St Francis School News Feed - News

Head Appointment

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 11:57:04 GMT

We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Mrs Karen Austin as our new Headteacher at St Francis School, who will take up the post in September 2026.

Noah Shines on the World Stage

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 17:33:55 GMT

At St Francis, we are always proud to celebrate the individual achievements of our pupils — whether in the classroom, on the stage, or, as in this case, on the international sporting stage. One of our Senior pupils, Noah, recently travelled to Glasgow to represent his club at the Taekwondo International World Championships.

St Francis School Celebrates Glowing ISI Inspection Report

Fri, 2 May 2025 15:54:45 GMT

We are proud to share the results of our latest Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) inspection, carried out in February 2025, which confirms that all regulatory Standards are met — from quality of education to safeguarding, leadership and early years.

National Prep Schools’ Cross-Country Championships 2025

Mon, 3 Mar 2025 15:52:19 GMT

On Sunday our fantastic U11 boys’ team competed at the National Prep Schools' Cross-Country Championships. Our young runners proudly represented St Francis School, displaying remarkable determination, athleticism, and sportsmanship in what is an event that attracts schools from all over the country.

Another Year of 100% Pass Rate in Dauntsey’s Entrance Exams

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 16:01:49 GMT

We are delighted to announce that all 11 of our pupils who sat the Dauntsey’s School entrance exam this year have passed and been offered places for September. This marks a remarkable hat-trick—the third consecutive year in which every one of our candidates has been successful.

Year 5 Explore the Science Behind Flowers

Tue, 4 Feb 2025 15:49:10 GMT

Last week, Year 5 pupils had fun with their Science investigation - an exciting hands-on activity—dissecting a lily to examine its key structures. Working in small groups, they carefully took apart the flowers, identifying and labelling the different parts, from the petals and stamens to the pistil and ovary.

Nell Brushes Up on Success!

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 15:58:21 GMT

We are thrilled to share the fantastic news that our Senior Pupil, Nell, has been named a finalist in the prestigious RI Coronation Award, an annual competition run by the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours. This nationwide competition celebrates the best of young artistic talent aged 11–18, and Nell’s exceptional watercolour work has secured her a place among the country’s most promising young artists.

Celebrating Emilia’s Outstanding 11+ Success!

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 10:41:18 GMT

We are delighted to share the wonderful news that Emilia, one of our talented Year 6 pupils, has achieved an incredible score of 384 out of 420 in her 11+ exams for South Wilts Grammar School! Emilia’s achievement is made all the more impressive by her perfect 100% score in Maths—a truly remarkable accomplishment.

St Francis Pupils Bowled Over by Cricket Success!

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 14:29:34 GMT

We’re thrilled to announce that Year 6 pupils Zara and Tom, along with Senior pupil Priya, have been selected to join the Wiltshire County Cricket teams, representing U11 and U13 levels respectively. Their hard work and dedication have earned them a place among the county’s best young cricketers—a fantastic achievement that reflects their passion and talent for the game.

2024 READING ALOUD FINALS

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 11:00:41 GMT

Bonfire Night saw the best of our year four to eight readers light their own vocal fireworks to dazzle the assembled families, friends and staff in Haybrook Hall this November 5th. The 2024 Reading Aloud Finals was perhaps the best competition in my memory. Each pupil brought their passion for reading and the text alive as they performed pieces that ranged from the dramatic bleakness of Ted Hughes’s ‘November’ poem to the everlasting comedic appeal of Roald Dahl’s ‘Matilda’.

Octavia Completes Junior Duke Award

Thu, 7 Nov 2024 13:10:38 GMT

At St Francis, we take great pride in celebrating our pupils’ achievements, both in and out of the classroom. Today, we are delighted to recognise Octavia in Year 3 as the first pupil this year to complete the Junior Duke Award. This milestone represents a remarkable accomplishment and serves as an inspiration to her peers and the entire St Francis community.

St Francis School Students Excel at the Oexmann Art Awards 2024

Wed, 6 Nov 2024 11:02:15 GMT

We are delighted to announce that several talented students from St Francis School were recognised at this year’s Oexmann Art Awards, hosted by the Wiltshire Museum. With over 230 entries from young artists across the region, the competition was intense, but our students’ talent and creativity set them apart.

Celebrating Alumna Tara's Incredible Rowing Success

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 15:09:53 GMT

We are delighted to share the inspiring achievements of one of our alumnae, Tara, who has continued to make waves in the world of competitive rowing. Tara's journey, which began right here at St Francis, has reached new heights this summer, as she proudly represented Great Britain at the Coupe de la Jeunesse regatta in the Czech Republic.

