We are part of a momentous story that dates back to the 16^th century when the Society of Jesus, a religious order of priests founded by St Ignatius of Loyola, and better known as Jesuits, came into being.

Ignatius and his small group of like-minded companions received papal approval in 1540. These Jesuits opened their first school in in 1548, in Messina, Italy. Today, not only is the Society of Jesus the largest order in the Catholic Church but the name Jesuit is virtually synonymous with education.

There are more than 3,700 Jesuit schools, colleges and universities, serving 2.5 million students around the world. It is the single most successful educational organisation in history and remains true to the guiding principles laid down by St Ignatius and his first companions.

We are a proud Jesuit school, wholeheartedly committed to the Jesuit principles of education. To learn more about what this means click here.

The origins of Mount St Mary’s College go back to 1620 when Jesuits were teaching, albeit in secret, at Stanley Grange near Derby. In those days Catholics were outlawed and when discovered Stanley Grange was closed down. The Jesuits then moved to Holbeck near Worksop until finally, after the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829, Jesuit schooling came into the open. In 1842 the College of Mount St Mary was formally opened in the north Derbyshire village of Spinkhill.

Parts of the current College building are 16^th and 17^th century, the Sodality Chapel is the earliest remaining building and was used for clandestine worship, at a time of persecution. The awe-inspiring Memorial Chapel was built in 1924 to commemorate the Old Mountaineers who had lost their lives during World War I. Designed by Adrian Gilbert-Scott, it mimics exactly the proportions of the Duomo in Florence.

Through the pursuit of excellence in all we do and by caring for the whole person we produce grateful and generous, learned and wise young men and women of conscience, compassion and competence.

 We are a Jesuit school, founded in 1842 for « improvement in living and learning for the greater glory of God and the common good ». St Ignatius Loyola, a founding father of the Society of Jesus

Jesuit schools are Catholic communities characterised by their Christian mission and Ignatian identity. The following vision of Jesuit schools comes from one of the key documents on Jesuit education:

Jesuit schools should be places where people and believed in, honoured and cared for;
where natural talents and creative abilities are recognised and celebrated;
where individual contributions and accomplishments are appreciated:
where everyone is treated fairly and justly;
where sacrifice on behalf of the economically poor, the socially deprived and
the educationally disadvantaged is commonplace;
where each of us finds the challenge, encouragement and support we need to reach
our fullest individual potential for excellence;
where we help one another and work together with enthusiasm and generosity, attempting to model concretely in word and action the ideals we uphold.

We are an inclusive school and families of all faiths and backgrounds are welcome here. Our mission is to know our pupils, understand them, challenge and support them so that they grow to be fulfilled, purposeful and happy members of society who care in the proper sense for others and themselves.

To find out more, visit our website.