On Friday, two girls from LV (Year 10), Livia and Florence, were confirmed at the Roman Catholic Confirmation Service at Downside Abbey by The Rt Revd Declan Lang, The Bishop of Clifton.

Congratulations to our Deputy Head Academic, Mr Michael Smyth, for his inclusion in the book, ‘If I Were Education Secretary… Views from the Frontline’ by Geoff Barton. This book collects the views of serving school and college leaders, policy-makers, and asks them 'what they would do if they were in charge...'

St Mary's was delighted to mark the Coronation of HRH King Charles III with a fun-filled three days of celebrations in honour of this historic occasion. From a Coronation luncheon on Friday in a Dining Hall resplendent in Union Jack decorations, to a 'red, white & blue' dress day on Saturday while watching the Coronation ceremony coverage, to an afternoon of Tennis competing for the Coronation Cup, closing with 'The Big Lunch' in the garden and a dedicated Chapel service on Sunday, the Coronation really brought together the St Mary's community.

Last Thursday in Chapel, the UVI Leavers' Concert was presented to an eager audience of parents, students, staff and families from St Margaret's Prep. Featuring solo performances from A Level Music students, the programme included impressive feature performances by UIV Leavers' Iona (oboe), Sienna (double bass), Ashley (flute) and Kate (piano).

Today we had Elvira from Quest Professional, one of London’s oldest Business Colleges, talking to us about 18+ provisions, either as part of a Gap Year or as an alternative to university, or as a career booster post-university.

On Wednesday 3rd May, six members of St Mary’s Young Enterprise Company, Seed for Thought, represented the school at the Wiltshire County Final, held at the Royal Agricultural University near Cirencester.

Last Thursday, the LIV (Year 7) and MIV (Year 9) set off on a 'Walk & Camp' as part of the Lower School Challenge and Adventure (CAA) programme. Although faced with showers of rain, the girls dealt with the conditions admirably and had a lots of fun along the way.

Over the May Bank Holiday, 20 Fifth & Sixth artists travelled together to Southern Spain for a series of cultural experiences including a photography workshop, tapas, a tour of the beautiful Alhambra and an unforgettable night of flamenco!

On Wednesday morning, as part of our 150th anniversary celebrations, we gathered with former staff, local alumnae, parents, and friends for a Coffee Morning (and special 150th cupcakes!) at the Calne Heritage Centre to enjoy 'The Footsteps We Walk In - a short history of St Mary's School site', a fascinating display of the history, stories, and photos of St Mary's from our school archives.

On Sunday 23rd April, the girls in UIV (Year 9) headed to the Mendip Activity Centre for a day of adventurous fun that included archery, bushcraft, brain teasing puzzle games and a significant amount of teamwork in order to 'crack the code' and solve the Mission Impossible challenge.

The UIV (Year 9) German classes enjoyed a traditional German-style breakfast on Monday 24th April. The menu included sausages, salami, cheese and smoked cheese, hot chocolate, orange juice and bread rolls with a variety of spreads: strawberry jams and Nutella.

On Thursday 20th April, we hosted the second of our 150th Anniversary Regional Drinks at Mr & Mrs Julian Norbury’s beautiful home near Malvern.