A SCHOOL has been put on the market following its closure last month.

St Mary’s Shaftesbury closed its doors in July when Simon Girling and Danny Dartnaill of BDO LLP were appointed as joint administrators.

Despite three weeks of community action, including the launch of a ‘Save St Mary’s’ steering committee, investment talks and more than £250,000 raised, the school had not secured enough pupil admissions for the autumn term, as a result remaining shut.

Now the establishment is on sale with real estate company Savills.

The agent says that there are a number of potential uses for the site, lying within the Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, including sheltered or retirement housing, institutional purposes including education, religious or charitable use, residential or hospitality.

The site is described as “an exceptional freehold property including a chapel, teaching and boarding accommodation, playing fields, sports pitches, a swimming pool and woodlands”.

Offers for the freehold interest are to be submitted by October 22.

As previously reported, despite the closure of the school two of its former members of staff were recruited as town ambassadors for Shaftesbury’s temporary pedestrianisation, which Councillor Piers Brown described as “a small silver lining”.

He added: “It is always disappointing when an employer closes down, especially when it is such a well loved school as St Mary’s.

"I know this must be very hard news for former staff, pupils and alumni alike and I would like to wish them all well.”