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St. Mary's School Nairobi

Kenya, Nairobi

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 6 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 768
Type Boys School, Co-educational
Opened 1939
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP)
Taught languages English, French, Swahili, Spanish
Typical class size 14
Strengths Sport, Performing Arts, Academic Enrichment
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Arts and Creative
Stages Kindergarten, Primary School, Middle School, Secondary School, Senior Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction

St. Mary's School, Nairobi is an international day Catholic private school founded in Parklands in 1939 by the Holy Ghost Fathers from Blackrock College in Dublin. The Junior School follows the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) and the Cambridge Primary Curriculum, while the Senior School offers Cambridge IGCSE, KCSE and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). The school serves students aged 6 to 18, with admissions for KCPE, Cambridge Primary Curriculum, KCSE, IGCSE and IB. The campus supports a safe learning environment and features three technology centers (Junior, Senior and IB), science laboratories (Biology, Physics and Chemistry), ART rooms, libraries and a Music Center with a recording studio. Notable co‑curriculars include EAMUN and MSMUN Model United Nations, World Scholars, and extensive sport, theatre and music programs. Programs such as CAS and the President's Award foster service, leadership and global awareness alongside academics. The school maintains Catholic values and supports international families.

The Essentials

St. Mary's School Nairobi has 768 pupils, typical class sizes of 14, instruction in English.

Location
Nairobi, Kenya (Parklands)

Stages
Kindergarten; Junior School; Senior School; International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). The school serves from early childhood to emerging adolescence.

Type
Catholic private day school

Country affiliation
Kenya

Religious affiliation
Catholic

Bus service
School Transport is provided with five zones. Zone 1 covers Lavington, Hurlingham, Adams Arcade, Rhapta Rd, Westlands, City Centre; Zone 2 covers Nairobi West, Karen, Village Market, Parklands; Zone 3 covers Buruburu, Ridgeways; Zone 4 covers Nairobi Academy, Garden Estate; Zone 5 covers Langata, Kiambu Rd.
Diving Deeper

Boarding Arrangements
The school is a day school; boarding is not offered.

Food Options
School lunch is provided.

House System
The school has a house system with house assemblies on Thursdays.

Governance and Ownership
The school is owned and managed by the Archdiocese of Nairobi.
Fees
Application fees
- A non‑refundable application/registration fee is charged for admissions. For the International Baccalaureate (IB) application the application form fee is KSh 1,000.

Tuition fees (annual and per‑term figures)
- Publicly listed annual day‑school tuition estimates from independent school directories fall in the range KSh 429,220 to KSh 519,360 per year. These directory figures are presented as annual day fees.
- Using a three‑term academic year (standard in Kenya), simple term‑level equivalents for the directory annual figures are approximately:
- Annual KSh 429,220 → Per term about KSh 143,073.
- Annual KSh 519,360 → Per term about KSh 173,120.
- No school‑published, itemised fee table showing per year group or per‑form/grade tuition by term or by level (junior, senior, IGCSE, IB) for the 2026/27 academic year was found in public documents; the directory annual figures above are the available published fee indicators.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- Standard billing practice is termly invoicing (three terms per academic year) consistent with the term/annual figures above. Specific published billing dates, installment discounts, and formal late‑payment penalties were not found in publicly available school documents.

Boarding fees
- St. Mary's School, Nairobi operates as a day school; there are no boarding fee schedules applicable.

Other costs and typical additional fees
- Uniforms are required. A uniform charge is commonly itemised by schools of this type; however no school‑published uniform price list or compulsory uniform levy specific to St. Mary's Nairobi was located in public material. Independent school listings note that uniforms are required.
- Additional costs commonly charged at comparable Kenyan international and private schools (not specifically published for St. Mary's Nairobi in accessible documents) include: examination/entry fees (IGCSE/IB exam entry), extracurricular/activity levies, exam or subject practical fees, textbooks and stationery, transport (if applicable), and occasional trip/camp charges. No itemised amounts for these vote heads were publicly available for St. Mary's Nairobi.

Refund information
- A clear, published refund policy for tuition, deposits or levies specific to St. Mary's School Nairobi was not found in publicly available materials. The school does state that application/registration fees are non‑refundable where noted for the IB admission process.

Fee payment options
- No authoritative, detailed public listing of accepted payment methods for St. Mary's Nairobi (bank account numbers, mobile payment options, credit/debit card acceptance, or direct‑debit arrangements) was located in the publicly accessible material reviewed. Independent directory entries include the school's contact details for parents and sponsors to arrange payment and banking instructions directly. For planning purposes, parents commonly use bank transfer (local bank/MPesa) or the payment channels the school provides on enrolment documents at comparable schools; however, specific accepted channels for St. Mary's Nairobi were not published in the public materials located.

Notes on available public information and gaps found
- The school's publicly accessible pages confirm the school's day‑school status and that an application fee (KSh 1,000) applies to IB applications, but a fully detailed, school‑published fee schedule (showing tuition per term by grade/year group, boarding fees, uniform price list, exact billing dates, published refund policy and the official list of accepted payment methods) for the 2026/27 academic year was not located in the public documents reviewed. The directory annual figures above (KSh 429,220 and KSh 519,360) are the primary available published indicators of annual tuition; the term figures given are simple three‑term divisions of those annual figures for convenience and planning.
Academics

St. Mary's School Nairobi teaches Cambridge (Primary), Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP) for students aged 6 to 18.

