In the purpose-built studios, due to be updated as part of the school's visionary ten-year plan, you will frequently find pupils working on original creative projects during the day, evenings and at weekends, tailored to individual interest. The three studios have flexible work space that facilitate work across specialisms that include ceramics and sculpture, textiles, lens and light based media, and a variety of printmaking methodologies; beyond the usual two dimensional techniques and approaches in drawing and painting. This is in addition to a photographic dark room, design-technology equipment, life drawing, and anatomical, still life resources. The entire Adobe Creative Cloud suite is also available to all students.
All in-house productions take place in our purpose built Delscey Burns Theatre, which is equipped with state-of-the-art lighting and sound equipment and flexible seating systems that allow for inventive staging and versatile interpretations when mounting school productions. A capacity of around 250 ensures our plays receive plenty of excellent audience response! Our committed support staff create wonderful sets and props in the storage dock and workshop situated behind the main auditorium, where students also hone their own technical skills. Two smaller studios – the Hansberry and the Goodbody - are situated upstairs, and serve as intimate and atmospheric rehearsal spaces, with their own lighting and sound systems, and are also where our superb LAMDA programme takes place.
St Mary's enjoys an outstanding reputation for music and is blessed with excellent facilities in a purpose-built music school. A delightful recital room with panoramic views and rewarding acoustics sits above 15 dedicated practice rooms all with modern pianos, and a state-of-the-art studio is equipped with the latest technology for recording and composition.
The Chapel, at the heart of the school, is the main concert venue, and organ lessons are also also delivered from the Chapel. Each boarding house has its own piano, so music is heard in both formal and informal settings throughout the day.
In addition, we have music composition facilities in the new library, which includes a keyboard, and dedicated music classrooms, including a Computer Composition Suite.
The excellent sports facilities on-site include a 25m, six-lane swimming pool, state-of-the-art sports hall (complete with climbing wall and cricket nets) gymnasium, dance studio, 20 tennis courts (comprising 12 astro courts for the Summer Term and 8 hard courts), 8 netball courts, a full-sized astro-turf pitch, grass pitches and a superbly equipped fitness suite.
Girls regularly use the facilities throughout the day, evening and at the weekend, whether playing for the school teams or for personal fitness or enjoyment.
Local off-site facilities we use which enhance our own include: the pitches at the Beversbrook Sports Facility; local equestrian facilities (such as West Wilts Equestrian Centre) and the golf facilities at Bowood Golf, Calne.
The slides above show just a snapshot of the range of excellent faciliities at St Mary's Calne. Please click on the links above for more photographs of facilities.
