is visible in the background. The school was founded in June 1889, when the
bishop of Salisbury,
John Wordsworth, announced to his friend Canon Woodall, "I should like to see Salisbury a great educational centre. I should like to found a school which shall be equal to the greatest and best of our
public schools." His initial desire that working class boys were not to be admitted caused much controversy. Fees were initially set at
£1.10s.0d, and boarding fees were £2 per term; however, the fees were raised to £9 in 1894 to meet the unexpected costs of the school. During the first year, classes were taught in the
bishop's
palace of Salisbury itself. Bishop Wordsworth personally donated £3000, which was used to purchase an area of land in the cathedral close and to build the school's first buildings. After Wordsworth's death, the school was renamed Bishop Wordsworth's School, having been previously known as "The Bishop's School". In 1905, the school became a
grammar school, its buildings consisting of the current Chapel Block and Bishopgate. Between 1905 and 1927 the school also used buildings in the Friary and also on New Street in Salisbury. Until 1928 the school admitted both boys and girls, but from 1927, with the founding of a girls' grammar school in the city called
South Wilts Grammar School, the school admitted boys only. In 1931 a hall, science laboratories and a library were built. By the 1930s, the school had achieved a reputation for pioneering educational work, and in 1936 became a public school. During the Second World War, pupils from the Priory School in
Portsmouth moved to BWS to avoid the bombing of the city. In 1948 the governors accepted
voluntary controlled status, which meant being funded by
Wiltshire County Council as
local education authority and accepting its supervision. Boarding at the school in the Bishopgate buildings ended in the 1950s, and the buildings were used for teaching thereafter. The school now educates boys aged 11 to 18 in years 7–13 and girls aged 16 to 18 in years 12–13. In 2002, a major redevelopment of the school's site and buildings commenced. A new classroom block and drama studio were followed by an extensive sports hall and physical education facilities, and a sixth form block was finished in July 2010. The old sports hall was converted to house the art department, and the design technology block has been expanded. In 2011 a new cookery room was completed with the reception moved from The Close to Exeter Street and in 2017 the new Maths Block was completed. Under the specialist schools programme which ended in 2011, the school was awarded specialisms in
languages in 2004 and
science in 2008. The school converted to single academy status in 2011. In October 2021, it was reported that Wiltshire Police had investigated drugs activity among a small number of pupils. The previous month, a 14-year-old boy had been arrested on suspicion of being involved in the supply of
Class A drugs. In March 2023, it was reported that a student in Year 10 had been arrested on suspicion of sending social media messages threatening to perform a mass shooting at the school. In December 2024, the
Salisbury Journal reported that headmaster Matthew Morgan had left the school for personal reasons, after three months in the post. The current head is Mike Thorne, previously deputy head, who holds the post in an interim role until the appointment of a permanent head in September 2026. == Entrance ==