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St Bees School

Bees, Cumbria
1583
Founded
11 - 18
Age range
Co-ed
School type
£10,800 - £15,600
Boarding / term
In short

St Bees School is a co-ed boarding and day school in Bees, Cumbria, educating pupils aged 11 - 18 and founded in 1583. Boarding fees are £10,800 - £15,600 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

About St Bees

The story, ethos and character of St Bees.

Setting
Village
Ethos
Church of England
Head
Mr Laurence Gribble Interim
St Bees — campus and grounds

At St Bees School, we are constantly striving to identify the needsof tomorrow's world, and prepare our students, from ages 11-18, to meetthese challenges with confidence. Many of the jobs they will bedoing have not yet been invented. At St Bees, we give them the skills tonot only achieve, but to excel in an ever-changing world.

St Bees is "where West meets East". China is a rising star in theeconomic firmament and an enterprise superpower. Our twin-campusapproach between St Bees UK and St Bees China aims to develop afree-flow of students between the two campuses, united through theirshared curriculum.

All of our UK students learn Mandarin Chinese as a first foreignlanguage and their bilingual competence will them head andshoulders above other students in their future university applicationsand job interviews.
St Bees — the school grounds

The opportunities, beyond what we consider to be the core of academicachievement and character development, are myriad and students canthrive in the cleanest and safest of environments. Small class sizes, one-to-one mentoring, and all-round excellence inpastoral care and attention to mental wellbeing ensure that each youngperson at St Bees will develop a preparedness for the challenges of theworld beyond school.

All in all, an exciting education awaits. Please visit us and findout for yourself what lies on the other side of our educational horizon. What the school is known for? St Bees School is much more thanjust a private secondary school in the UK; we a lot of pride onour uniquely developed Fusion Curriculum, which enables our students toleave us both academically successful and well-rounded as a .

St Bees — around the schoolSt Bees — school buildings and groundsSt Bees — campus and groundsSt Bees — the school groundsSt Bees — around the schoolSt Bees — school buildings and groundsSt Bees — campus and grounds
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Academics

Academics at St Bees

What pupils study at St Bees — and where it takes them.

31
A-level students
5
Programmes
Yes
SEN / EAL support
St Bees — the school grounds

will be able to proceed into our Sixth Form to study A Levels. If students pass the entry criteria for the Sixth Form in May/June they will be able to join an A Level course the following September. Suitable for boys and girls aged 15-16 who are looking to enrol on an A Level course the following year Entry Requirements : Minimum entry level of English: CEFR B1 (Cambridge ESOL PET; IELTS 4.5 -5).

Students are required to take entry tests in Mathematics and English. Entry Point: September, at the start of the academic year Special educational needs We have a small facility catering for SEN needs, but we would admit to not having the largest provision for extreme needs.

Programmes offered

GCSEA levelIB DiplomaEALSixth Form

Subjects offered

Art & DesignBiologyBusiness StudiesBusiness Studies & EconomicsChemistryComputer ScienceDramaEconomicsEnglishEnglish LiteratureFurther MathematicsGeography+ 5 more — ask us

Where our leavers go

University Bath Course Accounting and Finance, Biology, Education Bangor Spanish, Journalism Birmingham History Bristol Civil Engineering (x3), Aerospace Engineering Cardiff Optometry, Civil Engineering Central St Martin Art Foundation Dundee Philosophy Durham Biological Sciences, Business and Finance, Business Management, Civil Engineering, Geography, Medicine Edinburgh Accounting and Finance, Business Management, Economics, Pharmacology, English Literature, Mathematics and Statistics Florida Engineering Glasgow English Literature, Latin, Medicine Hull Drama and Theatre Practice Imperial College, London Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Electronic Engineering, Mathematics Keele Computer Science Kingston Art and Design, Computer Science Lancaster Geography, Mechanical Engineering, Business Leeds International Business, Portuguese and Spanish Liverpool Psychology, French, Ancient History, Mathematics, Egyptology Liverpool John Moores Accounting, Natural Sciences London School of Economics Philosophy Loughborough Automotive Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Quantity Surveying Manchester Aerospace Engineering, Linguistics and Spanish, Nursing , Pharmacology, Medicine, Management Accounting & Finance, Middle Eastern Studies, Arabic Manchester Metropolitan Art, Biomedical Science, Business Management, Primary School Education Newcastle Animal Science Northumbria Business, Criminology, Geography, Marketing, Mechanical Engineering, Finance & Investment Nottingham Mathematics, Pharmacy, American Studies, Business & Economics Oxford Engineering, Physics, French & Russian Plymouth International Relations Sheffield Accounting and Finance, Mechanical Engineering St Andrews Classics Stirling Environmental Geography, Film and Media Southampton Mathematics, Civil Engineering University College, London History of Art, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Economics, Statistics University of London, Institute in Paris French Warwick Mathematics, Physics York Electrical Engineering (x3), Law, Mathematics, Physics with Astrophysics

Figures are indicative — contact us for the latest results.

Boarding

Boarding at St Bees

Day-to-day boarding life and pastoral care at St Bees.

Boarding houses
Girls 0, Boys 0, Mixed 1
Exeat weekends
No
Guardian required
Yes
Saturday lessons
No
St Bees — pupils in their boarding house

Bees is a traditional British boarding school enriched by a wonderful mix of international and local students. Students come from both the UK and overseas and with around 12 nationalities represented, this wonderful diversity is both enriching and enjoyable and offers students a greater awareness and understanding of other cultures and religions.

