Sacred Heart High School (London)
Encyclopedia
Sacred Heart High School is a Catholic voluntary aided comprehensive secondary school for girls, in Hammersmith
, London
.
The school has been awarded beacon school
honors. In 2005 it became a specialist school
in Mathematics and ICT. The headteacher is Dr. Christine Carpenter and has been so for many years. The school's pupils compile a newsletter for Christmas
, Easter
and Summer
.
The entrance is via Bute Gardens.
, continuing as a grammar school, the Convent of Sacred Heart High School, until 1976.
, in Kensington and Chelsea. From 1990, it was the responsibility of Hammersmith and Fulham, and since 1991 the headteacher has been Christine Carpenter, who replaced Moira Russell.
Apart from the twenty years as a seminary in the late nineteenth century, this site has a 330 year tradition of contributing to the education of young women. The school building was designed by John Francis Bentley
, also responsible for Westminster Cathedral
. In 1993 Cardinal Basil Hume, Archbishop of Westminster
, visited the school for a Mass to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
From September 2006, the school has improved nutrition
by taking away the chocolate vending machines and not allowing girls to bring in that kind of food. Fruits and vegetables should be eaten during lunch. A new fruit juice machine has been introduced.
Both the pupils and the teachers are encouraged to take part in regular activities both within and outside the school community, and all the years contribute to raising money and awareness of political, social and economic status' around the world. The school raises large amounts of money each year for various charities around the world.
Mathematics. For some girls, in year 9, they will start to work on their Maths GCSEs and some even take their ICT GCSE. A group of girls are taken into the advanced class during Year 10 to be entered into sitting the GCSEs early if they are capable physically and academically.
It gets exceptionally good GCSE results.
(PCC) upheld a complaint against the Mail on Sunday
, from Tony
and Cherie Blair
, who had claimed that the Blairs had improperly used their influence to secure the admission of Kathryn Blair to Sacred Heart High School, some six miles from where they live, when other local girls were rejected. The PCC said: "There was no evidence to support the allegation that Kathryn Blair was unfairly admitted or had received special treatment, and the newspaper did not provide any.".
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Admissions
It is a girls' school for ages 11-16 and a popular school. The former convent only accepts girls of the Catholic faith, a uniform is obligatory for all girls during the five years at Sacred Heart. Approximately 800 girls attend the school.The school has been awarded beacon school
Beacon School
Beacon School was a government designation awarded to outstanding primary and secondary schools in England and Wales from 1998 to August 2005. The Beacon Schools programme identified schools that were examples of good practice and funded those schools to enable them to build partnerships with each...
honors. In 2005 it became a specialist school
Specialist school
The specialist schools programme was a UK government initiative which encouraged secondary schools in England to specialise in certain areas of the curriculum to boost achievement. The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust was responsible for the delivery of the programme...
in Mathematics and ICT. The headteacher is Dr. Christine Carpenter and has been so for many years. The school's pupils compile a newsletter for Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
and Summer
Summer
Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice...
.
The entrance is via Bute Gardens.
Foundation
The school was founded by Madeleine Sophie Barat in 1893. One building of Sacred Heart is named after her: the Barat Building. The convent of the Sacred Heart is built on an historic site with a long Catholic tradition dating back to 1609.In 1869 Archbishop Manning decided to convert the convent into a seminary but the original buildings were found to be unsuitable. By January 1876 John Francis Bentley, the architect of Westminster Cathedral, had completed the plans for the current Tudor styled buildings. By July 1884 the seminary was complete, consisting of a chapel, library, school, refectory, common room and upwards of sixty study bedrooms for staff and students.Grammar school
In 1948 the convent school was reorganised as a secondary grammar schoolGrammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
, continuing as a grammar school, the Convent of Sacred Heart High School, until 1976.
