St Mary’s Calne is a leading UK independent boarding and day school for girls aged 11 to 18, set in the heart of the Wiltshire countryside on a beautiful 27-acre campus. The school enjoys is happy community of around 350 pupils with an 80% to 20% boarding-to-day ratio. St Mary’s welcomes cultural diversity and around 15% of the students come from overseas.
Deeply committed to academic excellence through exceptional teaching and a culture of curiosity, ambition and intellectual growth, pupils are empowered to fulfil their potential and achieve outstanding results.
In 2025, students achieved 83% A*/B at A Level, and The Sunday Times Parent Power 2024 ranked St Mary’s Calne among the top 25 schools in the UK for A Level results.
Superb facilities and a stimulating, diverse co-curricular programme provide rewarding opportunities to excel both in and beyond the classroom. Academic rigour is enriched by a supportive, happy and purposeful community where every pupil is known, valued and encouraged to flourish. Guided by the school’s ethos of ‘be kind, be bold, be you’ and the belief that ‘you can at Calne’, girls are inspired to develop confidence, integrity and resilience as they grow into their own identities.
Anchored in a tradition of intellectual ambition and care for others, St Mary’s Calne nurtures a love of learning and a commitment to making a positive difference in the world. Pupils are encouraged to think independently, express themselves and embrace challenges, knowing they are supported every step of the way. With a strong emphasis on personal growth, wellbeing and aspiration, St Mary’s Calne lays the foundation for bright, successful futures, enabling each girl to shape her own path with courage, purpose and compassion.
The school is located in the market town of Calne amidst the Wiltshire Downs, an area of stunning natural beauty and historical significance. The school is within easy reach of the university towns of Bath, Bristol and Oxford and just over an hour by train from London. This ideal location means that the girls benefit from a huge range of co-curricular opportunities.
What makes St Mary’s truly distinctive is our blend of excellence in pastoral care and academic development while supporting our girls in all their endeavours.
Focus on the individual. Small by design, St Mary’s provides exceptional all-round education in a warm, nurturing environment. It is the individualised approach to every aspect of school life that makes St Mary’s Calne special. The pastoral care is outstanding. Every girl has a Tutor to support her through aspects of school life, from organisational skills and subject choices through to university application. Calne girls do achieve phenomenal results through their own personal effort, bold tenacity, support from staff, and our first-class facilities.
Academic Excellence. St Mary’s Calne has a well-deserved reputation for academic excellence, exam results are consistently first-rate, and is committed to providing an education that will challenge and inspire its pupils. The Sunday Times Parent Power Schools’ Guide consistently rates St Mary’s Calne in the top 2 schools in the South West.
In 2024, students went on to study at a range of first-class universities including Oxford, St Andrews, Durham, Exeter, Newcastle, Bristol, Cardiff and Manchester and, in recent years, have gained places at prestigious universities in the USA. Leavers go to read a broad range of subjects including Architecture, Biology, Business & Management, Classics, Computer Science, Engineering, English, Film & TV Production, Fine Art, History of Art, Law, Materials Science, Modern Languages, Music, Philosophy & Theology, Psychology, Sport & Exercise Science.
Co-Curricular Opportunities. Opportunities in sport, music, art and drama abound and the facilities are superb, including an impressive sports complex with sports hall, gym, dance studio and 25-metre swimming pool, full-size astro, a purpose-built theatre, a Sixth Form Centre and an award-winning Library, overlooking the school's orchard.
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.
Drama productions in the purpose-built theatre are of the highest standard, with senior students perform annually at the Edinburgh Fringe. In Art, in addition to holding a triennial exhibition in London, the girls have received numerous awards, including having artwork selected for the Young Artists’ Summer Show at the Royal Academy of Arts.
The girls excel at sport, and the school is represented at county level in several major sports, nationally in athletics and lacrosse and internationally in horse riding, with all girls taking advantage of the superb sports facilities.
The girls also enjoy many other sports, including tennis, hockey, horse riding, swimming, badminton, kayaking and ski racing.
Community Partnerships. The girls are very active in the local community and have helped in local hospitals and schools, performed concerts for the elderly in residential care homes and read to younger children in the community library. In addition, the girls help to raise awareness of, and funds for, local charities, such as Doorway, a charity which helps the homeless in North Wiltshire.
Fees per term (2025-2026). Boarding: £19,470, Day: £14,520, including VAT.
Scholarships and Bursaries. Scholarships and Exhibitions are available to new entrants at 11+, 13+ and at Sixth Form. Any girl who is awarded a Scholarship or an Exhibition may apply for a means-tested Bursary.
We also offer Foundation Scholarships at entry to the school at 11+ for girls applying from the State sector.
Charitable status. St Mary’s School (Calne) is a Registered Charity, number 309482 and exists for the education of children.
Governors & Staff:
Chair of Governors: Mr S Adde
Head: Mrs Anne Wakefield, BMus Sheffield, QTS Hertfordshire
Senior Deputy Head: Mrs D Harrison, MA Cantab, PGCE Bristol, CPP Roehampton
Deputy Head Academic: Mr M Smyth, BSc Newcastle, PGCE Cantab, MSc Oxon
Deputy Head Pastoral: Mrs S Toland, MA Cantab, PGCE Brunel, CPP Roehampton
Director of External Relations: Mrs J Rawlinson, BA Hull, MA Florida
Head of Sixth Form: Mrs Lucy Weeden, MA Surrey, BA Oxon
Head of Community and Partnerships: Mrs Claire Bolton, BA Leeds, PGCE Sheffield
School Chaplain: Revd J Beach, BSc Essex, BA Bristol, MTh Cardiff