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Heritage

Educating Worldwide for Over 400 Years 

RICH HERITAGE, MODERN OUTLOOK


The Company of Mary Our Lady was founded in Bordeaux in 1607 to educate girls of all faiths, and is the oldest recognised educational order in the world. Today, there are more than 300 CoMOL schools, educational foundations and projects across 26 countries. Notre Dame School in  Cobham is the only one in the UK.

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An educational project that started in Bordeaux more than 400 years ago has now spread throughout the world, including Notre Dame here in the UK


Our Foundress was Saint Jeanne de Lestonnnac, a mother of five children and a progressive and dedicated educator. She grew up in an intellectual and cultured family and was exposed to many different religious and philosophical perspectives. Her own educational approach, that still looks fresh and modern more than 400 years later, was greatly influenced by her uncle, Michel de Montaigne, a renowned humanist philosopher; his belief was that all children deserved to understand the world through experience and learning, in order  to develop lives of integrity and purpose.
At Notre Dame we continue to strive to live up to St Jeanne’s indomitable spirit and drive, and we remain committed to our mission statement of 
‘Accompanying young people in their efforts to build their lives for today and tomorrow’. This mission, along with St Jeanne’s principles of compassion, tolerance and integrity, still provide a highly relevant educational framework that we share with our sister schools all over the world, in many different environments. Our deeply embedded ethos encourages our children to aspire to be the best they can be in all their endeavours, so that they can live full, authentic lives and make a positive difference in the world.

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Excellent pastoral care in the quiet and positive atmosphere of the school supports pupils very well, fully in the spirit of the school’s mission statement to educate young people, accompanying them in their efforts to build their lives in the present and for the future. Staff are wholeheartedly committed to the well-being of the pupils...
INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE REPORT, 2011.