A SCHOOL has been put on the market following its official 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.