16 | LUXlife Magazine Best Independent Girls' School 2023 - South East England Situated in Ascot, Berkshire, The Marist School is a Catholic independent day school for girls between the ages of 2 and 18. It strives to create a down-to-earth, community-spirited environment in which its students can achieve academic success and grow into independent, well-rounded individuals. The school demonstrates unparalleled dedication to the young people it serves as it continues to develop and improve its curricular and extra-curricular offerings based on their evolving needs. With a plethora of excellent facilities and dedicated teaching staff, The Marist offers quality education to children and young people, supporting them all the way from Nursery to VI Form. It has created a nurturing environment in which students are enabled to learn, grow, and achieve at every stage of their educational journey. The school’s grounds, located in the beautiful village of Ascot, offer a spacious learning environment with ample opportunity for outdoor activity and exploration. The property boasts a variety of state-of-the-art and modern facilities that support students’ academic and sporting growth. Additionally, The Marist is proud to offer over 100 clubs that take place on a weekly basis, including everything from iceskating and paddleboarding to photography and eco club. As a Catholic school, The Marist’s ethos is rooted in its religious heritage. While it is incredibly proud of the A*s its A-Level students earn, the school believes that education should not only result in academic achievement. Pupils should leave school with a strong moral compass and a rounded character, as well as the multitude of impressive qualifications under their belt. The Marist organises extensive trips and outdoor activities to help students learn, build relationships, and develop valuable skills that they will take with them into the future. While many schools in the area are now coed, The Marist remains a resolutely all-girls school. With so much pressure on teenagers today, there are strong modern arguments in favour of all-girls education. Boys and girls work differently and have different wellbeing needs, meaning an all-girls environment enables staff to offer tailored support. Furthermore, The Marist enables girls to thrive without stereotypes stopping them from enjoying sports like rugby or taking subjects like Maths and Science at A-Level. When they leave school, students are empowered and prepared to be equal in the years to come. In the modern world, education is evolving faster than ever. The Marist believes it is important to stay ahead of the curve in order to deliver the best possible education to its students. Over the last few years, the school has been increasingly innovative in its teaching methods, with a focus on encouraging students to leave their comfort zones. To this end, the school has embraced multiple methods of teaching to cater to all different learning styles. In lessons, teachers are encouraged to utilise The Marist’s fantastic 55-acre woodland setting for outdoor learning activities such as geography and science experiments, drama performances, and even campfires. Furthermore, the school has introduced touchscreen laptops to enhance traditional learning in the classroom. Today, young people need to demonstrate many skills in order to succeed, ranging from creativity to technological competency. The Marist strives to help them develop these abilities by transcending the usual curriculum and personalising learning through programmes like Aim Higher. Next year, the school plans to introduce the Marist Diploma Programme to further enhance these skills, which will prepare them for life beyond school. With young people becoming more environmentally and politically aware, The Marist also envisions a more flexible curriculum that recognises and celebrates their social awareness and emotional literacy. It has taken the first steps towards this goal by introducing clubs like Pupil Voice and Model United Nations. It is evident that The Marist School is highly committed to its students and works hard to deliver an incredible standard of education every year, constantly innovating and enhancing its offerings. As a result, the school has been awarded Best Independent Girls' School, South East England, in the Private Education Awards 2023. This follows their achievement last year, having been awarded Most Outstanding Independent Girls' School 2022, Berkshire, and is testament to their dedication to girls' education. So far, this year has been exciting for The Marist as it saw the opening of its new VI Form Centre in the school’s refurbished Convent building. With further developments to come, there is no doubt that the school will continue to improve the education it provides. We congratulate The Marist on its success in the Private Education Awards and wish its team the best of luck in their future endeavours. The Marist School Ascot [email protected] www.themarist.com
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