Comprehensive
The school received its first comprehensive intake in 1976, gradually becoming comprehensive one year at a time until 1981, as the London Sacred Heart High School. It had around 550 girls in 1980. In 1989, a gradual change began to dispose of the sixth form, and by 1991, it was an 11-16 school, with A-levels being taken at the new St Charles Catholic Sixth Form CollegeSt Charles Catholic Sixth Form College
St Charles Catholic Sixth Form College is a Roman Catholic sixth form college located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, in Central London, England....
, in Kensington and Chelsea. From 1990, it was the responsibility of Hammersmith and Fulham, and since 1991 the headteacher has been Christine Carpenter, who replaced Moira Russell.
Apart from the twenty years as a seminary in the late nineteenth century, this site has a 330 year tradition of contributing to the education of young women. The school building was designed by John Francis Bentley
John Francis Bentley
John Francis Bentley was an English ecclesiastical architect whose most famous work is the Westminster Cathedral in London, England, built in a style heavily influenced by Byzantine architecture....
, also responsible for Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral
Westminster Cathedral in London is the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Church and Cathedral of the Archbishop of Westminster...
. In 1993 Cardinal Basil Hume, Archbishop of Westminster
Archbishop of Westminster
The Archbishop of Westminster heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster, in England. The incumbent is the Metropolitan of the Province of Westminster and, as a matter of custom, is elected President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, and therefore de facto spokesman...
, visited the school for a Mass to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
From September 2006, the school has improved nutrition
Nutrition
Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
by taking away the chocolate vending machines and not allowing girls to bring in that kind of food. Fruits and vegetables should be eaten during lunch. A new fruit juice machine has been introduced.
Both the pupils and the teachers are encouraged to take part in regular activities both within and outside the school community, and all the years contribute to raising money and awareness of political, social and economic status' around the world. The school raises large amounts of money each year for various charities around the world.
Academic performance
The school has achieved a lot of A*s in the GCSEs and for brighter pupils, it is possible to be taught AS levelGCE Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
Mathematics. For some girls, in year 9, they will start to work on their Maths GCSEs and some even take their ICT GCSE. A group of girls are taken into the advanced class during Year 10 to be entered into sitting the GCSEs early if they are capable physically and academically.
It gets exceptionally good GCSE results.
Notable alumnae
- Kathryn Blair, daughter of former BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Tony BlairTony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
and Cherie Booth, QCQueen's CounselQueen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
. - Marion Brewis, Lord Lieutenant of WigtownLord Lieutenant of WigtownThis is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Wigtownshire, a county in the Dumfries and Galloway council area of south-west Scotland.-Title:...
since 2006 - Pauline CollinsPauline CollinsPauline Collins, OBE is an English actress of the stage, television, and film. She first came to prominence portraying Sarah Moffat in Upstairs, Downstairs and its spin-off Thomas & Sarah during the 1970s. She later drew acclaim for playing the title role in the play Shirley Valentine for which...
, actress (very briefly) - Mel MartinMel MartinMel Martin is an English actor. She has appeared in such British television programmes and films as The Pallisers, Love for Lydia, Bergerac, Cover Her Face, Lovejoy, Inspector Morse, Cadfael, When the Boat Comes In, Midsomer Murders and "A Touch of Frost".She starred as Fiona Samson, the double...
, actress
Controversy
In July 1999 the Press Complaints CommissionPress Complaints Commission
The Press Complaints Commission is a voluntary regulatory body for British printed newspapers and magazines, consisting of representatives of the major publishers. The PCC is funded by the annual levy it charges newspapers and magazines...
(PCC) upheld a complaint against the Mail on Sunday
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, from Tony
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
and Cherie Blair
Cherie Blair
Cherie Blair , known professionally as Cherie Booth QC, is a British barrister working in the legal system of England and Wales. She is married to the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair; the couple have three sons and one daughter...
, who had claimed that the Blairs had improperly used their influence to secure the admission of Kathryn Blair to Sacred Heart High School, some six miles from where they live, when other local girls were rejected. The PCC said: "There was no evidence to support the allegation that Kathryn Blair was unfairly admitted or had received special treatment, and the newspaper did not provide any.".