Year 3’s Fascinating Visit to Stonehenge

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 15:27:18 GMT

Last week, our Year 3 pupils embarked on an incredible educational adventure with a visit to Stonehenge, one of the most famous prehistoric sites in the world. Accompanied by their class teacher, Miss Davey, Teaching Assistant, Mrs Theobold, and Headmaster, Mr Lee, the children received the full Stonehenge experience, making this trip both enjoyable and highly informative.

Inspired Learning Group acquires St Francis School, Pewsey

Fri, 11 Oct 2024 11:10:14 GMT

Inspired Learning Group (ILG), is acquiring St Francis School, Pewsey from the Hayfran Trust. The school, founded in 1941, has been providing an exceptional education for pupils aged from 3 months to 13 years for over eighty years and this move will secure its future.

Girls Football Success!

Thu, 19 Sep 2024 11:34:10 GMT

Yesterday was a thrilling day for our U10/U11 girls football team as they took part in an exciting tournament hosted by Moyles Court. The girls played with immense skill, determination, and energy, ultimately finishing as runners-up after an outstanding series of matches. The team won all their games before drawing in their final match against Durlston Court, who narrowly claimed the top spot on goal difference.

Jack Shines at Championship

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 15:13:42 GMT

Jack, a Year 3 pupil at St Francis School, Pewsey, has made the Wiltshire-based Prep School incredibly proud by securing a bronze medal at The Ultimate Martial Arts Championship. Representing the Wiltshire Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy Marlborough, Jack demonstrated remarkable skill and dedication, which has been honed over his two years of training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. As a grey/white belt, he contributed significantly to his team's impressive achievement, helping them secure second place out of 39 competing teams—a remarkable feat for a young athlete.

St Francis Pupils Achieve Outstanding ABRSM Results

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 15:04:59 GMT

We are delighted to announce the superb achievements of our pupils in the recent ABRSM Music Exams held on at the end of last term. St Francis School, located in Pewsey, continues to uphold its reputation as a leading Prep School in Wiltshire, fostering musical talent and academic excellence.

Natasha Represents the South West

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 13:42:01 GMT

We are particularly thrilled to announce that our Senior pupil, Natasha, has been selected to represent British Eventing's South West Region 100 team. She will be competing at the prestigious Regional Youth Championships at Bishop Burton later this monyj. This is an incredible achievement and a testament to Natasha's dedication and talent in eventing.

St Francis Shines at National Athletics Finals

Thu, 4 Jul 2024 14:58:21 GMT

Exciting News from St Francis! Our talented athletes competed in the National Athletics Finals yesterday at the prestigious Alexander Stadium, the home of British Athletics and the iconic venue for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Celebrating Achievements at Our Junior Duke Party

Wed, 3 Jul 2024 09:32:44 GMT

Last Friday, St Francis School was filled with joy and pride as we celebrated the achievements of our Junior Duke participants with a special end-of-week party. This event marked the culmination of months of hard work and dedication from our pupils in Years 3-6, who took part in the Junior Duke programme - a scheme designed to foster independence, resilience, and creativity amongst our young learners.

St Francis is Hoodwinked!

Tue, 2 Jul 2024 15:23:32 GMT

Last Thursday, the Hemery Hall buzzed with excitement as pupils, parents, and staff gathered for the highly anticipated Year 5 and 6 production of Hoodwinked. This delightful musical comedy, which gives a humorous and fresh twist to the classic Robin Hood tale, was a testament to the hard work and talent of our students.

Pinewood Fencing Success

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 15:45:47 GMT

The St Francis fencers have been on point as well as “en guarde” this term as they have walked away from the first competition of the term with no fewer than 5 medals, including 3 golds.

Nell is a Finalist

Thu, 1 Feb 2024 15:30:27 GMT

Senior Pupil at St Francis, Nell G, is celebrating being one of the finalists in the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours Coronation Award. There were over a thousand entries from young artists aged between 11-18 and only 40 finalists so Nell did fantastically well!

Equestrian Success for St Francis Alumna Pippa

Mon, 8 Jan 2024 14:54:10 GMT

St Francis Alumna Pippa Royle is leaping for the skies after her recent Show Jumping success!

Nell Takes Top Prize

Thu, 4 Jan 2024 14:42:38 GMT

Talented St Francis pupil, Nell G has taken the top prize at the recent Devizes Eisteddfod.

Hockey Success for St Francis

Wed, 3 Jan 2024 14:27:40 GMT

Two St Francis pupils received some very exciting news prior to Christmas, surely earning themselves a place on Father’s Christmas’s “nice” list!

Silver for Bertie

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 15:22:44 GMT

Year 5 St Francis pupil Bertie has excelled at the recent Millfield Biathlon!

Biathlon Success for St Francis

Tue, 28 Nov 2023 13:06:15 GMT

St Francis School is celebrating some South West sporting success, with a brilliant round of results at the recent biathlon in Millfield.

