The Maynard School A GSG School

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All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.

What The Good Schools Guide says

Headmistress

Since September 2022, Liz Gregory. She won everyone over when she joined by launching a consultation with pupils, parents and staff to audit current perceptions of the school; her resultant strategic development plan has been warmly received. It is ‘a pivot not a massive shift’, she says, but parents and pupils were particularly enamoured by the chance to ‘have their say’ and ‘feel listened to’. A clever move that underpins her inspiration for heading into teaching in the first place: she genuinely cares about helping others to get things right.

State educated in Portsmouth then Horsham sixth form college, she studied economics at Reading University before realising that working in the world of finance was not for her. A gap year spent teaching English in Thailand left her not only fluent in Thai but with the catalyst she needed to jump into teaching. A PGCE at Warwick University was followed by nine years teaching in the secondary state sector in both Kenilworth and Ashbourne. Her husband works in nuclear physics and job moves then took them to the south-west where she joined King’s College Taunton, firstly as head of department, then assistant head. Five years followed as deputy head of Monmouth School for Boys before she leapt at the opportunity for headship at Maynard School.

A huge believer in the empowerment of girls through education, she is committed to delivering an educational experience that ‘embraces quirkiness and enables everyone to be themselves’. This approach is borne out academically with a healthily balanced split between STEM and arts choices in girls leaving the school.

Analytical, empathetic and measured, she also brings a splash of idiosyncratic colour to the school and embodies her principles well. We were drawn to the bright yellow patterned armchair that she has proudly added to the calmly traditional blue office, a proud symbol of the colourful vision she has for the school.

Entrance

This is an academically selective school with good retention from the prep to the sixth form so entrance requirements grow with the girls – the school likes to ensure that any girl offered a place can thrive throughout the school.

Entry to the pre-prep is purely behavioural and judged via a taster day. For junior school entry to years 3, 4 or 5, girls sit a 7+ entrance assessment. All pupils at the junior school sit the 11+ entrance exam for the senior school. There is no dodging the test by applying for a place in year 6: these admissions follow a similar setup to the 11+ exam.

For the senior school, following a taster day and interview with the head, pupils sit either an 11+ or 13+ exam. These take place in the January before the autumn start or can be sat individually throughout the year. Papers include reasoning, English (comprehension and composition) and maths. For the 13+ exam a science paper is also required. Pupils join from St Peter’s Prep, Exeter Cathedral School and a broad range of local state primaries.

Entry to the sixth form is dependent on interviews with the head, director of sixth form and heads of relevant departments, in addition to at least six grade 7 GCSEs, a minimum of grade 7 in English and maths and grade 7 or 8 in all A level subject choices. The sixth form is usually bolstered by an additional 15-20 new starters.

Exit

The school has an impressive retention rate; 95 per cent of the year 6 pupils head on into the senior school with financial pressures being the reason behind the five per cent loss, most of whom head into the Devon grammar system. Post GCSEs 80-85 per cent stay on for the sixth form. Those who leave usually head for the greater freedoms of Exeter College, either for its wider tertiary pathway choices or for financial reasons.

Post A-levels, 85 per cent to Russell Group universities. Current favoured destinations include UCL, Imperial, Bristol, Durham, Warwick and St Andrews. In 2023, two girls began degree apprenticeships, one went to Oxbridge and there were five medics.

Latest results

In 2023, 74 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 51 per cent A*/A at A level (73 per cent A*-B). In 2019 (the last pre-pandemic results), 73 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 61 per cent A*/A at A level (77 per cent A*-B).

Teaching and learning

Small class sizes, wonderfully warm and mutually respectful pupil–teacher relationships and an atmosphere of calm enthusiasm sum up the learning environment here. Subject choices and results at both GCSE and A level suggest a healthy balance across all subject areas. We were especially impressed by the flexibility of the A level choices, which reflect the commitment of the sixth form team to creating a timetable that enables girls to study whatever floats their boat; we met girls refreshingly mixing fashion with physics and maths.

