Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory School
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory School is a co-ed boarding and day school in Clitheroe, Lancashire, educating pupils aged 3 - 11 and founded in 1593. Boarding fees are £11,840 - £17,745 per term. Our advice on this school is independent and free.
- Type
- Co-ed boarding & day
- Boarders from
- 9 - 11
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Guardian required
- Yes
About Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory
The story, ethos and character of Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory.
- Setting
- Rural
- Ethos
- Catholic
- Head
- Mr Christopher Cann
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall is the Preparatory School of Stonyhurst College, providing the first steps in a seamless education from age 3 to 18. We are a Roman Catholic school in the Jesuit tradition offering an excellent education for boarders and day pupils alike.
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall is housed in its own buildings on the same site as the senior school with which it shares several facilities. From the age of 11, delivery of the academic programme is overseen by the Heads of Department from Stonyhurst College and is taught by highly qualified specialist teachers, ensuring continuity as they move across to the College at the age of 13.
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall has excellent facilities, which include a tennis dome, new science lab, extensive music department, an art studio, a swimming pool, sports hall and a professional theatre.
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall is in a beautiful rural location about an hour from Manchester, 2 hours from London by train and 40 minutes from Preston. School history The first on-campus prep school feeding into Stonyhurst College was not based at St Mary's Hall, but at Hodder Place, which took in a small number of the youngest boys as its first students in January 1807 when it was still an (at that time illegal) novitiate for the training of novices for the Jesuit priesthood.
In 1821 the novices moved out and so the building became exclusively a prep school except for the period 1827 until 1853, during which time the novices returned. Whilst extensive improvements were made to the building, the Hodder boys were housed at The College, but by 1855 the work was finished.
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Academics at Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory
What pupils study at Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory — and where it takes them.
We have a highly personalised approach to the children's learning following the International Primary Curriculum up to the age of 11. At 11+ the Stonyhurst College HODs take responsibility for the academic programme which means that the children benefit from the leadership, development and pastoral of a Prep School system but with the academic stretch that comes with being taught by secondary subject specialists.
Bringing to life their learning in class, teachers and children have access to the artefacts and curator expertise of the oldest museum in the English speaking world, the Stonyhurst Collections. The museum contains over 50,000 objects and books, including a wide and rich collection of Natural History pieces, a first folio by William Shakespeare, Egyptian mummies, fossilised dinosaur dung and a prayer book that was once the property of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Programmes offered
Figures are indicative — contact us for the latest results.
Boarding at Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory
Day-to-day boarding life and pastoral care at Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory.
- Boarding houses
- Girls 1, Boys 1, Mixed 0
- Exeat weekends
- No
- Guardian required
- Yes
- Saturday lessons
- Yes
St Mary's Hall is devoted to providing a safe, happy and loving home-from-home and the foundation for each child's emotional well-being, spiritual development and academic success. Everyone boards together in the same house, with separate boys and girls galleries for sleeping, separate sitting rooms for relaxing and a joint Playroom and kitchen so pupils can decide how they'd like to spend their social time.
Mr Stokes is the House Parent who lives onsite with his wife, Mrs Stokes, and their children, Arthur and Elsie. Their supportive relationships with boarders are caring and involved but encourage increasing independence, just as you would at home.
Everyone at St Mary's Hall is devoted to providing a safe, happy and loving home-from-home and the foundation for your child's emotional well-being, spiritual development and academic success. Everyone boards together in the same house, with separate boys and girls galleries for sleeping, separate sitting rooms for relaxing and a joint Playroom and kitchen so pupils can decide how they'd like to spend their social time.
Boarders typically live in dormitories with 3-5 peers of a similar age, which allows them to mature, grow in confidence and develop socially at an age-appropriate pace. Where possible, we boarders of similar background and interests together in their first term to help them to settle in, before a considered dormitory reshuffle at half term.
We can arrange trusted UK guardianship for international families.
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory admissions
How children join Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory, 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
Students usually start in September. Students will be accepted at other times provided they will be staying for more than 1 year. The minimum time a pupil can stay at Stonyhurst College is 1 year. Special notes to agents about entry to the school New pupils will be sent a joining pack in the summer before they start.
This gives them all the information they need when they start school and a welcome letter from their housemaster or house mistress. Groups of pupils are mixed by age, gender and nationality in order to ensure that the overseas pupils get a wide range of new friends.
As your advisors we manage the application end-to-end at no cost.
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory fees & funding
What Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory 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 Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory.
Fees change year to year and by entry point. As your independent advisors we hold up-to-date figures and can compare Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory against similar schools so you know exactly what to budget.
Figures shown are the latest we hold — we'll confirm current fees on enquiry.
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory location & travel
Where Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory is, and how to get there.
Travel details Address Stonyhurst, Hurst Green, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 9PU, England Airport transfer Transport to and from the airports at the beginning and end of term is arranged by the College. Travel time to London by train Less than 3 hours Telephone +44 (0) 1254 827073 Website https://www.
stonyhurst. ac. uk/ Most convenient airports Airport Distance (miles) Drive time (minutes) 1. Manchester 47 60 2. Liverpool John Lennon 57 72 3. Leeds Bradford 43 76 Most convenient train stations Station Distance (miles) Drive time (minutes) 1.
Stonyhurst St Mary's Hall Preparatory — frequently asked questions
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