St Mary’s Shaftesbury

[Pud2]

Just seen that it’s closed with immediate effect. Wow. That quite a big deal. So disruptive to the pupils who have already had a distrusted year this year, and awful for all the staff. So sad.

[Panicmode1]

SO sad - I was so happy there. However, there are moves afoot to try and crowdfund to save it (although £4.5m by Monday seems a rather big ask!).

[TheletterZ]

I read it was loosing money for years and this just tipped it over the edge so I’m not sure how much crowd funding will help.

I wonder where the pupils will go? It is a boarding school so I’m guessing a wide ‘catchment’ area. It must be so hard for those in years 10 and 12!

[Panicmode1]

I think the demand for single sex, Catholic boarding is increasingly limited, and without foreign boarders even harder to maintain. It's not very easy to get to either, which makes it idyllic, but for foreign parents needing good transport links, a bit more tricky!

When I was there I think there were c. 350 girls. It is currently just over 220 ish, so a long way short. It's such a shame for those having to move for Sept, but also the wider community because I think the facilities were used by local families in the holidays.

[Pud2]

As you say, it will have far reaching consequences. A lovely school in a beautiful setting with a long history.

[Aguinnessplease]

Very sad. My DD is distraught at the news of its closure. She really loved the place. Now scrambling around looking around for other boarding Options.....

[TheletterZ]

@Aguinnessplease what year is your daughter in and what type of school are you considering?

This must be so hard for all of you. Good luck finding a new school.

[Aguinnessplease]

I’m not too sure at the moment - Downside definitely a possibility.

[Pud2]

Good luck Aquinnessplease. So tricky.

[ellie2201]

I wondered if Leweston would pick up a few of the girls given that it’s also Catholic.

[searching4schools]

@Aguinnessplease We were looking at it for September. Very likely to go to Bruton school for girls. What year group are you looking at? Other options we'd consider are Knighton House if younger or Godolphin in that area for all girls.

[Rainorshine12]

There is a significant chance St Mary’s Shaftesbury will be brought out of administration and will be operating in September & for the long term

[ellie2201]

@Rainorshine12 so they have found another buyer? That’s good news for the staff if so.

[ellie2201]

If it’s ‘just’ the crowdfunding I can’t see how that will get the school through another year, especially as quite a few girls I know have already committed to another school for September.

[Rainorshine12]

@ellie2201 I don’t know the details but yes certainly not just the crowd funding, and wouldn’t be a short term plug either.

Would be fantastic news for current staff and girls who are hoping to stay.

[ellie2201]

@Rainorshine12 or anyone else, have you heard any more? There’s nothing on their Facebook page so I assume the school is staying closed.

[Aguinnessplease]

Yep - sadly closed for good. A parents steering group worked tirelessly for two weeks and actually had a rescue bid accepted by the Receivers, but when push came to shove in the following 48hrs not quite enough parents pledged to keep their girls in the school to make the business case or the year groups viable. Girls are now scattering far and wide across various SW schools I understand. A undeserving and sad end to a lovely school.

[ellie2201]

@Aguinnessplease thanks for your reply. Sorry to hear that.

[xingowner]

Very sad to see a local school close. Few girls boarding schools left, sad on many fronts but most especially for the children and staff. Do consider Knighton House as an option. Many of the girls who left Knighton to go onto ST Mary's commented on how similar the ethos was to KH. Happy to give contact details re Knighton House.