Head of History and Religious Studies

A Christian community that values, nurtures and respects every individual. A place where all are challenged to do their best, serve others, show compassion and act with integrity.

Queen Mary’s School…. 

• Strives for excellence in every endeavour
• Loves life and enjoys learning
• Nurtures spirituality and personal growth 
• Respects individuality and embraces diversity
• Enhances character and builds resilience
• Creates independent young people
• Makes strong and lasting friendships

Owned by the Woodard Corporation, Queen Mary's School is an all girls’ independent boarding and day school situated in beautiful countryside, close to Thirsk and the Hambleton Hills. Junction 49 of the A1 is about 2 miles away. Founded in 1925, the school was originally situated at Duncombe Park, but moved to its present site in 1985. Baldersby Park, the School's current home, is a Grade 1 listed building surrounded by 40 acres of landscaped grounds, sports fields and paddocks. 

We have a Reception and pre-prep department (currently one form entry in each year group) but the main School is for girls only and spans the age range 7 to 16. While we prepare a few girls for Common Entrance at 11, 12 and 13+, most girls stay on and do GCSE with us, before moving to new schools and colleges for the sixth form. 

The School has a strong boarding tradition but we have an increasing number of day girls and those who board one or two nights each week. 

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Academic development is at the heart of school life, we offer an independent wide ranging curriculum, excellent teaching and a clear understanding of learning potential. With a combination of traditional and modern teaching methods, each child is encouraged to enjoy learning, develop their independence and succeed to the best of their ability.

Above all Queen Mary’s believes that the learning process must be enjoyable and engaging. Teaching and learning are supported by a wide range of resources and extra-curricular activities. The ethos and values foster an enthusiasm for lifelong learning and encourage independence of thought. The children develop self-esteem, a wide range of knowledge and essential communication, study and life skills as they progress.

· The ability to inspire and motivate children, able to stimulate the pupils’ real interest and involvement in the Key Stage / subject 

· Develop pupil confidence, self-esteem, determination and behaviour

· Provide good support to the various activities of the School through ability and willingness to make a significant contribution to the extra-curricular programme

· Clear and effective communication skills

· Queen Mary’s has a commitment to Continuing Professional Development for all staff

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As featured in The Good Schools Guide in 2017 Queen Mary’s School

‘provides exceptional education that focuses on creating girls with confidence, a “have a go” mentality and freedom to grow into their own skin.’ This is a character-building independent girls’ school in which nobody even bothers talking about gender because all the girls grow up thinking there’s nothing boys can do that they can’t. At the forefront of this approach, is an outdoorsy, adventurous attitude towards learning. ‘We deliberately encourage the girls to take risks in a controlled environment and a lot of that is to do with adventure – so the girls swim, canoe and kayak in the river, camp out on the river banks, use our climbing wall and scaffolding poles, learn bush craft, build dens, climb trees – you get the picture,’ says head Carole Cameron. It’s not that the girls are forced into any of these activities, but shrinking violets these girls are not and they come out all the more robust and resilient for it.’