Pupils are set in maths from the beginning of the senior school but no other setting takes place as the small classes allow bespoke manoeuvrability with different learning approaches. The school performs well academically, sitting comfortably within the top five of the county league tables for GCSEs and A levels. Most girls take nine GCSE subjects. The school discourages taking many more than this to enable time for the enriching extracurricular topics and ensure emotional and mental wellbeing. At sixth form, most do three A levels with the odd exception taking four, usually further maths; two-thirds of the pupils also sit the EPQ. Recent topics include subjects as broad as ‘Did the Arab Spring meet its goals?’ and ‘Should we change the age of criminal responsibility?’.

Classes were quiet and industrious with a happy sprinkling of respectful giggles and lots of hands shooting up to answer questions. We sat in on a year 9 French lesson, where the native-speaker teacher was guiding pupils through how to give and understand health advice. Girls were happy to speak out in French in front of their friends and laughingly correcting each other’s vocabulary: ‘It’s pouvez not poulet, you’re not talking about a chicken’ cued much laughter. Year 8 maths had hands flying up enthusiastically to discuss the study of scale drawings whilst year 12 maths were deep in concentration and quietly conferring on algebraic proof.

We were particularly struck by the individual focus and attention teachers were able to give each member of the class. A year 11 physics class saw the teacher simultaneously quizzing the class about force diagrams and explaining the basis of force to a girl who had become confused. This gentle, kind and inclusive approach to teaching resonated in every classroom, together with a lovely culture of support. We saw no trace of competitive academic showing-off, but a very obvious team approach to getting it right and helping each other out.

Junior school pupils are taught by their form teacher, with specialist staff delivering science, modern languages, music and PE. As they move up the school, the girls are introduced gradually to more of the specialist departmental facilities and teachers of the senior school to facilitate an easy transition at the end of year 6.

Parents could not have been more effusive in their praise of and confidence in the teachers: ‘It is clear from the beginning of the junior school right up to the end of the sixth form that an enjoyment of learning is nurtured and that every girl’s experience has been calibrated to make it the best it can be for them individually.’ Academic reports are sent home every half term, ensuring that parents feel abreast of their child’s progress, with annual teacher–parent meetings giving the opportunity for some more in-depth feedback.

Learning support and SEN

Learning support is managed by the highly rated team of one SENCo and one learning mentor with fabulous links to external support, helping girls to get everything from ASD counselling to private one-on-one external tutoring or safeguarding and pastoral support. The nature of the gentle school culture allows for a robust in-class support approach but every pupil is constantly assessed and monitored for any additional learning requirements and bespoke classroom strategies are in place for around twenty per cent of the pupil cohort.

Referrals for extra support come from pupils themselves as often as from parents or teachers. School is adept and experienced at dealing with a broad range of educational needs, from dyslexia to dyspraxia, ADHD to EAL. Some children have a timetable reduction to allow them to attend one-on-one or small-group intervention lessons to ensure that they keep up with the academic level of their peers or simply to have some quiet time out from the social pressures of the classroom. School has a good reputation for ensuring exam access arrangements for pupils with any additional needs and has the infrastructure in situ to offer places to those with physical disabilities, including lifts between many floors.

The arts and extracurricular

Fashion and textiles highly impressive here and every girl gets the chance to study this subject both in timetable and as an extracurricular club. Whilst it is not currently offered as a GCSE option (despite the pleas of the girls), it is a popular A level choice with stellar results and many pupils heading off to top fashion courses as a result. A level portfolios showcased everything from jackets made of vegan leather, grown themselves at school (‘such fun to produce but really smelly’), to block dyeing print work. Younger girls make stunning silk scarves to accompany their study of the Silk Road and PJs to wear on school camps.

Art is popular at GCSE with the department keen to allow students to respond to the fine art brief through any medium, supported by a broad curriculum that includes everything from clay modelling to 3D design. Junior school children have art and design imbedded into their curriculum with plenty of opportunities to expand their immersion in it via the extracurricular offerings.

Music is astounding at The Maynard: there are countless orchestras, choirs and ensembles. We sat in on rehearsals for one of the many recitals and were bowled over by the quality of performance and dedication of the music team. The music department is busy with plenty of peripatetic lessons taking place for children at every school age.

