Enquire to study in the UK 
The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted lives like never before, forcing workplaces and businesses to pivot and adapt to methods that were unconventional. Likewise, educational institutions greatly suffered, with many students not being able to complete exams or attend classes due to lockdowns. However, some colleges thrived and outperformed themselves despite facing uncertain futures.
One such college is Mount St Mary’s College (The Mount). In its first set of public examinations since 2019, The Mount’s students achieved a 99% passing rate for A Levels across the board. For the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), it was 100% — its best yet in five years.
“Our Rhetoricians have had the most difficult and disrupted build-up to their Sixth Form examinations possible because of COVID-19,” says Headmaster Dan Wright. “Students demonstrated true Mount Spirit in their dedication to their studies. Fully one in five of all grades were in the top bracket of A*-A; what testament to their determination to achieve highly no matter what.”
Many will go on to attend some of the UK’s top five universities, including Loughborough, Warwick, and Durham. Alongside this, an A Levels student from the summer received a full scholarship to study at Cambridge.
In the recently released Sunday Times Good Schools Guide, The Mount was featured as one of the top Independent Senior Schools for the first time. All independent schools in the UK are reviewed and compiled based on academic achievements from the previous summer.
Mount St Mary’s College exceeded expectations with its first-rate results this academic year Source: Mount St Mary’s College
A vibrant, coeducational college that embodies a Jesuit vision, The Mount is nestled in the idyllic countryside near Sheffield and stands tall among rolling hills with its historically designed buildings. Here, dedicated teachers inspire young hearts and minds to “go forth and set the world on fire in line with the college’s Jesuit ethos.”
A broad curriculum makes this possible. There are traditional GCSE subjects such as Latin and Maths. These are complemented by more modern subjects like Business and Sports Science. This makes for days that are busy, but balanced — paving the way for Higher Line education and exam success. The Mount’s results are 20% above the national average for these qualifications.
Just as varied and impactful is the schools’ A Level curriculum, which includes additional qualifications such as the Extended Project Qualification — which boosts university applications and earns extra points with the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). If students wish to, they can enrol in an additional three subjects that fall under the CTEC qualification: Digital Media, Sport and Physical Activity, and Business. A CTEC is a classification of a qualification, which is similar to A Levels.
From sports to the arts, there are many activities for Mount students to find enrichment from. Source: Mount St Mary’s College
Fantastic boarding facilities provide an environment that spurs students to do well in classes and beyond. Welcoming students from all over the world, boarders get to learn from various viewpoints and experiences, which in turn enriches their knowledge further. This is where students reap linguistic benefits as well, as they are fully immersed in an English-speaking environment that makes perfecting the language a very real possibility.
Another well-known benefit of boarding is that these students are already at school when their classmates are rising early to travel to school. A typical day at The Mount starts with a nutritious breakfast at 7.30am followed by school lessons, morning break and lunch. When afternoon lessons end at 4.30pm, boarders head to their after-school activities, of which they can choose at least three per week. Supper is at 5.45pm, with study and free time afterwards before lights out.
Weekend activities for boarders include outings to local national parks, cinema trips and days out at theme parks. On campus, boarders can work out at a fully-equipped gym and swimming pool, and enjoy group sessions ranging from strategy games to gardening. All of this ensures proper rest, joy and camaraderie so that they are never short of the creativity and critical thinking needed to fulfil the demands of their world-class curricula.
“I have met people from all around the world, some of whom are now my best friends, and have had so many crazy adventures with them. I have grown so much from being the shy and scared new girl who walked into the Mount for the first time, to entering my final year with more responsibilities than I have ever had before,” says boarder Charmaine Lim. “The Mount has become more than just a boarding school. It has become my home away from home.”
Follow Mount St Mary’s College on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
