DfE release KS5 (A-levels) entries by school for Maths, Further Maths and Science subjects, split by gender and type of school, allowing us to analyse the subject choice of girls by the type of school they attend.

Here are some of the findings:

• Girls in All-Girls schools are 2.7 times as likely to take Further Maths and more than twice as likely to take Physics and Computer Science A-levels – compared with girls in co-ed schools.
• The uptake of other sciences is also higher with Biology 43% higher, Chemistry 85% higher and Maths 87% higher in girls’ schools compared with girls in co-ed schools.
• Biology, Maths and Chemistry continue to be the most popular STEM subjects for girls at A-levels.
• The percentage of girls taking Computer Science is 14% higher in All-Girls schools.
• The gap between girls in All-Girls schools and girls in co-ed schools is widening for most subjects – Further Maths, Biology, Physics and Computer Science.

Girls in girls’ schools are 2.7 times as likely to take Further Maths and more than twice as likely to take Physics and Computer Science A-levels – compared with girls in co-ed schools.

 

Boot Camp Challenge: “Phenomenal woman, that’s me!”

We were thrilled to have the UK Military School play a role in our Unity Week schedule.

Every girl, from Prep right up through the Senior School and Sixth Form, participated in a series of amazing, boot camp style challenges.

The sessions were designed to push boundaries and encourage growth. Our pupils spent the week testing their strength, showing their fantastic ability to work as a team, and proving their resilience in every challenge they faced.

It was a powerful demonstration of spirit and determination from our whole school community!

CULTIVATING COURAGE IN UNITY WEEK

At St Catherine’s, we are continually seeking ways to empower our pupils. The motivational messages of Vicki Anstey—a World Record-holding adventurer, entrepreneur, and former SAS: Who Dares Wins finalist—resonate deeply with the theme of our Unity Week 2025: “Phenomenal Woman, That’s Me.”

Anstey’s core message centres on transforming adversity and self-doubt into high performance. Drawing from extreme challenges like rowing the Pacific Ocean and competing in some of the world’s toughest endurance races, her speeches offer practical tools for success both in and out of the classroom.

In her encouraging talks and workshops, Anstey welcomed the girls to view fear not as a barrier, but as an opportunity for growth, urging them to unlock their hidden potential. Her message inspires the audience to redefine their limits, embrace discomfort, and build unshakeable self-belief.

During Unity Week, we explored the power of emotional endurance. Through Anstey’s guidance, our girls were shown that the ability to navigate stress, process emotions effectively, and thrive in complex, high-pressure situations are vital skills for future leaders. These themes equip our young women with the mindset to embrace challenge, foster fierce self-compassion, and achieve excellence.

St Catherine’s Day this year was a celebration of academic achievement, community spirit, and above all, inspiration, thanks to a powerful address from guest speaker Mandy Hickson, a former Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter pilot.

The annual event, which began with a thoughtful Mass led by Father Stephen and included the school’s prestigious Prize Giving Ceremony.

A Powerful Message on Resilience and Ambition

Hickson, whose remarkable career placed her in a highly male-dominated profession, delivered a humorous and moving speech that centred on the critical themes of resilience, ambition, and self-belief.

Drawing directly from her experiences in the cockpit and her journey as a female pilot, Hickson shared anecdotes that underscored the importance of pressing on in the face of adversity. Her message was a direct encouragement to the pupils to embrace challenges and to always strive to achieve, even when they find themselves in the minority.

Her presence and words served as a vibrant highlight in a day already rich with ceremony. The festive atmosphere continued with the celebration of the Year 13 pupils accomplishments, as the school community heard about the degrees and universities they will be attending after a successful exam period and prizes were awarded to pupils across both the Senior and Prep Schools. The formal announcement of the new Head Girl and Prefect team, and a speech from the newly appointed Head Girl, Siyana, concluded the segment of speeches and awards.

St Catherine’s Day proved to be a fitting blend of formal recognition and community joy, but it was Mandy Hickson’s motivating message that truly inspired students, parents, and staff alike to believe in their potential and meet life’s challenges head-on.

LIFE BEYOND SCHOOL

In 2024, we hosted 250 students from Sacred Heart, Marymount, Gumley House, and St Augustine’s for our Life Beyond School event – a day dedicated to preparing young women for their future.

The theme of the day was encapsulated in the question, “If not me, then who?” – a challenge we posed to every attendee, encouraging them to take ownership of their aspirations and step confidently into their potential.

The event featured a series of powerful sessions from inspiring speakers, including Libby Flenley (Founder of Sex, Lies and Love), Caitlin Fawkes (Deputy Head of Counter-Terrorism), Deana Puccio (Co-founder of The RAP Project), and Dr Kinjal Patel (Specialist in Women’s Health). The sessions struck a perfect balance between motivating ambition and providing the practical tools young women need to advocate for themselves and navigate the challenges life may present.

A highlight of the day was a fireside interview with Mr Stringer and the ever-inspiring Priya Lakhani, whose words left a lasting impression on all who attended.

We are grateful to everyone who contributed to making this event such a success and for helping to empower the next generation of female leaders.

 

I really enjoy interviewing all prospective families. Each meeting shows what it is that parents want for their daughter: their ambition for her, their expectation that her confidence and self-worth will be nurtured, and their hope that her gifts and character will be recognised and valued. I don’t think this is too much to ask – and an all-girls school provides a special opportunity for girls’ success and personal development.

For years, studies have highlighted the value of girls’ schools. We read that the uptake of science (and particularly physics) is higher in all-girls schools, as is success in languages and sport. More than this, in an all-girls school the implicit – and something explicit – gender-weighted expectations of our society are set aside. Quite simply, in a girls’ school, girls are the best at everything: the best mathematician is a girl, the best swimmer is a girl, and the best artist is a girl. Similarly, a girl runs the Debating Society, the pupil magazine and the School Council. In other words, pupils’ confidence and initiative are nurtured, and this creates a climate where they know their voices matter, they are the change makers and innovators, and they develop wonderful friendships.

At St Catherine’s, we know the advantages of all-girls education begin long before the teenage years. Our Prep girls love to improve their rugby tackles and football skills and they know how to be resilient and put themselves forward in the classroom. It means that the language of risk taking is ungendered. A visit, for instance, to our lively Year 3 class, would show you the determination and enthusiasm that will stand our girls in good stead for Senior School, university and adult life.

Every so often a parent asks if there are disadvantages to all-girls education and this is easy to answer, not least because school is only part of each week; our girls are, of course, in a co-ed world. Our inclusive Christian values and warm community atmosphere – where girls of all faiths are welcome – also ensures that pastoral care and character development are central. In St Catherine’s Senior School (where all our Prep girls have a guaranteed place) there is the same strong culture. St Catherine’s girls show the fruits of all-girls learning in their cheerfulness, their ambition, and in their compassionate and courageous engagement with the wider world.