“St Edmund’s is a school with a remarkable heritage and we celebrate our traditions proudly. But we do that whilst living very much in the present and looking firmly towards the future.”
From Matthew Mostyn, Headmaster of
St Edmund’s College.
No introduction from me can ever fully convey the richness of the educational experience that we offer here at St Edmund’s, nor the atmosphere that makes it such a truly exceptional place. However, I hope I can at least sow a seed with these words that might make you want to come and visit us to take a look for yourself.
Our mission, stretching back to 1568, has been to send young people into the world who will, whether by mighty deeds or quiet leadership, be a force for good. There could be no greater epitaph for an Edmundian than to have led a life through which they made the world around them a little better, and the people around them a little happier.
We want our students – whilst with us and when they leave us to head out into the world – to
be excellent but never arrogant, ambitious but never selfish, robust but never uncaring and to show conviction but never intolerance. This is the lifeblood of a school which genuinely believes in the education of the whole person –mind, body and spirit.
St Edmund’s is a school with a remarkable heritage and we celebrate our traditions proudly. But we do that whilst living very much in the present and looking firmly towards the future.
I am immensely proud of St Edmund’s and the fine young people it produces. I know you will feel similarly about your child, and I warmly invite you to visit us to discover more about our School.
Matthew Mostyn Headmaster
As England’s oldest Catholic School, our values underpin all that we do.
A short introduction to St Edmund’s
With a long and proud history, St Edmund’s College is modern and forward-thinking in its outlook and attitude to learning. Academic, pastoral, spiritual and co-curricular development are all of the very highest quality and are seen as being of equal importance throughout the School. We are, truly, a values-led educational leader.
Academic
Every student in each year group is treated as a unique and precious individual, receiving a tailored, broad and balanced curriculum to study as they progress through the College.
Learning at St Edmund’s is underpinned by the High Performance Learning (HPL) framework, an evidenced-based approach to education, embraced by a growing number of world-leading schools. HPL blends academic confidence and attainment with the development of robust personal values, attitudes and attributes to educate students as a whole.
We offer an excellent choice of subjects, taught in small class sizes,
particularly during key GCSE and A Level stages. Whilst our focus is much broader than grades alone, we are very proud of the College’s academic standing. With outstanding tracking processes at every stage, we adapt with your child as they grow academically, supporting, challenging and stretching them as required.
In Rhetoric (Sixth Form) there is a wide range of subjects to choose from. Set alongside the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), study skills work and outstanding UCAS support, St Edmund’s students have an exceptional record in A Levels and CTECs, as well as in achieving their first choice university. Set alongside their academic studies, the chance to learn
key leadership, professional and life skills helps students to prepare for their onward journey in life.
Spiritual life
We are committed not only to the academic growth of every child but also to their spiritual development – regardless of their religious background. As England’s oldest Catholic School, values, prayer and reflection underpin all that we do. These values are universal, reaching across students and families of all faiths and of no faith at all.
Our Grade I Listed Pugin Chapel and the Chaplaincy are at the heart of the College, helping students in the spiritual and reflective aspects of their lives. All students are involved in this spiritual life and many take it further still by supporting others through volunteering and charity work.
Pastoral
Our renowned pastoral system comprises five Houses. It oversees the students’ personal development and ensures that each child is well looked after, encouraging them to achieve their best.
The Houses work together to deliver the College’s broader mission to educate each student in mind, body and spirit. All students are continually supported in maximising their potential.
In addition to the House system, in Elements (Year 7), Rudiments (Year 8) and Rhetoric (Sixth Form), there are dedicated Heads of Year who are experienced in the transitional periods for students as they enter the College for the first time and then move on again into Rhetoric (Sixth Form).
Co-curricular
Our academic excellence is complemented by cultural, sporting and social development.
