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Photo of The Maynard School
Reviewed

The Maynard School

Independent school · Exeter, EX1 1SJ
  • All through
  • Girls
  • Ages 4-18
  • From £10,329 pa
  • 411 pupils
We've reviewed this school • Unlock to access

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.

Why read our school review?

Unlike other websites, schools can't pay to be included in The Good Schools Guide. This means our review of this school is independent, critical and fair, and written with parents' best interests at heart.

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Overview & data

Pupil numbers
411 ·
Sixth form numbers
88 ·
Religion
None
Fees
£10,329 - £21,561 pa
Local authority
Devon County Council
Area guides

Headteacher

Head

Mrs Liz Gregory

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


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

Open days
Please contact the school

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


Latest results

In 2025, 76 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 60 per cent A*/A at A level (86 per cent A*-B).

A level - Average points score (2024)

School
48.60
LA avg.
34.29
Eng. avg.
34.45
Data highlight

What is this?

These figures tell you the average grade and average points that pupils achieved in their academic qualifications. A maximum of 60 points are available for a grade A* at A level.


Teaching & 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

Qualifications taken in 2024
  • A level
  • EPQ
  • GCSE
10-14
Average class sizes

Learning support & 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

0.47 %
Students with a SEN EHCP
25.18 %
Students with SEN support

Arts & 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


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


Ethos & 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


Pastoral care, inclusivity & 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


Mobile phone policy

A clear mobile phone policy is a really important part of modern schooling. This school has provided us with their policy.

Mobile phone policy

Provided by the school and not part of our review

Girls are not allowed mobile phones in year 7 unless they are a non-smart phone. In year 8 – 11 they can have a smartphone but it remains turned off and in their locker during the day. In year 12 – 13 girls can have their smartphone but they cannot use it around site other than in the sixth form centre or if a teacher allows them to use it in lesson.

Updated Sep 2025

Pupils & 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

411
Number of pupils

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

Fee information
£10,329 - £21,561 pa

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.

What the school says

Founded in 1658, The Maynard School is the UK’s oldest girls’ school, and we pride ourselves on being experts in educating girls. It’s a proven fact that girls in single-sex schools outperform their peers; our illustrious history is testament to this success. We firmly believe that happy girls are successful girls, and our double award-winning wellbeing provision is central to everything we do. We consistently top the region’s academic league tables, whilst excelling in the arts, music, sport and extracurricular. Our outstanding reputation and commitment to empowering young women makes us the ultimate choice. Quite simply, The Maynard is #MadeForGirls.

Contact the school

Address

Denmark Road
Exeter
Devon
EX1 1SJ
Get directions

Have you considered?

School data & information The Maynard School Denmark Road, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1SJ
411 Pupil numbers
88 Sixth form numbers
10-14 Average class sizes

Mobile phone policy

Provided by the school and not part of our review

Girls are not allowed mobile phones in year 7 unless they are a non-smart phone. In year 8 – 11 they can have a smartphone but it remains turned off and in their locker during the day. In year 12 – 13 girls can have their smartphone but they cannot use it around site other than in the sixth form centre or if a teacher allows them to use it in lesson.

Updated Sep 2025
Our review contains additional results data reported to us by The Maynard School and is updated annually. See the review

We do not receive results data for this school. Find out more.

GCSE-level results data is not reliably reported on for independent schools. We have chosen to show only the results achieved in individual subjects. Find out more

Subjects entered at GCSE level (2024)

Pupils attending this school entered exams in these subjects. The list only includes qualifications approved for inclusion in the performance measures. The subjects and qualifications on offer at this school may change year on year. For a full list of subjects and qualifications on offer at this school, visit the school or college website or contact the school directly. Find out more