We welcome boarders aged from 11-18, and our vibrant and supportive community offers students wonderful opportunities both inside the classroom and out. We make no distinction between Day and Boarding students and having just one co-ed boarding house, School House, means it truly is a home-from-home.

Pastoral care

A genuine home away from home

St Bees — everyday boarding life

School House is currently our only boarding house, with room for 56 students. It lies in the centre of the campus and was constructed in 1866 to provide purpose-built accommodation for both the Headmaster and an increasing number of resident boys.

Outwardly, the House still looks remarkably similar to how it appeared in those early days. School House has one large kitchen, several common room areas, a Pool table, numerous games consoles, board games, PCs and 'chill out' areas for students to use as they wish.

St Bees — around the schoolSt Bees — specialist facilitiesSt Bees — school facilitiesSt Bees — on-site facilitiesSt Bees — sport and outdoor activitiesSt Bees — pupils playing sportSt Bees — sport and fixtures

We can arrange trusted UK guardianship for international families.

Admissions

St Bees admissions

How children join St Bees, and how we make it simple.

01

Tell us about your child

Share their age, interests and what you're looking for. Our advice is completely free.

02

We shortlist & introduce

We match you to the right schools and make the introductions to their admissions teams.

03

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
St Bees — school buildings and grounds

are met. We accept boarders from the age of 11. Families can visit us at any time, either by attending one of our very popular Open Days or by making an appointment through the Admissions Office for a personal tour of the School with one of our School Leaders followed by a meeting with Headmaster.

We also offer taster-days and sit-in lessons for students who wish to fully experience our classes and get to know first-hand what it is like to be a St Bees School student. For students whose first is not English, the International Department provides courses to develop English skills and communicative ability.

As your advisors we manage the application end-to-end at no cost.

Fees

St Bees fees & funding

What St Bees costs, what's included, and how we help with funding.

£10,800 - £15,600
Boarding / term
Yes
Guardian required
Available
Scholarships & bursaries

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 Bees.

St Bees — campus and grounds

Fees change year to year and by entry point. As your independent advisors we hold up-to-date figures and can compare St Bees against similar schools so you know exactly what to budget.

Figures shown are the latest we hold — we'll confirm current fees on enquiry.

Location

St Bees location & travel

Where St Bees is, and how to get there.

Bees
Location
Village
Setting
Cumbria
Region
St Bees — the school grounds

Travel details Address Wood Lane, St Bees, Cumbria, CA27 0DS , England Airport transfer Arrivals and departures from Manchester Airport are met by School staff and transported to school in School vehicles. The cost of airport transfers depends on whether the student is sharing or solo, and varies between £120 - £200 per journey.

Telephone +44 (0)1946 828 000 Website https://www. stbeesschool. co. uk/ Most convenient airports Airport Distance (miles) Drive time (minutes) 1. Newcastle Airport 100 120 2. Manchester 137 180 3. Edinburgh 144 180 Most convenient train stations Station Distance (miles) Drive time (minutes) 1.

FAQs

St Bees — frequently asked questions

Where is St Bees?
St Bees School is located in Bees, Cumbria, England. The full address is Wood Lane St, Bees, Cumbria CA27 0DS.
How much are St Bees boarding fees?
Boarding fees at St Bees are £10,800 - £15,600 per term, depending on year group. Day places and international packages may differ — contact us for current figures.
What ages does St Bees take?
St Bees educates pupils aged 11 - 18, with boarders from 11 - 18.
Is St Bees co-educational?
St Bees is a co-ed boarding and day school.
When was St Bees founded?
St Bees was founded in 1583.
Does St Bees require a UK guardian?
Yes — international boarders at St Bees must have a UK-based guardian. We can arrange trusted guardianship if needed.
How many pupils study A-levels at St Bees?
Around 31 pupils study A-levels at St Bees.
What qualifications does St Bees offer?
St Bees prepares pupils for GCSE and A-level examinations, with strong EAL support for international students.
Does St Bees support SEN or EAL students?
Yes — St Bees supports a range of learning needs and English as an Additional Language. We can confirm specific provision for your child.
How many boarding houses does St Bees have?
St Bees has boarding houses (Girls 0, Boys 0, Mixed 1).
Are there compulsory exeat weekends at St Bees?
No — St Bees does not have compulsory exeat weekends, so boarders can stay at weekends.
Does St Bees have Saturday lessons?
No — St Bees does not run Saturday lessons.
How do I apply to St Bees?
Applications to St Bees run through its admissions team. As your advisors we handle the introduction, paperwork and references for you — at no cost.
Does St Bees accept international students?
Yes — St Bees welcomes international boarders. We guide families through entry assessments, English requirements, guardianship and visas.
How much does St Bees cost?
Boarding fees at St Bees are £10,800 - £15,600 per term. Fees typically rise with year group and exclude extras such as registration deposits, EAL tuition and trips.
What's included in St Bees's fees?
Termly boarding fees usually cover tuition, accommodation and meals. Registration fees, deposits, uniform, EAL support and some activities are charged separately — we'll send you a full breakdown.
Are scholarships or bursaries available?
Many UK boarding schools offer academic, sport, music and art scholarships, plus means-tested bursaries. Ask us and we'll check what St Bees currently offers.
Where exactly is St Bees?
St Bees is in Bees, Cumbria. Address: Wood Lane St, Bees, Cumbria CA27 0DS.
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