Continual learning beyond the classroom is fundamental to the allround education that we deliver. We pride ourselves on the variety of cocurricular activities on offer, ensuring that there really is something to engage, excite and stimulate everyone. As the final lesson of each day, students have a timetabled hour where they choose from a wide range of activities – from fencing to golf and from debating to cooking. Alongside these exciting activities and regular overseas trips, our students have the opportunity to take part in Combined Cadet Force (CCF), which meets weekly to learn key disciplines and skills such as leadership, navigation and survival. For students who choose not to join the CCF, we offer the St Edmund’s Award, a programme of ageappropriate activities where students learn diverse practical skills. Many pupils also participate in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme.
Music and Drama
Our thriving Music Department has gone from strength to strength in recent years, forming a key part of our academic and co-curricular timetables. Many students take instrumental music lessons with specialist teachers, and our everincreasing schedule of concerts and recitals means that everyone – from complete beginner to accomplished diploma level students – is given a platform upon which to perform. Students can benefit from one-toone London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) lessons and, each year, a number of productions are staged, from small studentled performances through to whole school showpiece sell-outs. Recent hits have included Made in Dagenham, Les Misérables, School of Rock and Starlight Express.
Sport
Sport at St Edmund’s is both inclusive and extensive. Encouraging participation at all levels, and nurturing those striving for sporting excellence, we urge students to ‘Play More, Play Better’. We offer a choice of over a dozen team and individual sports for girls and boys, including football, rugby, cricket, hockey, netball, tennis and many more. Our campus features a number of high quality grass pitches, set alongside floodlit all-weather surfaces, tennis courts, indoor facilities and a gym with both physical conditioning and cardio suites. There is also an indoor swimming pool.
Extended day
To increase flexibility for students and families alike, pupils can stay with us at St Edmund’s until 6:30pm each evening for additional supervised study sessions, sporting or musical opportunities.
Our academic excellence is complemented by cultural, sporting and social development.
For more information about St Edmund’s College and Sixth Form, please visit our website stedmundscollege.org, or scan the QR code to link to it.
Supported by dedicated and experienced boarding staff, students quickly settle into a busy, friendly and inclusive community.
Boarding at St Edmund’s
Boarding at school can be a key step towards developing maturity and confidence, as well as being an excellent preparation for later university life. Students thrive on the experiences gained and the opportunities it presents to them, many of which are not always possible at home.
Boarders become equipped to take on new responsibilities and embrace potential challenges. With a wealth of experience and friendships acquired, they quickly learn how to be responsible, resilient young adults.
Boarding allows for a mixture of students, both from the UK and across the globe, to come together and form a close-knit community, making lifelong friendships that span across year groups, hobbies and interests. Boarding fully supports the aim to develop confident, caring, well-grounded students who are well prepared to go on to the next stages of their lives and are ready to make a difference to the world in which they live.
Students are welcome to board from age 11, and this allows them to develop in the fullest sense, both academically and socially, by taking advantage of everything that the College offers. Living in separate boarding houses for girls and boys, students share twin bedrooms up to and including Poetry (Year 11), whilst in Rhetoric (Sixth Form) students benefit from single-occupancy bedrooms, allowing them quiet time and increased personal space. All students have their own storage space and desk in each bedroom to allow for independent living and learning. Wi-fi is available as standard, so boarders can chat with family and friends at home during the evenings.
Full, weekly and flexible boarding is offered and there are no exeat weekends at St Edmund’s, which is of benefit both to international boarders and to those UK-based boarders who might live further away from the School. Flexible boarding is an excellent way to maximise involvement for those students who take part in the many co-curricular activities offered, as well as for those who can benefit from staying at the College for some additional supervised study time. For some, it’s just a great way to take a break from the daily commute with the occasional overnight stay. Weekly and flexible boarding are particularly attractive given our outstanding travel links and proximity to both London and Cambridge.
We welcome overseas boarders for whom English is not their first language. Overseas students must have a sound educational background and be able to communicate in English at an appropriate level for their age.
available from staff and every student is supported, through our organised structure of peer mentoring by a more senior boarder.