Subject Qualification Entries Avg. grade
Spanish GCSE (9-1) Full Course 6 7
Religious Studies GCSE (9-1) Full Course 10 7
Physics GCSE (9-1) Full Course 25 8
Physical Education/Sports Studies GCSE (9-1) Full Course 8 9
Mathematics GCSE (9-1) Full Course 46 7
Latin GCSE (9-1) Full Course 7 8
History GCSE (9-1) Full Course 27 8
German GCSE (9-1) Full Course 6 8
Geography GCSE (9-1) Full Course 18 8
French GCSE (9-1) Full Course 6 8
English Literature GCSE (9-1) Full Course 45 8
Drama & Theatre Studies GCSE (9-1) Full Course 9 9
D&T Food Technology GCSE (9-1) Full Course 20 8
Computer Studies/Computing GCSE (9-1) Full Course 13 6
Chemistry GCSE (9-1) Full Course 25 8
Biology GCSE (9-1) Full Course 25 8
Art & Design (Fine Art) GCSE (9-1) Full Course 21 8

% of pupils achieving AAB or higher, including at least 2 facilitating subjects (2024)

School
53.5%
LA avg.
14.4%
Eng. avg.
17.1%

What is this?

Facilitating A levels are ones that are commonly needed for entry to leading universities. They are: biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, further mathematics, geography, history, English literature and classical or modern languages. The % of pupils achieving AAB or higher may therefore decrease if many pupils have opted not to take two or more of the facilitating subjects mentioned.

Average points score (2024)

School
48.60
LA avg.
34.29
Eng. avg.
34.45

What is this?

These figures tell you the average grade and average points that pupils achieved in their academic qualifications. A maximum of 60 points are available for a grade A* at A level.

Subjects entered at 16 to 18 (2024)

Pupils attending this school entered exams in these subjects. The list only includes qualifications approved for inclusion in the performance measures. The subjects and qualifications on offer at this school may change year on year. For a full list of subjects and qualifications on offer at this school, visit the school or college website or contact the school directly. Find out more

Subject Qualification Entries Avg. grade
Psychology GCE A level 9 A
Physics GCE A level 6 A
Mathematics GCE A level 18 A
History GCE A level 19 A
English Literature GCE A level 12 A*
Economics GCE A level 6 A
Classical Civilisation GCE A level 7 A*
Chemistry GCE A level 13 A*
Biology GCE A level 17 A
Art and Design (Fine Art) GCE A level 10 A*

Entry and exit data

Here we report figures on pupils moving between schools at the usual entry and exit points, as well as student destinations into higher education. We publish publically available data for state schools. For independent schools, The Good Schools Guide collects data from its prep schools as to where their pupils go on to. Find out more

Our review contains additional entry and exit data reported to us and is updated annually. See the review

Recent feeder schools

SEN overview

The Maynard School is a mainstream school. The school may provide support for students with special educational needs as detailed below. If you require more information on conditions the school can support, we encourage you to contact the school directly.

SEN statement

Provided by the school and not part of our review

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

0.47 %
Students with a SEN EHCP UK mainstream school avg. 2.7%
25.18 %
Students with SEN support UK mainstream school avg. 12.9%

SEN conditons supported

Schools report the conditions they might be able to support. Please note, this may not be a complete list. Find out more.

Conditions (Might cover/be referred to as) Provision
ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder Aspergers, Autism, High functioning autism, Neurodivergent, Neurodiversity, Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA), Social skills Yes
HI - Hearing Impairment Yes
MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulty Learning needs
MSI - Multi-Sensory Impairment Sensory processing
OTH - Other Difficulty/Disability Downs Syndrome, Epilepsy, Genetic, Tics, Tourettes Yes
PD - Physical Disability Yes
PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulty Complex needs, Global delay, Global developmental delay
SEMH - Social, Emotional and Mental Health Anxiety, Complex needs, Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA), Mental Health Yes
SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication Selective mutism Yes
SLD - Severe Learning Difficulty Complex needs
SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulty Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Auditory processing, Developmental Co-ordination Difficulties (DCD), Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Handwriting Yes
VI - Visual Impairment Special facilities for Visually Impaired Yes
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