Productions are ‘absolutely phenomenal’, according to parents and there are plenty of opportunities to shine. Whole-school productions are drama-based one year and musical the next. Girls have the chance to be on stage or work on the production team every year. Auditions are formally run but ‘not at all scary’ and most girls revelled in regaling us with production tales.

Extracurricular options are managed via a relatively new ‘baccalaureate’ approach, and girls are rewarded for breadth of termly commitment to clubs. At junior school these could include canoeing or climbing, ballet or cookery, whilst at senior school expect a vast menu that includes everything from crochet to robotics, DofE to orchestra. ‘The Maynard gives an avenue for every single girl whether they are into sport or chemistry, drama or coding, there is a pathway especially created for them,’ said one parent.

Trips are much lauded, either as part of outdoor educational provision or as an addition to many subjects, with pupils sharing the experiences of Spanish trips to Barcelona, history trips to New York and year 8/9 French trips, to name a few.

Sport

At first glance, you would be mistaken for questioning the lack of green acres and onsite pitches here, maybe wondering whether this school would be the right fit for your sports-mad daughter. Think again. Whilst they do have to hop in a minibus to swim or reach plentiful pitches, this does not hold the school back; indeed the girls ‘love the minibus rides’ and benefit from using state-of-the-art local facilities.

The new director of sport has ensured top local level partnerships for coaching, working with Exeter City FC for football, Exeter Chiefs for rugby, using the ample facilities of Exeter University for hockey, cricket, athletics and more. Results are a testament to the approach, with many teams and individuals reaching regional and national levels of competition. A-teams are successful and highly competitive, the only gripe from girls being a request for broader match opportunities for those playing in the B teams or below.

This is not a school that focuses purely on the traditional female sports. Rugby is as important as netball here and the girls have an inclusive range of sport options from dance to martial arts, table tennis to outdoor education. Junior school pupils have a strong focus on ballet and gymnastics as well as swimming, tennis and the traditional team sports. The department is determined to foster an ‘enjoyment in physical activity for all’ and even the sixth formers have timetabled PE sessions. For many, this is simply an hour of yoga but the academic pause and the focus on health and wellbeing is valued.

Ethos and heritage

Despite its small size, this is a school that ‘absolutely punches above its weight’, according to parents. Hidden in a leafy suburban street, it is a warren of buildings that truly make the most of a small city site. Founded in 1656 as the Blue Maids Hospital School, it moved to its current location in 1882 and was renamed after its founder Sir Henry Maynard in 1912. It has a wonderfully home-from-home feel, full of happy girls who are utterly comfortable to be themselves. Is this because there are no boys around to supercharge feminine competitivity or is it simply because they feel safe here? The girls feel it is a combination of the two, which is probably why so many of them are keen to stay in this wonderful haven of empowering and enabling girl-centred education for as long as possible.

Pastoral care, inclusivity and discipline

Pastoral care is exemplary here. Every single parent and pupil that we spoke to expressed how safe, nurtured and genuinely cared for they felt at the school. The head was at pains to highlight the community feel and this sentiment of working together for the greater good was echoed in every conversation that we had. ‘The girls here are all celebrated for being individuals,’ said parents, and the girls themselves agreed, saying, ‘There is no need to conform as there is no Maynard mould; we are allowed to be who we are and are helped to be the best at whatever we enjoy.’

Devon is not famed for its diversity but the school ensures that diversity is discussed and inclusion is paramount for the handful of foreign students who stay with local families during term time: ‘They are a vital part of the tapestry of the school,’ agreed all. When questioned about the extent of the school’s racial diversity, one girl joked, ‘I think we have a few Welsh people here.’

‘The girls are keen and happy to discuss sexuality and difference as they get into the older years,’ said staff. Pupils were keen to assure us that this is an accepting and safe school in which to explore your own identity. Trousers not (yet) an option for girls until the end of GCSEs – the smart kilt is non-negotiable – but sixth form pupils have a free fashion rein (as long as there is no midriff on show).

Discipline is light-touch due to the wonderful compliance and mutual respect fostered in this school’s ethos. Girls looked bewildered as to why they would overly misbehave and took some time to remember a time when peers had got into any trouble: ‘I remember one girl got her phone out in a lesson.’ A couple of sixth formers made a point of telling us that they had never in their time at the school heard a teacher shout: ‘It’s just not that sort of school, thank goodness.’

