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The library provides a pupil-centred, technology-rich and interactive environment that supports both collaborative and independent learning.
It has become an important part of school life: a welcoming space where pupils can study, explore ideas, work together and develop a lifelong love of reading and learning.
We remain enormously grateful to the donors whose generosity turned this vision into a reality. Their support made the creation of this exceptional learning environment possible.
Since opening, the library has become the lively academic heart of St Mary’s: a bright, welcoming space that encourages reading, research, creativity and the exchange of ideas. Pupils use it throughout the day for lessons, independent study, collaborative work and quiet reading.
Situated at the centre of the campus beside the much-loved orchard, the library was designed as a stand-alone pavilion inspired by an orangery. Its branching structural beams echo the surrounding fruit trees, while the glazed façade draws the orchard into the building and softens the boundary between indoors and outdoors.
The ground floor is a flexible and sociable environment, with comfortable seating, teaching areas and direct access to the terrace and orchard. The quieter upper floor provides spaces for focused study, together with inviting book nooks where pupils can settle down with a good read.
Across both floors, project rooms, breakout spaces and multimedia facilities support group work, presentations, photography, video editing and musical composition. The amphitheatre-style staircase and sunken Hub also provide informal settings for author talks, book clubs, discussions and pupil presentations.
Pupils played an important part in the design process, sharing their ideas for a library that would be both an academic haven and a collaborative hub. Today, it is a place where girls choose to spend time: reading, studying, meeting, creating and making the most of the opportunities available to them.
The library was made possible by the generosity of our donors, whose support created an enduring resource for current and future generations of St Mary’s pupils.
