Head of Creative Arts

St Mary’s Shaftesbury is a Roman Catholic independent girls’ school which sits in a stunning 55 acre site in beautiful country on the Wiltshire/Dorset border. There are 213 pupils aged 9 to 18. Just over half of the girls are full boarders and the remainder are day pupils, with a good balance of local and international students. We pride ourselves on our exceptionally high standards and strive for excellence throughout the school, a practice which was recently rewarded with the achievement of ‘Outstanding in all Areas’ in a school inspection which took place in November 2016.

St Mary’s is non-selective which brings a fantastic balance of diversity to the school. Being a smaller school, we pride ourselves on our unique family atmosphere and strong nurturing ethos. St Mary’s makes a commitment to each child on joining the school that we will ensure that they reach their full potential. We focus on the individual progress of all our students ensuring that they perform to the very best of their ability. By valuing the academic progress of our pupils equally, a culture of enthusiasm for all learning is engendered.  

Headteacher

Mrs Maria Young

Values and Vision

We demand academic rigour, but alongside this we also help our girls to focus on individual growth, and self-discovery. Their spiritual development is supported through a strong moral code which they will take forward into their adult lives. 

Originally a convent school under the direction of the Congregation of Jesus (formerly the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary), the school is now independent and is owned and managed by a Charitable Trust. Lay staff have replaced religious staff and the Trust has purchased the freehold of the property. The ethos of the school, upon which Governors place great importance, remains in the tradition of the CJ, founded by Mary Ward. The aim is to educate Catholic girls, and those of other faiths, in an environment which nurtures Christian values and prepares them for any walk of life.