WHAT? WHERE?

Pupils from St James Senior Girls' School, Kensington

Tucked away just off Kensington High Street, St James Senior Girls’ School is a small independent day school for ages 11–18 set around a charming courtyard in a handsome Victorian building. It shares its West Kensington site with the St James Prep and Nursery, giving the whole place something of a through school feel. Despite its calm, almost cloistered feel, it sits right in the thick of one of London’s most exciting neighbourhoods — and with the £4 billion Olympia redevelopment just minutes away (bringing theatres, a huge concert hall and a buzzing cultural quarter), the area is fast becoming a major new cultural hub.

Academically strong with small class sizes, the school is perhaps best known for its distinctive ethos. Since its founding in 1975, it has blended rigorous academics with mindfulness, philosophy and stillness. At the start and end of every lesson pupils take part in the ‘Pause’ — a brief moment of silence to reset before the next lesson begins. Add in the rather unusual bonus of Sanskrit on the curriculum and you get a school that’s quietly confident about doing things a little differently.

There’s also change ahead. With new Head Helen de Mattos at the helm, the school is preparing for its next chapter: from September 2027 it will begin welcoming boys into Year 7 and Sixth Form as it transitions to co-ed.

FACILITIES/SPORT

Sport at St James Senior Girls' School, Kensington

This is a compact central London school, so rather than acres of playing fields you’ll find a smartly used Victorian building arranged around a charming courtyard. Inside are specialist spaces including a drama studio, assembly hall, gym and teaching kitchen, plus a quiet room used for reflection and mindfulness (very much in keeping with the St James ethos). The Courtyard Café doubles as a social hub for pupils and a venue for exhibitions and events.

Sport is competitive and well supported, with lacrosse, football and netball the strongest disciplines and teams regularly competing in regional and national competitions. Pupils can also take part in athletics, cricket, rounders, gymnastics, volleyball and handball, with the school making good use of nearby London sports facilities for training and matches.

CREATIVE ARTS

Music at St James Senior Girls School, Kensington

The arts are taken seriously here and feel firmly embedded in school life rather than bolted on as an extra. Drama in particular looks set to grow in prominence, with a new Head of Drama who is also a theatre director and playwright. Whole school productions are a regular fixture in the calendar. There are several performances each year, from full-scale musicals to year group shows — with Annie currently in rehearsal and younger pupils preparing The Little Mermaid.

Music is lively too, led by the Director of Music, with around 30% of pupils learning an instrument, and there’s a healthy line-up of ensembles including choir, chamber choir, orchestra, jazz band and several rock and pop bands. The school is also keen to develop this further, with ambitions for every pupil to have the chance to learn an instrument.

Art is equally well supported. Sixth formers regularly progress to foundation courses at institutions including Central Saint Martins, Chelsea and Camberwell, and pupils often win prizes in the ISA Art Competition. Sixth form artists also take part in weekly life drawing classes, while The Courtyard Café doubles as a handy gallery space for GCSE and A Level exhibitions.

GENERAL

Teacher and pupils at St James Senior Girls' School

With around 180 pupils in the senior school, St James is intentionally small — and that’s clearly part of the appeal. Classes average about 18 pupils, so teachers know the girls well and the whole place has a noticeably calm, purposeful feel. The school’s signature ‘Pause’ — a brief moment of stillness at the start and end of lessons — probably has something to do with that. It sounds unusual on paper, but seeing it in action simply creates a calm reset before everyone gets on with the business of learning.

There are other touches that set St James apart from the usual London independent school offering. Sanskrit is taught at Year 7 and Year 8 and then offered at GCSE and A Level, which is pretty rare. It sits alongside the school’s long-standing interest in philosophy and reflective thinking. The overall impression is of a place that wants pupils to leave not just with strong grades, but as thoughtful, articulate young people ready to hold their own in the wider world.

