MORE THAN A CENTURY OF EDUCATING GIRLS
Founded in 1890, St. Catherine’s School is the oldest continually operated all-girls school in Richmond. Located on 16 manicured acres in the city’s West End, it has historically been the top choice of affluent Richmonders looking for an educational setting tailored for girls, blending academics, diverse perspectives and creative learning. And through its partnership with brother-school St. Christopher’s, its students have access to programs and teachers available at the boy’s school as well. The result: 100% of graduates gained acceptance into a four-year institution in 2023, more than 80% of students took AP classes and the average SAT score was over 1300. “Every single decision is made with girls in mind,” says Whitney Shelton, associate director of admissions, upper school. “How best do they learn? What do they need? How can we encourage them? We believe this approach builds within them the confidence to meet the world and say, ‘I can do this.’”
THREE SCHOOLS, THREE APPROACHES
St. Catherine’s has a student body of 950 across three schools and a student-teacher ratio as low as 9 to 1, depending on school and program.
Lower school, for girls between age 3 and Grade 4, focuses on project-based learning, a method that encourages collaboration, research, critical thinking and problem solving. The school introduces students to engineering, design, coding and languages, such as Mandarin and Spanish.
Middle school takes advantage of the budding, curious minds in Grades 4-8, focusing on issues like digital citizenship, independence and responsibility, and intentional academics, a program that empowers them to think critically and express curiosity in real-world scenarios.
Upper school, offering more than 180 courses and 34 honors classes, is where St. Catherine’s prepares young women in Grades 9-12 for post-secondary education. Coursework prioritizes independent research and character development while also offering hands-on college counseling.
DEVELOPING A WELL-ROUNDED ADULT
St. Catherine’s girls are encouraged to explore their creativity and athleticism. The school offers comprehensive programs in multiple disciplines, including visual arts, theater, dance and music. Its main campus is home to the 70,000-square-foot Kenny Sports and Fitness Center and The Love Jennison Family Theatre, a 550-seat performance hall. By the time the girls reach middle school, they’re running the show, managing productions, designing sets and handling lighting and sound design. The school, which also has 145 acres of sports fields in nearby Goochland County, is home to 40 different teams and has won 48 league and 26 state championships. “I think the development of the whole girl is what drives our community,” says Deborah Dunlap, senior development officer.
ENDOWMENT AND TUITION
St. Catherine’s has an endowment of $50 million and tuition that ranges from $19,600 to $33,400, with payment plans and financial assistance available. The school awarded $3 million in financial aid in 2023, with 22 percent of its students receiving assistance. St. Catherine’s used to offer boarding, but that is no longer and option. The school motto – “What we keep we lose; only what we give remains our own” – is emblematic of its commitment to a life dedicated to purpose and service.
St. Catherine's School
Private Pre-K, Elementary, Middle, High School
|
Grade Pre-K-12
6001 Grove Ave,
Richmond, VA
955
Students
A+
School Details
Head of School
Cindy Trask
Student Teacher Ratio
8:1
Average SAT Score
1290
Average ACT Score
29
Average GPA
3.65
Graduation Rate
100%
Annual Tuition
$30,750
Religious Affiliation
Episcopal
Niche Grade
A+
A-
A
A+
A+
A+
Source: Niche
Niche Grade Details
Academics
|
Average GPA
3.65
|
Teachers
|
Student Teacher Ratio
8:1
Teachers
131
|
Full Time Teachers
100
|
|
Part Time Teachers
31
|
|
College Prep
|
Average SAT
1290
Math
640
Verbal
650
|
Average ACT
29
Math
27
English
30
Reading
31
Science
28
|
|
Number of AP Courses
23
|
AP Pass Rate
81%
|
|
Four-Year Matriculation Rate
100%
|
|
Clubs and Activities
|
Girls Athletic Participation
Very High
|
GreatSchools Rating Details
Student Diversity
|
White
81.7%
|
Black
8.7%
|
|
Two or more races
3.9%
|
Asian
3.5%
|
|
Hispanic
2.1%
|
Native American
<1%
|
School Rankings
#4
Best All Girls Schools in Virginia
#5
Best HS For Athletes in Virginia
#15
Best Christian Schools in Virginia
Specialty School Programs
AP Programs Offered
Athletics Program
Colleges Students are Considering
Students are most interested in or go on to attend these colleges.
University of Virginia
100 Students
James Madison University
77 Students
William & Mary
55 Students
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
41 Students
Virginia Tech
41 Students
New York University
36 Students
Elon University
35 Students
University of Richmond
35 Students
Georgetown University
32 Students
University of South Carolina
31 Students
What Students Want to Study
Niche users from this school are most interested in the following majors.
Business
45 Students
Biology
36 Students
Psychology
32 Students
Pre-Medicine Studies
32 Students
Nursing
25 Students
Political Science and Government
20 Students
Marketing
19 Students
History
19 Students
Economics
17 Students
Chemistry
14 Students
This School’s Reviews
Niche Reviews
8/27/2025
I really like st cats I switched from collegiate and havent looked back. The community is very welcoming and kind.
