Welcome to
St. Mary's Preparatory School
We have been at the centre of education in Henley for almost 100 years, helping generations of children to learn in a stimulating and inspiring environment. Situated in the heart of the town in a beautiful Victorian townhouse, our vibrant co-ed prep school provides an outstanding education for children aged 3 – 11 years.
Proud of our reputation for delivering academic excellence – the attainment of St. Mary’s pupils is above national age-related expectations in all subjects, and our more able pupils are challenged and stretched with a range of classroom work and additional activities.
Our pupils are well prepared to make the transition on to the next stage in their education, with children consistently receiving offers from their first choice of the most prestigious schools in the area, including scholarships and awards.
Meet our Headteacher, Mr Stephen Blundell
Welcoming a new headteacher for the first time in 15 years, this autumn is a very exciting time for St. Mary’s Preparatory School and Nursery. Stephen Blundell joins St Mary’s after spending 10 years at Wetherby Prep in London, where he served as Deputy Head for 5 years.
"As soon as I stepped into the school, I was immediately drawn to the happiness of the children. The interactions between boys and girls of all ages give a clear sense of a nurturing, family oriented environment underpinned by exceptional pastoral care. These strong foundations are vital in allowing each pupil to develop personally, academically and creatively whilst at St Mary's."
- Mr. Stephen Blundell
FACILITIES & LOCATION
Nurturing excellence
in the heart of Henley
Our outstanding onsite facilities are enhanced by excellent sports and outdoor options in Henley-on-Thames and the local area.
Our specialist classrooms such as a fully equipped science lab, light and airy art studio, music room and vibrant well stocked library, foster a dynamic learning environment. Our wonderful outdoor spaces include a recently refurbished courtyard playground and all-weather sports area, climbing frame and soft surface. Our Nursery and Early Years children also benefit from their own specialist fun and interactive outdoor area in addition to the main school facilities.
Laptops, iPads and interactive whiteboards, in our classrooms, all connected through our school-wide wireless network, promote interactive learning.
We have close relationships with a number of local organisations, enabling us to provide our pupils with exciting learning environments, all just a short walk or minibus journey away.
Join us for a Personal Tour
Shape a bright future for your child
Book a personal tour today to discover excellence in education, experience our nurturing community, and envision a future full of promise for your child.
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Enjoy regular updates on life in our School and Nursery
Sports Day at St. Mary`s is always a highlight of the school calendar, and this year`s event was no exception!
Sports Day 2025 was a really wonderful way of finishing the summer term, a day full of energy and excitement, with enthusiastic participation from all of our children.
From our youngest Nursery children, to our confident Year 6 leaders, everyone gave their best effort across a wide range of events. We all loved cheering on the children as they competed in sprints, obstacle courses, skipping challenges, the always-funny sack races, and many more!
Competition between our houses, Mars, Jupiter and Neptune, was fierce, and we are looking forward to finding out the winner of the coveted house cup at our Prize Giving service tomorrow.
The ice cream van was the perfect cold and sticky treat, at the end of a hot and sunny afternoon.
Well done to all the children for making it such a memorable day, and thank you to the staff and families who helped make it a success, and a big thank you to Shiplake College for hosting us.
#sportsday #sportsday2025 #prepschool #sport #henley #henleyonthames #wearecognita
Well done to all the children who took part in Education Henley and The Portrait Foundation`s `Portrait of a Loved One` competition this year. A wonderful initiative to showcase the talent of children in our community, and to give them the opportunity to have their work displayed in the Amber Gallery in Henley.
With over 100 entries, competition was tough, so huge congratulations to our children who won in their age categories, and for our Nursery pupil who was recognised for her talent and commended as one of the youngest entrants!
We are very proud of you all!
@education_henley @basiahamilton @ambergalleries #art #prepschool #henleyonthames @henleyherald @berkshiremummies
Our Nursery parents are our greatest advocates - we are very proud of their incredibly positive feedback.
There are lots of things that make our Nursery special - French and Music lessons, weekly outdoor learning adventures, our buddy system with children from the main school - but really, it all comes down to how happy our children are.