ACADEMICS

Pupils at St James Senior Girls' School, Kensington

Academics here are strong but worn lightly — think solid results, small classes and a sense that intellectual curiosity matters as much as exam performance. Results are impressive (41% A–A* at A Level and 55% grades 9–7 at GCSE*) but the atmosphere isn’t ultra hot-house. There’s a clear expectation that pupils will work hard and achieve their potential, just without the pressure-cooker intensity you sometimes find in London schools.

The Sixth Form feels particularly personal. Students receive plenty of individual guidance on university choices and future pathways, and leavers head off to destinations including Oxford, UCL, Bristol, Edinburgh and King’s College London. It’s the kind of environment where teachers have a very clear sense of who each pupil is aiming to become — and help them get there.

There are also a few distinctive academic threads running through the school. Sanskrit is a real strength (rare enough in itself), with pupils occasionally going on to study it at Oxford, and A Level Hinduism is a popular option. Altogether it adds up to a curriculum that encourages pupils to think a little more deeply than simply chasing grades.

SIXTH FORM

The Sixth Form at St James is currently based in a separate nearby building — but not for long. As part of the school’s next chapter (and ahead of the move to co-ed in 2027), plans are underway to bring sixth formers back into the main building with the creation of a brand-new Sixth Form centre.

Due to open in 2026, the new space will transform the current art area into a dedicated sixth form hub, The Da Vinci Centre. With a large common room, lecture space and kitchenette, it will give students somewhere that feels a little more university-style than classroom corridor. It will also bring older pupils back into the heart of the school, something staff are keen on as sixth formers naturally become role models for younger students.

In the meantime, the Sixth Form itself remains refreshingly small, with around 45 students, plenty of individual guidance on university choices — and the welcome freedom of wearing their own clothes rather than uniform, which adds to the more grown-up atmosphere. There’s also a slightly unexpected extra on offer: students can opt to take a Pru Leith cookery qualification alongside their A Levels, meaning some leave St James not only with strong grades but the ability to produce a seriously impressive dinner party.

PASTORAL CARE

St James Senior Girls' School, Kensington

Pastoral care sits firmly at the heart of the St James approach, and it quickly becomes clear that pupils are very well known as individuals. Teachers, heads of year and the pastoral team work closely together, and the atmosphere feels supportive rather than overly formal — the sort of place where pupils seem comfortable asking for help if they need it.

The school’s distinctive ethos plays a role here too. The regular ‘Pause’ moments woven throughout the day aren’t just about sharpening focus in lessons; they’re also designed to support wellbeing, giving pupils a chance to reset before the next thing begins. Alongside this sits a Character Education programme covering everything from relationships and healthy living to revision skills, with visiting speakers regularly brought in to broaden the conversation.

THE HEAD

Helen de Mattos, head of St James Senior Girls' School, Kensington

The school’s new Head, Helen de Mattos, took up the role in January 2026 — though in many ways it’s a homecoming. She was one of the very first pupils when the school opened in 1975 and later returned to teach here, before spending more than a decade as Director of Drama at Farnborough Hill. She has also served as a governor (and chair) at St James Boys’ School, so the St James ethos is something she knows inside out.

She’s warm, engaging and clearly ambitious for the school’s next chapter. With St James preparing to become co-ed from 2027, Helen is keen to position it as a confident London school that’s looking outward — tapping into the cultural energy of the fast-developing Kensington Olympia area and encouraging pupils to think globally as well as academically.

What really stands out is her focus on connection. Helen makes a point of eating lunch with pupils every day, simply picking a table and sitting down with whoever happens to be there — a small detail that neatly sums up her approach. The aim, she says, is for pupils to leave St James academically strong but also confident, articulate and ready for the wider world.

QUIRKS

St James has a few endearing touches that give the place plenty of personality. For starters, it’s a vegetarian school, reflecting its inclusive ethos — the thinking being that everyone, whatever their background or dietary requirements, can eat vegetarian food. Lunch is treated as a proper communal affair too, with an emphasis on conversation, good manners and the idea of serving others before yourself at the table.