2/16/2024
Unparalleled college preparatory school experience—I attended from junior kindergarten through my senior year (graduation implied). The writing skills in particular that are cultivated at St. Catherine's put me miles ahead of my college peers who had graduated with far better grades than myself (coming from different schools/states).
2/23/2022
We have two girls who attend St. Catherine's. Our oldest daughter started off in 3rd grade while our youngest daughter started with the JK program. It has been amazing to see how quickly both girls have been embraced by the school and community. The level of attention and personalized instruction is more than we could have hoped for when we started looking at different educational options. As we were going through the application and decision making process we constantly came back to St. Catherine's as they truly developed an educational curriculum around our daughters. We have now been at the school for a little more than 3 years and it could not have been any better. During the pandemic my wife and I consistently noted how fortunate we were to have a supportive educational environment that continued to adapt and change in response to our girl's needs.
GreatSchools Reviews
10/30/2024
Administration is terrible, and they don't help get you into college. My parents chose to send their 3 daughters there, me included, and they regret sending us there so much. I have so many examples and situations that happened at this school. Please send your children to Collegiate or Trinity if yo...
5/14/2024
We have two lower school daughters currently at St. Catherine’s and we couldn’t be happier with our choice of school for them. The admissions process for our oldest was full of questions and lots of discussion for my husband and I because neither of us grew up in Richmond, so we were evaluating mult...
12/5/2023
Choosing a school for our daughter was not something we took lightly. Our family had both public and private school experiences, so we evaluated all our options. Engaging with the admissions team, spending time on campus, and speaking with other families all positively contribute to our decision. Ou...
12/5/2023
We moved to Richmond, VA in my daughter’s kindergarten year and looked at several area schools. We found that the admissions team and everyone we encountered at St. Catherine’s School really took the time and extra effort to get to know our daughter. They understood exactly where she was and what sh...
Agents Specializing Near This School
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Jemma Bliss
Jemma Bliss
Liz Moore & Associates
(757) 703-4797
44 Total Sales
1 Near This School
$375,000 Price
-
Catherine Morphis
Catherine Morphis
Compass
(804) 234-4696
103 Total Sales
5 Near This School
$230K - $1M Price Range
-
Crystal Biggers
Crystal Biggers
HomeLife Access Realty
(804) 781-9071
41 Total Sales
1 Near This School
$290,000 Price
-
Steven Moss
Steven Moss
ICON Realty Group, ERA Powered
(804) 409-3778
83 Total Sales
4 Near This School
$360K - $1.1M Price Range
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Khaliyah Barakhyahu
Khaliyah Barakhyahu
EXP Realty, LLC
(804) 823-8985
95 Total Sales
3 Near This School
$315K - $400K Price Range
-
Rachel Knapp
Rachel Knapp
Coldwell Banker Realty
(725) 373-9562
72 Total Sales
1 Near This School
$576,600 Price
Map
Explore this Neighborhood
List Price Range
$420K - $2.7M
Homes For Sale
6
Average Home Value
$947,774
Median Lot Size
8,712 Sq Ft
% Renters
25%
Average Household Income
$171,687
% of College Grads
64.6%
Median Age
28
Average House Size
2,233 Sq Ft
% Commercial Property
40.0%
Homes for Sale
Homes for Rent
$1,600 - $2,875 per month
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- Studio - 2 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
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- 1-2 Baths
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- 1 Bath
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- 1-2 Baths
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- Studio - 2 Beds
- 1-2 Baths
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- 1 - 3 Beds
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Additional Schools in the Area
Public Schools shown may be Choice Schools
Choice Schools
Choice schools may not serve this home. Please check the school district website to see all schools serving this home.
- Pre-K to 12th
- Private
- 9th to 12th
- Private
- 9th to 12th
- Private
Parks in this Area
Bandy Field Nature Park
Cheswick Park
- Picnic Area
- Trails
- Playground
Huguenot Flatwater Park
- Bike Trails
- Boating
- Fishing
Westhampton Green Park
- Picnic Area
- Trails
- Playground
Mary Munford Playground
- Basketball
- Picnic Area
- Tennis
Bandy Field Nature Park
Additional Neighborhoods in this Area
Westhampton
A sought-after neighborhood near Libbie and Grove shops and restaurants
Crestview
Henrico suburb with local dining, big stores on the edge of Richmond’s city line
Tuckahoe
Suburb near the University of Richmond, with multiple shopping options
Stratford Hills
A forested neighborhood near James River parks
St. Catherine's School is a private Episcopal school for students in grades Pre-K-12 located at 6001 Grove Ave in Richmond, VA. Annual tuition is $30,750. The school has a total enrollment of 955 and maintains a student-teacher ratio of 8:1. St. Catherine's School has received feedback and ratings, with a Niche grade of A+. The average GPA is 3.65, the graduation rate is 100%, and average standardized test scores include an SAT score of 1290 and an ACT score of 29. The average home value in this area is $947,774. Discover additional schools in the area, like St Christopher's School, Shaarei Torah of Richmond, Benjamin & Lillian Rochkind Yeshiva Of Virginia, and more. Learn more about what Richmond has to offer, and browse homes for sale and for rent near St. Catherine's School.