World Saxophone Day

Mon, 6 Nov 2023 14:49:32 GMT

Today is World Saxophone Day, and a chance to shine a light on Senior Pupil at St Francis Freddy T-H who is an accomplished saxophonist.

Olivia Takes Top Art Prize

Thu, 2 Nov 2023 11:42:06 GMT

The prestigious Devizes Eisteddfod has recognised Senior St Francis pupil Olivia H for her artistic talent. Olivia submitted an A5 piece entitled “My Portrait” which was marked as “Outstanding” by adjudicators and won her Year 7-9 category.

Cricket Success for Tom

Wed, 1 Nov 2023 12:40:44 GMT

Congratulations to Year 5 St Francis pupil Tom B who has beaten off the competition to win a place in the prestigious U10 Wiltshire County Cricket Team.

International Success for Tara

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 15:13:29 GMT

Celebrations abound for St Francis after one of their alumna celebrates international rowing success!

Dramatic LAMDA Results

Tue, 5 Sep 2023 13:54:52 GMT

St Francis LAMDA pupils have had a dramatic summer holiday, celebrating their phenomenal LAMDA results, following the exams they took at the end of their academic year.ction for your news story here.

A showstopping Jungle Book!

Tue, 18 Jul 2023 15:38:12 GMT

St Francis pupils swung from the rafters at the end of their summer term with a rousing performance of the Rudyard Kipling classic novel “The Jungle Book”.

Casper Walks Miles for Smiles

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 14:03:15 GMT

Year 1 pupil at St Francis, Casper, has only been at the school for a matter of months but already wowed them with his charitable approach and keenness to help others out. Five year old Casper showed that he thinks globally as well as locally with his eagerness to help, when he raised funds for Operation Smile. Operation Smile was founded in 1982, and since then it has helped children in over 30 countries who has been born with a cleft palate.

Sensen Tops the Fundraising Charts!

Mon, 22 May 2023 13:25:05 GMT

A massive "well done" to Year 3 pupil Sensen, who came top of the fundraising charts at the Restless Development & Knight Frank Schools Triathlon yesterday, raising a whopping £747 to aid Restless Development's youth-led charity work in developing nations.

Senior Girls Qualify for IAPS Swimming Finals

Mon, 15 May 2023 15:46:13 GMT

Well done to our four St Francis swimmers who qualified for the IAPS Swimming Finals next month.

100% Dauntsey's Success Rate

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 13:17:41 GMT

St Francis School is celebrating an outstanding clutch of entrance exam results.

Silver Medals for Year 4 Biathlon Boys

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 15:52:47 GMT

The Biathlon is fast becoming a mainstay of Prep School sports, and Wiltshire-based prep school, St Francis, is definitely taking this seriously.

Academic Scholarship Success for Jessica

Thu, 16 Feb 2023 13:40:18 GMT

Year 6 pupil at Pewsey-based Prep School, Jessica, is reaching for the stars having secured an Academic Scholarship to local Senior School, Dauntsey’s.

Double Scholarship Success for Will

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 15:17:13 GMT

To win one scholarship is impressive, but to win two, from the same world-renowned school is simply outstanding!

Scholarship for Head Boy

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 12:53:33 GMT

The Head Boy at St Francis has reason to celebrate this week after being awarded a highly-coveted Sports Scholarship to prestigious Wiltshire-based independent school, Warminster School.

Head reads to The Nursery

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 09:52:09 GMT

Most schools will tell you that the Head spends as much time with the smallest as the biggest pupils, but it is very rare that that extends to story time in the Nursery.

Drama Exhibition for Ellie

Thu, 9 Feb 2023 10:39:47 GMT

Another dramatic turn of events for pupils at St Francis, as another pupil celebrates the receipt of a drama award to a Senior School.

Katy Cawkwell Visits St Francis

Wed, 8 Feb 2023 11:15:50 GMT

To mark National Storytelling Week Pewsey-based Prep School St Francis invited renowned Storyteller Katy Cawkwell in to tell tales to pupils in the Pre-Prep and Year 3.

Art Scholarship for Tobias

Wed, 8 Feb 2023 11:06:04 GMT

Artistic talent clearly runs in the family, as distinguished Wiltshire-based pet portrait artist Annie Berry’s son has been awarded a sought-after scholarship to the acclaimed Stonar School.

Bedtime Stories

Wed, 1 Feb 2023 14:58:57 GMT

Normally, a Friday afternoon in a day school would be marked with pupils exiting the building(s) in their droves, but not so for St Francis School.

Bertie heads to Oxford

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 14:23:26 GMT

Ex-Franciscan Bertie is accepted to Trinity College, Oxford.

Drama Scholarship for Jude

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 15:32:51 GMT

St Francis has enjoyed a dramatic start to 2023; celebrating the first drama scholarship of the academic year.