St Mary's Calne

St Mary’s Calne is an independent boarding and day school in the small market town of Calne, Wiltshire, for girls aged 11 to 18, with a thriving, happy community of 350 pupils (80% boarding, 20% day) and a fine tradition of academic excellence. The school prides itself on instilling in its pupils a love of learning and a desire to care for each other and the wider world.

Academic Excellence

St Mary’s is dedicated to developing each pupil’s full potential by providing a nurturing environment in which girls can grow and express themselves. The curriculum is personalised and innovative, set to challenge each girl as they develop. Our GCSE and A Level results are consistently outstanding and the girls make a smooth transition to the university of their choice.

Outstanding Pastoral Care

Girls at St Mary’s Calne learn and board in their year group, meaning the House teams are specialists in that age range and life-long friendships can flourish. The school is known for its outstanding pastoral care and every girl is known and cared for as an individual. A personal tutor supports each girl through all aspects of school life and stays with them as they progress through the school.

The Lower School (Years 7 & 8) provides a two-year transition from prep or primary school into a senior school environment and a family-friendly approach to boarding. Our boarding community is the beating heart of the school. It offers a truly immersive experience with a full weekend activity programme and opportunities for girls to discover new talents and pursue their passions, while also recognising individual family circumstances and the needs of each pupil.

In the purpose-built Sixth Form Centre, girls are prepared for university and beyond, with a bespoke lecture programme, careers advice, leadership opportunities and more.

Beyond the classroom

Outside the classroom, life at St Mary’s is vibrant, busy and fun! Music and the arts thrive, and girls can choose from over 70 co-curricular clubs, which exist alongside a strong sports offering of swimming, tennis, riding, netball, hockey, lacrosse, cricket and athletics, with many girls representing their sport at regional and national level.

80% of girls play musical instruments and take part in a wide variety of ensembles. The girls perform at many events, both in the local community and further afield. Art enjoys a high profile with pupil’s work exhibition throughout school, regular art trips and a triennial art exhibition held in London.

The facilities are superb, including the beautiful Lime Kiln Garden sitting in the heart of the school, a fully equipped sports complex with climbing wall, gym and swimming pool, a full-size astro, tennis courts, theatre, a Sixth Form Centre and a state-of-the-art new library, overlooking the apple orchard (which produces our own apple juice each year!)

Location

The school has great links to London (90 minutes by M4 or train from Chippenham ) and further afield. Our logistics team ensure pupils can easily access home, airports and train stations whenever they need. Escorted travel is offered to and from Chieveley, Reading, London and airports for all holidays and exeats.