To hear about what our parents love, visit our Day Nurseries profile to see all of our reviews: https://bit.ly/44HHCT8
#henleyonthames #nursery #toddler #preschool #wearecognita
Henley Royal Regatta 2025 - what a week!
As this year’s regatta draws to a close, celebrating the achievements of so many incredible athletes, we are proud to display these drawings made by our Year 4 children.
Studying Canaletto’s ‘Regatta on the Grand Canal’ in their art lessons, the class took inspiration from this when producing their drawings of Henley.
Featuring the iconic blue and white striped boat tents, the pictures are instantly recognisable as the Henley reach.
Well done Year 4, and we are looking forward to regatta 2026 already!
@henleyroyalregatta #henleyroyalregatta #henley #prepschool #wearecognita
As part of their humanities topic exploring where our food comes from, our Year 4 class enjoyed a visit to Horsepond Farm. The farm is part of a DEFRA scheme, designed to help children find out more about the benefits of regenerative farming.
Our pupils met farmers Veronica and Clive, to hear about the ways they use insects, plants and animals, to help improve the soil and to combat pests on the fields, to increase their yields.
The famers did a visual comparison with a neighbouring farm which uses chemical methods to control pests and diseases, showing how effective their natural approach can be.
The farmers were very impressed with our children, their great behaviour and intuitive and impressive questions - well done Year 4!
#outdoorlearning #prepschool #henleyonthames #wearecognita #school #henley
We are celebrating our Maths superstars, who took part in the recent First Maths Challenge.
Twenty of our pupils participated in this UK wide and International Challenge, set by the Mathematical Association.
The challenge aims to make maths exciting, engaging and enjoyable, for all children, in the UK, and around the world.
We are incredibly proud that everyone who took part was awarded a bronze, silver or gold award – absolutely amazing!
Huge congratulations to everyone, and a particular special mention to our Year 4 pupil who was the highest performing child and who won a Gold award!
Our Head of Maths is very proud of all the children who entered.
#henleyonthames #maths #prepschool #wearecognita #school
Huge congratulations to all of our Year 5 and 6 children on their wonderful summer production, The Wizard of Oz.
The parents and friends in the audience at the Kenton Theatre, were blown away by the incredible performance!
We were transported to the magical land of Oz, following Dorothy over the rainbow, and along on her amazing adventures. We are very proud of all our pupils` hard work, their commitment to learning their lines and the courage and confidence they demonstrated on stage.
All of the children have made some very special memories, and we know that they will cherish those for years to come.
Well done Year 5 and 6!
A big thank you to the Kenton Theatre for hosting us, a fantastic opportunity for our children to perform on stage in one of the oldest working theatres in the UK!
#wizardofoz #drama #prepschool #henleyonthames
@kentontheatre #wearecognita
Nursery had so much fun at Wild Ones!
In our visit to the wonderful Wild Ones this week, our Nursery children explored all things Jurassic!
We hatched dinosaur eggs, went on dinosaur hunts in the sunshine and experimented with erupting volcanoes.
And, because Wild Ones always manages to squeeze in a little something extra, the children enjoyed an impromptu carrot harvest and carrot soup making session!
Our youngest children really relish their weekly outdoor learning sessions. They offer a wonderful opportunity to get outside, and enjoy a really hands on approach to learning - as well as having lots of fun!
#outdoorlearning #henleyonthames #prepschool #nursery
St Mary's Preparatory School is a Microsoft Showcase School
We are proud that St Mary's Preparatory School has been recognised as a Microsoft Showcase School, dedicated to using technology for personalised learning and school-wide transformation.
With 1:1 devices and cutting-edge tools like Microsoft Teams, Office 365, and OneNote, we enrich students' learning experiences.
Our goal is to make their skills relevant in real-world scenarios, seamlessly integrating knowledge into daily life and future projects.
Parent & Pupil Feedback
100%
Parents agree that:
the school safeguards their children effectively.
the school helps their children to be confident and independent.
the range of subjects is suitable for their child.
their child is well prepared for senior school.
the school equips their child with the skills they need later in life.
100% pupils agree that the school expects the children to behave well.
Unlock Your Child's Potential
Discover the enriching journey your child will embark on
through the various school stages at St. Mary’s Preparatory School.
