Shaftesbury School is a 13-18 upper school situated on the southern edge of the rural town of Shaftesbury, overlooking the rolling Dorset countryside. The main building, attractive and distinctive in design, was opened in September 1983. Its purpose-built amenities house first-class provision for teaching and studying. These include six science laboratories, a school hall, a design and technology suite, an attractive library, fine sports facilities including a fully-equipped sports hall, a business studies suite and a splendid computing base. There is a new leisure centre being built on site, due to open in 1997. The School has an excellent teaching record in all subjects, achieving well above average rsults in public examinations. A new 6th form centre was opened in 1995. Its highly sucessful sixth form offers a wide range of opportunities both at 'A' and 'AS' levels. An increasingly wide range of vocational courses are also available for both one and two year 6th form students. The majority of Advanced level students go on to degree courses including successful entry to Oxford and Cambridge.
In addition to its well-established reputation for sporting achievement, the School is equally successful in the field of music and drama helped by the recent development of its own Arts Centre including a workshop theatre. A new leisure centre opened on the site in June 1997.
Boarding is available from the age of ten for both boys and girls, students attending the King Alfred's Middle School in Shaftesbury before transferring to Shaftesbury School at thirteen plus.
Boarding students are housed at the recently refurbished and enlarged boarding house at Barton Hill. (See photo.) Barton Hill House is a former country house now extensively enlarged with accommodation (mainly en suite) of a very high standard, large private grounds, library, games room and private study facilities. Boarding received an excellent report in the OFSTED inspection held in 1994.
