St Mary'S Shaftesbury

St Mary’s School is an independent Roman Catholic day and boarding school for girls located in a rural setting near Shaftesbury, Dorset, England. St Mary's School has a sixth form and is a member of the Girls' Schools Association. Although the school's postal address is in Dorset, its site lies just over the county border in Wiltshire, within the parish of Donhead St Mary. HistorySt Mary's was founded in 1945 by the nuns of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (also known as the Sisters of Loreto) whose principles are based on the life and works of The Ven Mary Ward. Hence it has the same motto as its sister schools in Ascot and Cambridge. The school became a registered charity in 1995 and is managed by a board of governors, but retains its strong Catholic ethos. Pastoral careAs a Catholic school, pupils attend mass and worship services on a regular basis. Spirituality is considered an important part of school life. The houses take turns to lead services, giving pupils a chance to participate in the service themselves. Spiritual retreats are held by year groups throughout the year. The school's excellent pastoral care was commended in the 2007 ISI Inspection. BoardingOver two thirds of its pupils are boarders. All boarders are full-time and are organised by year groups into five boarding houses.

St Mary’s School is an independent Roman Catholic day and boarding school for girls located in a rural setting near Shaftesbury, Dorset, England. St Mary's School has a sixth form and is a member of the Girls' Schools Association. Although the school's postal address is in Dorset, its site lies just over the county border in Wiltshire, within the parish of Donhead St Mary. HistorySt Mary's was founded in 1945 by the nuns of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary (also known as the Sisters of Loreto) whose principles are based on the life and works of The Ven Mary Ward. Hence it has the same motto as its sister schools in Ascot and Cambridge. The school became a registered charity in 1995 and is managed by a board of governors, but retains its strong Catholic ethos. Pastoral careAs a Catholic school, pupils attend mass and worship services on a regular basis. Spirituality is considered an important part of school life. The houses take turns to lead services, giving pupils a chance to participate in the service themselves. Spiritual retreats are held by year groups throughout the year. The school's excellent pastoral care was commended in the 2007 ISI Inspection. BoardingOver two thirds of its pupils are boarders. All boarders are full-time and are organised by year groups into five boarding houses.