Another long-standing tradition is the school’s partnership with Under One Sky. Three times a week the school community makes sandwiches for what pupils call “their homeless friends” — sometimes it’s parents helping out, sometimes the senior school, and on Fridays the Prep takes its turn. It’s done quietly, routinely and without fuss. Kindness here isn’t a poster on the wall — it’s simply something pupils grow up doing.

Then there are the school pets. Pupils are particularly fond of Aragog the tarantula (named after the Harry Potter spider, naturally), who shares the building with a corn snake and a dwarf hamster. Slightly unexpected perhaps — but apparently very popular.

WRAP AROUND CARE

While this is very much a day school, there’s a busy programme of after-school clubs running throughout the week, so plenty of pupils stay on well past the final bell. Options range from sport — including netball, football, lacrosse, running and fitness — to a wide mix of creative and academic pursuits.

Among the more fun offerings are AI and game development, crochet, creative writing, chess and cookery, alongside LAMDA, Shakespeare club and various choirs and bands for those drawn to the performing arts. There are also a number of pupil-led clubs, including debating, history of art and board games, which adds to the sense that pupils are encouraged to pursue their own interests.

SEND

Support for pupils who need a little extra help is overseen by the school’s Learning Development Department, led by the SENDCo, who works closely with teachers and parents to spot any learning differences early and put the right support in place.

That support can take several forms, from small group sessions and one-to-one help in subjects like maths, science and English to study skills groups, mentoring and exam access arrangements where needed. The school also works with external specialists, including educational psychologists and therapists, if required.

The overall impression is of an approach that feels practical and responsive rather than overly bureaucratic — with the focus simply on making sure pupils get the help they need so they can feel confident and keep progressing.

ISI REPORT

You can read the full report here.

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

Phones are largely kept out of the school day at St James. Pupils in Years 7–11 hand them in at the start of the day and collect them again at the end, keeping the school day largely screen-free.

Sixth formers are trusted to manage their own phones, although they’re not used during lessons — a sensible balance between limiting distractions and encouraging grown-up phone habits.

TRANSPORT

This is very much a London commuter school, and pupils arrive from all corners of the capital. Families come from nearby Holland Park and South Kensington, but also from further afield — think Barnes, Mortlake and Clapham Junction south of the river, and even up towards Hampstead.

Luckily the location makes getting here fairly straightforward. Kensington Olympia station is just minutes away, with Overground and District Line connections, and Hammersmith’s transport hub is within easy reach too. In other words, if your child can master the London transport system (which many do surprisingly quickly), getting to school is perfectly manageable.

FEES

Fees are £10,050 per term. Scholarships and bursaries are available, including some linked to the school’s distinctive academic areas such as Sanskrit, as well as performing arts.

WORD ON THE GROUND

There’s a definite sense that St James is entering a new chapter. The arrival of new Head Helen de Mattos has created a bit of buzz among parents — someone who knows the school inside out but is also clearly keen to move things forward.

Timing-wise it’s rather interesting too. The school sits just minutes from the huge Olympia redevelopment, which is set to bring theatres, restaurants and a major cultural hub to the area — and suddenly this quiet courtyard school feels like it’s sitting right in the middle of one of London’s most exciting regeneration stories.

And then there’s the move to co-ed from 2027, which many parents see as a natural next step. Put it all together and the feeling locally is of a school with a strong identity that’s also on the cusp of a new — and rather exciting — phase.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

Good for: Families who like their schools academically solid, intellectually curious and slightly unconventional.

Not for: Those after vast playing fields and traditional school pomp — or pupils who feel life simply isn’t worth living without sausages on the menu.

Want to see for yourself? Be my guest! Find out more about a tour here.

St James Senior Girls’ School, Earsby Street, London, W14 8SH

stjamesschools.co.uk/seniorgirls

St James Senior Girls’ School, Kensington

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