St Mary’s School: Calne, Wiltshire, UK

The School was founded in 1873 by Canon John Duncan, the vicar of Calne. He was a man of vision and determination and for over thirty years worked unstintingly to establish St Mary's as an outstanding girls’ school with an Anglican foundation.

The school is extremely well-resourced and has excellent facilities which contribute to the quality of the teaching and learning on offer. All departments, including the science laboratories, are very well equipped, several with subject libraries and a number with interactive whiteboards. The taught curriculum is complemented by outings to cultural events, supplementary lectures and field study courses, including trips abroad.
The small classes (typically 15 in a class, with fewer at AS and A Level) allow the highly qualified teaching staff to focus on the needs of the individual, stretching and supporting her as appropriate, and encouraging her to enjoy learning and to develop and pursue her particular interests. Facilities for study are excellent: girls benefit from no less than three libraries – a junior library, a senior fiction library and a reference library – which are well stocked and provide an environment conducive to private study. The school has a wireless network, offering access to the internet from anywhere in the classroom wing and in the Senior Boarding Houses.