Basic Information & Location
Established in 1901, Queen Margaret’s is an independent boarding and day school for girls aged
11-18. The school is in 75 acres of glorious parkland, just a few minutes from the historic City of
York.
Key Quality
Queen Margaret’s School for Girls won ‘Small Independent School of the Year’ at the
Independent Schools of the Year Awards 2023.
Academic
What makes QM stand out is the personal level of support offered to every student. On arrival,
students are assessed for any additional learning needs, including an additional EAL (English as
an Additional Language) assessment for all international students. Timetables also feature one-
to-one meetings every week with a Personal Tutor, who provides support with every aspect of
living and learning at QM. As a result, we see excellent examination results achieved, both at A
Level and GCSE. With small class sizes and tailored timetables, our teachers maximise every
girl's academic potential, resulting in our leavers securing fantastic success at university.
University destinations include Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, LSE, UCL, Durham, Bristol, Stern
Business School (USA) and The Royal Drawing School (London) on a diverse range of courses
such as Engineering, Art Foundation, Mathematics, History, Music Management, Medicine, Law
and Business Management. QM also provides a one-year GCSE course, tailor-made for Year 11
girls, to help them prepare for preparatory courses, or enjoy QM’s campus life and benefits whilst
improving their qualifications.
Pastoral Care & Boarding
Boarding at QM is arranged by year group, which helps the girls to bond and develop lifelong
friendships with peers the same age. Accommodation and facilities are age appropriate, meaning
that Year 7 girls settle into QM life in a cosy environment in the heart of the school, whereas Year
13 have a real taste of independent living in cottages with their friends. There is a busy and
vibrant boarding community. Weekends might be high-energy trips to a theme park or water park,
or they can be relaxed with brunch, shopping and pampering. Exeats are not compulsory, and
girls can join our SIFLO (Stay In For Leave Out) programme which includes cultural trips to other
UK cities. There is also an Orientation Programme at the beginning of the new academic year to
help girls settle in. The school has the Gold Mental Health Award and also has a Health and
Wellbeing Centre on campus.
Extracurricular Activities and Personal Growth
QM has a huge array of exciting extracurricular activities on offer, and girls are encouraged to get
involved whatever their ability, everybody is included. Various sport, drama, dance, art, and
music activities are available, plus lots of more unusual opportunities like horse riding, gardening
club, inclusion club, and the environment council. QM prides itself on providing a happy and
nurturing environment – no student gets lost in the crowd. Personal tutors monitor girls’ progress
and wellbeing to ensure they are happy, settled, and reaching their full potential.
