Wiltshire


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/Anne-Wakefield.jpg" alt="St Mary's Calne Anne Wakefield" class="wp-image-35614" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/Anne-Wakefield.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/Anne-Wakefield-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/Anne-Wakefield-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Anne Wakefield took the helm at St Mary’s Calne in September 2024, so Muddy whizzed over to find out what makes her tick. Here she opens up about everything, from how she’d spend a million to her own school days.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-30-second-elevator-pitch-for-your-school-sell-it"><strong>30 second elevator pitch for your school – sell it!</strong></h2>



<p>Our motto, <em>Calne Girls Can and Calne Girls Do,</em> is so true. Our pupils are hugely ambitious for themselves and each other. They achieve outstanding GCSE and A Level results, opening doors to top universities in the UK and overseas as well as exciting careers.&nbsp;</p>



<p>St Mary’s Calne is one of the top schools for girls in the UK, and personal fulfilment and happiness sit alongside academic achievement. A recent independent survey found that 99% of parents said their daughters are happy at Calne and 94% said the quality of teaching is good or very good. With brilliant boarding, an outstanding co-curricular programme and inspiring teachers, courage, compassion and kindness are at the heart of our warm community.</p>



<p>St Mary’s Calne is a boarding school with a full and busy weekend programme. It’s also very popular with local families looking for an exceptional day school, whose daughters will throw themselves into the busy life of a full boarding school programme. St Mary’s shares our beautiful campus and excellent sport facilities with our nursery and junior school, St Margaret’s Prep, for girls and boys aged two to 11.&nbsp;</p>



<p>We recently celebrated our 150<sup>th</sup> anniversary and as we look to our next 150 years and beyond, we will continue to provide an outstanding education for boarding and day girls in the heart of Wiltshire.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-who-would-play-you-in-a-movie-about-your-life"><strong>Who would play you in a movie about your life?</strong></h2>



<p>Dame Judi Dench. We don’t look anything like each other and there’s quite a big age difference, but I think she’s a wonderful role model. I love her work ethic, her sense of humour and her poise and presence. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that I aspire to be like Dame Judi, rather than her play me in a movie!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-you-ve-been-given-a-1m-donation-for-the-school-what-will-you-spend-it-on"><strong>You’ve been given a £1m donation for the school, what will you spend it on?</strong></h2>



<p>I would spend it on bursaries, because they really do change lives. Just this autumn one of our 2024 leavers, who attended St Mary’s Calne for seven years with the support of a full bursary, took her place to read classics as an undergraduate at the University of Oxford after developing a love for classics with us at Calne. <strong></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-describe-your-own-childhood-school-days"><strong>Describe your own childhood school days&#8230;</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/Anne-Wakefield-violin.jpg" alt="St Mary's Calne Anne Wakefield" class="wp-image-35613" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/Anne-Wakefield-violin.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/Anne-Wakefield-violin-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/Anne-Wakefield-violin-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>I could always be found involved in some sort of musical activity at my boarding school.&nbsp; Although I’m passionate about sport for all and I love watching our girls compete brilliantly across many different sports, I was, unfortunately, not known for my prowess in sport.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-and-worst-subject-at-school"><strong>Best and worst subject at school?</strong></h2>



<p>Everyone who knew new at school would say my best subject was music, but I also loved geography, particularly human geography. I think this is because I am really interested in people and how they thrive in different environments.</p>



<p>I hope my amazing science colleagues don’t read this, as my least favourite subject at school was chemistry. I was not a lover of the Periodic Table as a schoolgirl.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-was-the-common-theme-of-your-school-reports"><strong>What was the common theme of your school reports?</strong></h2>



<p>I recall being told to do more violin and piano – particularly practising scales. My report also said, ‘Anne needs to ensure she speaks up more in class.’ Being quiet is not something I am now accused of. &nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-the-best-school-trip-you-ve-ever-been-on"><strong>What’s the best school trip you’ve ever been on?</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/The-Capitol.jpg" alt="The Capitol" class="wp-image-35615" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/The-Capitol.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/The-Capitol-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/The-Capitol-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>I have very fond memories of a trip to the USA, where we played with the US Army Band. As a 16-year-old, it was so magical to play the violin at dusk on Capitol Hill, Washington DC alongside a band who have played at presidential inaugurations.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-did-you-go-to-uni-tell-us-about-the-highs-and-lows-of-student-life"><strong>Where did you go to uni? Tell us about the highs and lows of student life?</strong></h2>



