St Bees
Key Information
St Bees school offers IGCSE & A Level curriculum. Full boarding is offered on site in their St Bees grounds, catering to both UK & international students. Read more below …
History of the School
St Bees School and the surrounding village boast a rich and varied history. The school was founded in 1583 by Edmund Grindal, who was born in St Bees and went on to become the Archbishop of Canterbury. St Bees has over 400 years of noble heritage as one of England’s oldest schools — and the new St Bees draws its traditions from these deep roots. Situated on the fringe of the stunning Lake District UNESCO World Heritage Site, St Bees offers unrivalled education and boarding for ages 11-18. Following the dissolution of the monasteries in 1535, there would have been little opportunity for formal education in this area. As a result, the Archbishop petitioned Elizabeth I to establish a school on the basis that: “Cowpland (now known as Copeland, the area around and including St Bees) is the ignorantest part in religion and most oppressed of covetous landlords of any part of this realm to my knowledge.”
Pre-16 qualifications
Cambridge IGCSE is the world’s most popular international qualification for 14 to 16 year olds. It is taken in over 140 countries and in more than 4500 schools around the world. It allows for students not just to study our core subjects of Maths, English Language and Literature, Chinese and Co-ordinated Science, but also to choose from a range of subjects, dependent on interest, future course and university choice and chosen career
Post 16 qualifications
Academic performance
Boarding accommodation
Emphasis is placed on provided a warm, safe, healthy, nurturing and peaceful environment for all boarders. Our experienced and well-supported House team is committed to the wellbeing of each boarder. We ensure constant medical, pastoral and safeguarding provision.
Pastoral care
St Bees is unique in many ways. We are a small school who specialises on the individual - enabling each and every student to become the person they know they can be. To allow them to reach their dreams through a holistic, global and supportive education. St Bees School has had boarding students for hundreds of years. Boarding today is focused on pastoral care and providing a holistic education outside of normal school hours. Being a boarder at St Bees means being part of a big family of students and staff. We study, dine and play together, we look after and support each other and we help each other develop as individuals and as a group.
Extra-curricular activities
St Bees has a huge range of fantastic facilities, spread over 250 acres of land. This includes:Indoor swimming pool, Rugby pitches, Cricket pitch, Football pitch, Tennis courts (indoor & outdoor), Sports hall, Badminton court, Squash court, Eton Fives courts, Basketball/netball court, Golf course. Our after school activities (also known as GCAS, which stands for Global Awareness, Creativity Active, Service) change termly to ensure that new activities can be experienced.
General school facilities
A Day in the Life of