During study times, students have full access to the College Library and numerous other learning resources. A fully bespoke evening and weekend activity programme is in place, with trips arranged to the theatre, cinema, sporting events, shopping and any number of outdoor activities. There are also planned sightseeing trips to London, Cambridge and Oxford.
The day begins with breakfast and morning prayers, followed by academic lessons. At the end of the school day, students pause briefly for reflection in Chapel before an evening comprising supper, more activities, study and relaxation.
Throughout the boarding areas there are common rooms where students can relax, play computer games, socialise and chat with friends.
For more information
visit our website stedmundscollege.org or scan the QR code.
Supported by dedicated and experienced boarding staff, students quickly settle into a busy, friendly and inclusive community. Should our boarders experience homesickness, expert help is
Breakfast and evening meals are enjoyed together as a boarding community, and all allergy or dietary requirements can be catered for.
Applying to St Edmund’s College
Our key entry points are at the beginning of Year 7 (age 11+), Year 9 (age 13+) and Year 12 (16+), but we do accept new students into other years if places are available.
Following registration, every applicant will be invited to an interview before they sit their entrance assessment. The assessment is a computer-based test measuring ability in English, Maths and Non-Verbal Reasoning. Further scholarship assessments in Art, Sport and Music also take place prior to the main Entrance Assessment Day.
Entry to St Edmund’s Sixth Form
Entry to our thriving Sixth Form is conditional upon an interview and achieving at least a Grade 6 at GCSE in each of the subjects you wish to study at A Level (with the following exceptions: minimum requirement of a Grade 7 for Maths, Grade 8 for Further Mathematics and two Grade 6s in Combined Science to do any single Science). Offers of a place can be made throughout the academic year and are confirmed when GCSE results become available.
Scholarships and bursaries
St Edmund’s aims to be as accessible as possible to students who would benefit from all that we offer throughout our academic, cultural and sporting provision. Scholarships are available at the Year 3, 7, 9 and 12 entry points and some means-tested bursaries are also available.
How can we help?
We understand that applying to a new school can be a daunting process and, therefore, the Admissions Team at the College is always on hand to guide you through the admissions process. We warmly invite you to visit us, either at one of our open days, or at one of the many events that take place throughout the year. Alternatively, call us to book a private tour, which we will be delighted to arrange at your convenience.
Admissions process timeline
No matter which year you are applying for, our entry process consists of the following stages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Make an enquiry and come to visit the College or Sixth Form
Submission of online registration form and registration fee
Submission of any scholarship or bursary application forms related to your application
Acceptance of place and enrolment Assessment day
Main entry points
Year 7 Age 11+
Year 9 Age 13+
Year 12 Age 16+
Contact
College or Sixth Form –UK Admissions
Tel: 01920 824247
Email: admissions@ stedmundscollege.org
College or Sixth Form –International Admissions
Tel: 01920 824331
Email: international@ stedmundscollege.org
Offer of places made if entrance criteria are met
For more detailed information on entrance criteria and process, please visit our website stedmundscollege.org or scan the QR code.
Apply Enquiry Form
Bishop’s
How to find us
By car
We are situated just off the A10 London to Cambridge main road. At the A120 roundabout on the dual carriageway (signed to Stansted, Bishop’s Stortford and Puckeridge), take the exit signed ‘Old Hall Green’. Follow the signs to St Edmund’s College and enter through the main gates.
By train
The College is approximately fifteen minutes’ drive from Ware, Hertford or Bishop’s Stortford main line railway stations. Regular, fast train services run to and from London, taking approximately thirty minutes.
By air
St Edmund’s is situated approximately twenty minutes by car from Stansted, fifty minutes from Luton, and just over an hour from Heathrow Airport.
Bus routes
The School benefits from an extensive network of bus routes, stretching from North London and Essex to the south, right up to Cambridge to the north, with all towns along the A1, A10 and M11 corridors included.
Scan the QR codes below for further information.
Scholarships and bursaries
Scan here to go to the St Edmund’s College Enquiry Form