Pupils and parents

This is a school that both parents and girls fall head-over-heels in love with, seemingly from the very first tour or taster day right through until the end of the sixth form. The sense of gratitude, genuine love and community that this pride in the school engenders are palpable. Pupils glow with effusive appreciation of the ‘amazing teachers, fantastic friends and the feeling that we can achieve whatever we want here’, all delivered in an environment of calm, nurturing and fun. Girls here are infused with a happy confidence, wonderfully open and chatty without a hint of arrogance and, despite persistent questioning, we couldn’t get a negative word out of them about the school.

The majority of parents whom we spoke to had not gone out in search of a single-sex school but had been won over by the ‘ethos of friendliness, the intimate atmosphere and the culture of kindness’, all of which stood it apart from other schools in the area. Most families are dual income and many make huge sacrifices to send their girls here.

Junior school parents spoke of how the school provides ‘the most magical start to education’, praising the ‘fun, creative, caring and warm’ environment, described their children as ‘utterly happy’ at the school. Senior school parents echoed this sentiment, explaining how the girls’ strong relationships with their teachers and each other are a pivotal factor. The buddy system in the senior school ensures that every year 7 pupil has a year 12 mentor and both sides told us how beneficial this is in maintaining the kind community of the school.

Parent WhatsApp groups are plentiful and there are numerous opportunities to get involved via the Maynard Parents Association. From coffee mornings to Christmas wreath workshops or the sell-out summer party, all provide a wonderful welcome to those new to the school or area.

Money matters

The school is supported by a robust financial pot thanks to the generosity of past parents. There are various scholarship opportunities on offer, each with a 10 per cent fee reduction, whilst the Maynard Awards are combined scholarship and bursary packages aimed at offering girls up to 100 per cent off the fees and ‘transformational educational opportunities’ in return for the ability to truly give back to the school and ‘chime with the ethos’; this is judged by a specific interview alongside the standard entrance exams at 11+, 13+ and sixth form. Means-tested bursaries are refreshingly commonplace, with between one quarter and one third of the pupils on some form of bursary support.

The last word

This is a wonderful school, full of intelligent, questioning, confident and kind girls who learn to fly on every level in this haven of calm, compassionate and creative education.

Special Education Needs

The Maynard School aims to provide appropriate support and adjustments for specific learning difficulties or disabilities to girls who meet the academic entrance criteria. Interested parents are encouraged to make an appointment with the Learning Support and Special Educational Needs Coordinator. The needs of the potential pupil can be discussed and a taster day and assessment can be tailored to fit individual circumstances. All pupils are now screened, using LUCID software, for underlying processing difficulties and memory skills which may affect their academic progress. If difficulties are detected at entrance, in the classroom or through the screening programme, parents will be informed and the type of support possible in school explored. The SENCo role includes providing colleagues with practical information on ways to make adjustments for pupils' specific difficulties and support all pupils' learning. Lively study skills sessions led by the SENCo are part of the tutorial programme. Study skills teaching aims to raise awareness of study habits, time management and learning styles, with a view to encouraging mixed approaches to learning: visual, listening and speaking, and kinaesthetic. Pupils are taught strategies which maximise memory strengths from their screening. Individual or small group help may be offered where pupils experience difficulty with the curriculum. Whenever possible, this help is arranged for a time which avoids lessons being missed. Assessment for examinations Access Arrangements can be arranged in or through the school. The Maynard School recognises that each of its pupils may have a special gift and/or talent which should be nurtured by the school environment. The school seeks to enable its pupils to enjoy the benefits of one another’s “gifts and talents”, which may relate to exceptional academic learning ability, exceptional talent in a specific curricular or extra-curricular area, or exceptional attributes which benefit the whole school community e.g. leadership, creative imagination or social maturity. It is not part of the Maynard ethos to create divisions by unnecessary labelling, and the Maynard teaching departments recognise that careful differentiation and subtle stretching in methods of teaching are effective means of challenging the exceptionally able. 10-09

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