's is a co-educational independent day and boarding school for pupils aged 2 to 18. St Margaret's is among the oldest schools in the UK and known for its excellent academic record and exceptional pastoral care, which has been a hallmark since its foundation as a school for orphans in 1749.
Today St Margaret's is located in 60 acres of stunning Hertfordshire country and is extremely well positioned near to London and its major international transport networks. What the school is known for? We are a school with a proven record of academic success in public examinations and our pupils move onto competitive courses at leading universities and institutions both here in the UK and around the world.
Our outward looking ethos aims to encourage a genuine enthusiasm for learning and an ability to independently explore subjects beyond the classroom.

The pastoral care at St Margaret's is the central pillar upon which the success of the school is based and we are proud of the quality of care and opportunity given to every one of our pupils no matter what stage of their education. We offer a rich programme of extra-curricular activities and pupils are encouraged to find their talent whatever that may be.
School history In 1749 'the Society of Stewards and Subscribers for Maintaining and Educating Poor Orphans of Clergymen' was set up in London and charitable donations made by wealthy people including the royal family and politicians. In 1760 Princess Amelia gave £100 and in 1791 George III donated £500, being part of the proceeds of one of Mr Handel's musical performances in Westminster Abbey.







Read the full St Margaret's profile
Enter your email to unlock academics, boarding life, admissions, fees & funding, location and photos — free, and for every school on this site.
- Full academics, boarding, admissions & fees detail
- Photo galleries and location guides
- Independent, free advice — no spam, ever
Academics at St Margaret's
What pupils study at St Margaret's — and where it takes them.

pupils are encouraged to maintain the breadth which is a mark of their earlier education, but individual needs are respected. Pupils go on to study A-Levels and achieve the high grades which underpin successful university applications, while having time to pursue hobbies and interests to a high level, and develop those life skills essential for success in later life.
Performing and creative arts In creative arts we aim to introduce pupils to a wide range of media, including: digital arts; photography; printmaking; ceramics; sculpture; painting; drawing; and textiles. We run a broad range of co-curricular clubs such as photography, textiles, arts and crafts, digital art, and ceramic.
Programmes offered
Subjects offered
Where our leavers go
2023 Leavers Cardiff University Accounting University of Warwick History Politics and International Relations Neuroscience University of Exeter English and Drama Nottingham Trent University Criminology and Psychology Boston University Economics Brunel University Physiotherapy Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts Acting University of Leeds Classics Kings College London Medicine Bournemouth University Sports Queen Mary University Law University College of London (UCL) Pharmacy University of Leicester Computer Science 2022 Leavers University of Southampton Aeronautics and Astronautics JP Morgan Technology Degree Apprenticeship Queen Mary University History Brno University, Czech Republic Veterinary Medicine Central St Martin's, UAL Art, Design and Illustration CHUK, Hong Kong Physics University of Warwick Politics, Philosophy and Law (PPL)University of Nottingham Psychology Swansea University Economics and Finance with a Year in Industry Luiss University, Rome Psychology Plymouth University Dental Hygiene Stern University, USA Liberal Arts and Cultural Studies
Figures are indicative — contact us for the latest results.
Boarding at St Margaret's
Day-to-day boarding life and pastoral care at St Margaret's.
- Boarding houses
- Girls 1, Boys 1, Mixed 0
- Exeat weekends
- No
- Guardian required
- Yes
- Saturday lessons
- No

The boarding house is home to a vibrant community with pupils from all over the world. The Boarding House is spread over the top three floors in the main Waterhouse building, so you never have far to walk to School. Rooms are airy, well decorated and well-liked by boarders.
Each room has a bed, desk, chair and plenty of storage. Pupils in the Sixth Form benefit from having their own sink in their bedroom. All of the bathrooms are shared facilities, and each floor has its own. Kitchenette facilities are available should boarders want to make their own snacks after school, or at the weekend.
A genuine home away from home

We are among the oldest boarding school's in the United Kingdom. We take great pride in this fact as it not only demonstrates our wealth of experience, but also our success in ensuring pupis are well-looked after and above all, happy at St Margaret's.
We welcome pupils into our Boarding house, from Year 7 onwards. The St Margaret's boarding experience is like no other. It is full of activities, ensuring school work is a priority, busy and a lovely community of pupils set among a 60 acre rural background and only 20 minutes to Central London.







We can arrange trusted UK guardianship for international families.
St Margaret's admissions
How children join St Margaret's, and how we make it simple.
Tell us about your child
Share their age, interests and what you're looking for. Our advice is completely free.
We shortlist & introduce
We match you to the right schools and make the introductions to their admissions teams.
Assessment, offer & enrolment
We guide you through entrance assessments and interviews, and handle visas and guardianship if needed.
What you'll typically need
- Recent school reports or transcript
- Passport copy
- English-language evidence (if applicable)
- Completed registration form
- A reference from the current school

Admissions offers are based not just on an entrance exam, but also by meeting pupils, through interview and school reports and we pride ourselves on prioritising potential over prior attainment. https://www. stmargarets-school. org. uk/admissions Special notes to agents about entry to the school Please email a copy of the student's last school report when referring a student.
On receipt we will let you know if we have a available. We will then ask you to ask parents to complete a Registration form and return to Admissions with the relevant registration fee (£130 for UK / £180 for overseas students). The student will then sit an entrance examination.
As your advisors we manage the application end-to-end at no cost.
St Margaret's fees & funding
What St Margaret's costs, what's included, and how we help with funding.
What termly boarding fees include
- Tuition
- Boarding accommodation
- All meals
- Pastoral & house care
- Most academic materials
Funding & scholarships
Registration deposits, EAL tuition, uniform and trips are usually charged separately. Many schools offer academic, sport, music and art scholarships plus means-tested bursaries — ask us and we'll send a full, current breakdown for St Margaret's.

Fees change year to year and by entry point. As your independent advisors we hold up-to-date figures and can compare St Margaret's against similar schools so you know exactly what to budget.
Figures shown are the latest we hold — we'll confirm current fees on enquiry.
St Margaret's location & travel
Where St Margaret's is, and how to get there.

Travel details Address Merry Hill Road, Bushey, Hertfordshire, WD23 1DT, England Airport transfer Guardians to arrange airport transfers. Travel time to London by train Less than 1 hour Telephone +44 (0)20 8416 4400 Website https://www. stmargarets-school.
org. uk/ Most convenient airports Airport Distance (miles) Drive time (minutes) 1. London Heathrow 23 35 2. London Gatwick 62 62 3. London Stansted 42 50 4. London Luton 19 30 Most convenient train stations Station Distance (miles) Drive time (minutes) 1.
Inside St Margaret's




St Margaret's — frequently asked questions
Where is St Margaret's?
How much are St Margaret's boarding fees?
What ages does St Margaret's take?
Is St Margaret's co-educational?
When was St Margaret's founded?
Does St Margaret's require a UK guardian?
How many pupils study A-levels at St Margaret's?
What qualifications does St Margaret's offer?
Does St Margaret's support SEN or EAL students?
How many boarding houses does St Margaret's have?
Are there compulsory exeat weekends at St Margaret's?
Does St Margaret's have Saturday lessons?
How do I apply to St Margaret's?
Does St Margaret's accept international students?
How much does St Margaret's cost?
What's included in St Margaret's's fees?
Are scholarships or bursaries available?
Where exactly is St Margaret's?
Considering St Margaret's for your child?
We've visited the schools and know the staff. Tell us what you're looking for and we'll guide you — our advice is always free.
Ask us about St Margaret's