<p>I studied music at University of Sheffield and was incredibly fortunate to work and study with some wonderful musicians &#8211; they were truly inspiring. A low of student life was the amount of pasta with baked beans I ate. If I was going all-out, I would top it off with cheddar cheese.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-if-you-weren-t-a-head-what-would-you-be"><strong>If you weren’t a head, what would you be?</strong></h2>



<p>I very nearly went into orchestral management. However, an opportunity to work at the school I attended came about and I am so glad I choose teaching (or perhaps it chose me?). On reflection, running an orchestra and running a school have many similarities. I certainly feel like a conductor at times, encouraging some to keep time better, some to be noisier and others to keep the volume down.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-describe-what-s-on-your-work-desk-and-what-s-in-the-top-drawer"><strong>Describe what’s on your work desk (and what’s in the top drawer)&#8230;</strong></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/peppermint-tea.jpg" alt="peppermint tea" class="wp-image-35616" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/peppermint-tea.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/peppermint-tea-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/peppermint-tea-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>On my desk I have my perfect combination of Cadbury Dairy Milk and peppermint tea. Best not to look in my top drawer, it can become a bit of a mess!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tell-us-a-little-about-your-family-and-pets"><strong>Tell us a little about your family and pets&#8230;</strong></h2>



<p>I live on site at St Mary&#8217;s with my husband, Ben, my son, William, who is two, and our Labrador, Jemima. Come rain or shine, I love a good dog walk. William is massively into trains, so there are a lot of model trains in the house. He’s also keen on reading <em>Thomas the Tank Engine</em> books and watching <em>Thomas</em> on screen.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-do-you-have-any-hobbies"><strong>Do you have any hobbies?</strong></h2>



<p>For someone who had little interest in competitive sport at school, I have become a passionate Birmingham City Football Club supporter. Every Boxing Day I escape from the hubbub of Christmas to watch them with my aunt and uncle. My parents, husband and son William stay at home, but it’s become a bit of a family tradition. I hope in time, William will join me on the terraces, but he’s a bit young at the moment.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-if-you-want-to-hide-from-the-kids-and-staff-for-half-an-hour-where-do-you-go"><strong>If you want to hide from the kids and staff for half an hour, where do you go?</strong></h2>



<p>We have the most wonderful garden – the Lime Kiln Garden – at the heart of our beautiful campus. It is a tranquil space, filled with flowers and foliage, and the sound of our water feature. If the weather isn’t great, I can escape to our  Lumi Library, which is the most perfect spot for quiet contemplation or picking out a new book. It’s a favourite for the whole community, not just me – it’s always so calm and you can hide in plain sight.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/St-Marys-Calne-library.jpg" alt="St Mary's Calne" class="wp-image-35611" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/St-Marys-Calne-library.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/St-Marys-Calne-library-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/wilts/wp-content/uploads/sites/19/2025/01/St-Marys-Calne-library-768x511.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-and-your-favourite-books"><strong>And your favourite books&#8230;</strong></h2>



<p>As a child I loved <em>Just William</em> for the sense of mischief. He was always getting into scrapes. At university, I really enjoyed <em>Life of Pi</em>. It’s such a beautiful story of hope. Now, I love an autobiography, because I love reading about a person’s life from their own perspective. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-book-or-film-should-all-kids-discover"><strong>What book or film should all kids discover?</strong></h2>



<p>As a book, I often recommend <em>The Railway Children</em> for the emphasis on family connections and the importance of kindness. For a film recommendation, I would suggest <em>The Wizard of Oz</em> for its magic and music.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-song-you-sing-at-full-volume"><strong>The song you sing at full volume?</strong></h2>



<p><em>Take on Me</em> by A-ha often appears at family gatherings. It’s a great song to sing and dance to.<strong></strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-advice-you-d-give-your-younger-self-and-your-current-students"><strong>Advice you’d give your younger self – and your current students?</strong></h2>



<p>Be you, be brave and be confident. Keep courage, courtesy and kindness at the heart of every decision and you won’t go far wrong.</p>



<p><a href="https://stmaryscalne.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St Mary&#8217;s School</a>, Calne, Wiltshire, SN11 0DF</p>



<p>Tel: 01249 857300 </p>


Meet the head: St Mary’s Calne

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