Basic Information & Location
Malvern St James Girls’ School (MSJ) was founded in 2006 as a merger of the two former girls’ school, Malvern Girl’s College and St James’s School, to provide quality education to girls aged 4 to 18. Surrounded by the stunning Malvern Hills in Worcestershire, the campus is only 5 minutes away on foot from the Great Malvern Train Station. Direct trains to Birmingham (1 hour) and other key cities are available there. In May 2017, the school received the highest rating of ‘Excellent’ in the inspection by the Independent School Inspectorate (ISI). The Duke of Gloucester’s mother Princess Alice is one of MSJ’s famous alumni.
Academic Development
MSJ is a forward-looking school about the belief in girls’ future. It motivates, encourages and challenges girls to grow into themselves and become the person they want to be. The school strives to provide an all-round education that enables them to maximise their potential. To make sure every girl can enjoy an individually tailored education, MSJ also offers subjects like EAL (English as Additional Language), Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and BTEC PE apart from the traditional subjects. These courses strengthen academic attainment and giving pupils an extra boost when it comes to writing Personal Statements and applying to universities. The academic results of MSJ have been outstanding, with a notable strength in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). In 2017, 76% of A-Level entries achieved A*-B and 97% of GCSE entries achieved A*-C grades. Most students gain admission to top universities upon graduation, including Russell Group Universities like Oxford and Cambridge. The school offers an extensive programme of careers guidance and education, including mock interviews specifically designed for those who apply to Oxbridge for Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science and Pharmacy as well as SAT coaching for those who would like to apply to universities in the US.
Pastoral Care & Boarding
MSJ upholds a ‘home from home’ philosophy by creating a strong sense of community to have all girls on one site. There are six boarding houses where girls enjoy boarding on a full, weekly and flexi-basis. The facilities at MSJ are surprisingly extensive, including state-of-the-art sports facilities, fitness suite, indoor swimming pool, dance studio, juice bar, music centre, drama centre, and full catering service. To ensure the well-being of the girls, a nurse is available 24 hours a day at the school whereas a doctor pays regular visits to the school. Regular social activities with other leading schools such as Eton, Harrow and Radley are also available.
Extracurricular & personal development
Students are encouraged to participate in a wide range of activities as an integral part of their education, and more than 60 clubs, societies and enrichment opportunities are available at MSJ. The school has received representative honours in sports, debating, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme, to me but a few. Horse riding is one of the highlights with great success in the region and beyond. The Model United Nations gather students from different schools to discuss global issues, and enables them to hone their skill set in leadership, communication and logical thinking. The Young Enterprise Scheme is also very popular among students.