Curriculum
Junior School uses the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) and Cambridge Primary Curriculum (CAIE). Senior School offers KCSE and IGCSE, and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is available. Admissions cover KCPE, Cambridge Primary Curriculum, KCSE, IGCSE and IB.

Higher Education Progression
Most students advance from Grade 1/Year 1 in primary to secondary and finally to university entrance examinations in our IB Diploma program.
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The Junior School program emphasizes self-expression and life skills.

Safeguarding
The school is dedicated to providing a safe learning environment.
Parent Experience

History
St. Mary's School, Nairobi is an international day school founded in Parklands in September 1939. It was founded by the Holy Ghost Fathers from Blackrock College in Dublin, Ireland, and opened on 12 September 1939 with 4 boarders and 13 day pupils. In 1946 the school moved to an 85-acre site on land of St. Austin's Parish Muthangari, Westlands. The present building was completed in 1954. The school remains a Catholic private school committed to providing spiritual, intellectual, and physical education.

Community
The school community participates in a broad spectrum of activities and clubs, including EAMUN, MSMUN, World Scholars, Skating Club, Theatre Arts Club, CAS, the President's Award, Swimming, Basketball, Karate, Chess, Soccer, Rugby and Golf. Learning facilities support these activities with three technology centers (Junior, Senior & IB), biology, chemistry and physics laboratories, art rooms, libraries, and a Music Center with a recording studio. Upcoming events include Saints Charity Spirit Week, Grade 9 & 10 trips to Nyeri, Educational Trips for Year 1 & Year 2, and Inter-House Drama as part of the ongoing calendar.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Learning facilities include three technology centers - Junior, Senior & IB; Laboratories (Biology, Physics & Chemistry); ART Rooms - Junior & Senior; Libraries - Junior & Senior; and a Music Center with a recording studio. The facilities support a safe learning environment.

Academic Facilities
Three technology centers - Junior, Senior & IB; Laboratories (Biology, Physics & Chemistry); ART Rooms - Junior & Senior; Libraries - Junior & Senior; Music Center with a recording studio.

Extra Curricular Facilities
EAMUN - East African Model United Nations; MSMUN - Middle School Model United Nations; World Scholars; Skating Club; Theatre Arts Club; CAS - Creativity, Activity, Service; President's Award (P.A); Swimming Club; Basket Ball Club; Karate Club; Chess Club; Soccer Club; Rugby Club; Golf Club.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school runs EAMUN (East African Model United Nations) and MSMUN (Middle School Model United Nations). World Scholars is offered as an extracurricular program. Academic Trips are part of student life. These activities develop research, debate and presentation skills alongside classroom learning.

Arts & Creative
Theatre Arts Club is offered. A Music Center with a recording studio supports music and performance. Art Rooms for Junior and Senior students and Libraries support creative work. The Theatre Arts Club and music programs provide outlets for creative expression.

Cultural & Language
EAMUN and MSMUN provide platforms for international dialogue and cross-cultural exchange. World Scholars expands global perspectives through inquiry and collaboration. Theatre Arts Club and other arts activities celebrate cultural expression within the student body. The co-curricular program fosters global awareness alongside academic work.

Social & Hobbies
The school offers a Skating Club and a Theatre Arts Club. It runs sports and hobby clubs including Swimming Club, Basket Ball Club, Karate Club, Chess Club, Soccer Club, Rugby Club and Golf Club. These clubs provide opportunities for recreation and social engagement. The school also hosts events such as the Swimming Gala as part of student life.

Community & Service
CAS - Creativity, Activity, Service is offered as part of the co-curricular program. The President's Award (P.A) supports student service and leadership development. Saints Charity Spirit Week provides opportunities for charity and community involvement. These programs emphasize giving back and developing character alongside academics.

Leadership & Professional
Model United Nations programs (EAMUN and MSMUN) develop leadership, teamwork and public speaking. The President's Award (P.A) fosters leadership and personal development. CAS encourages students to combine creativity with service, building problem-solving and professional skills. The co-curricular program aims to nurture principled and open-minded leaders.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Swimming Club, Basketball Club, Soccer Club, Rugby Club, Karate Club, Chess Club, Golf Club and Skating Club promote fitness, teamwork and well-being. The school hosts a Swimming Gala and other sporting events as part of student life. Outdoor activities and regular sports participation support physical health and balance with academics.
Languages

Language Provision
The Cambridge International Curriculum in the Junior School (Year 1 to Year 7) includes English, French and Swahili as subjects. The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme offers English as Studies in Language and Literature and Language Acquisition choices such as French B, Swahili B, French Ab initio and Spanish Ab initio. Together, these programs provide English, French, Swahili and Spanish language study across the school.
Admissions

Admissions
The school offers KCPE, KCSE, IGCSE and IB academic programs. The school has a broad learning culture that includes sports, art, music and drama.
School Events
The school has not added events
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