Coloma Convent Girls' School
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2012) |
| Coloma Convent Girls' School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
Upper Shirley Road , , CR9 5AS | |
| Coordinates | 51°22′10″N 0°03′10″W / 51.369361°N 0.052846°W |
| Information | |
| Type | from 1999 Comprehensive, 1994-1999 Selective School 1965-1978 Grammar School |
| Motto | Laborare Est Orare (To Work is to Pray) |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1869 |
| Founder | The Very Reverend Canon Van Crombrugghe |
| Local authority | Croydon |
| Department for Education URN | 101823 Tables |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Headteacher | Mrs S Collins |
| Gender | Girls |
| Age | 11 to 18 |
| Colour(s) | Navy Blue Light Blue White |
| Website | http://www.coloma.croydon.sch.uk/ |
Coloma Convent Girls' School is a Roman Catholic school in a semi-rural location in Shirley, on the outskirts of Croydon, South London, England.[1] Coloma is a comprehensive school, so does not select its pupils: it has a history of selection, having been a grammar school for much of its history, and a grant-maintained school in 1994-1999.
The school selects a number of pupils at 11+ or 16+ for music scholarships; all other girls are admitted using a religious-based points system.
From September 2010 until late 2018 The Quest Academy was part of the separate Coloma Trust, an academy trust that later also included the Archbishop Lanfranc school.[2]
History
The school regards its founder as being the Very Reverend Canon Constant Van Crombrugghe, who founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary and Joseph in Belgium in 1817. There is a bronze bust of Van Crombrugghe in the Main Hall.
The school opened on 2 August 1869, with one pupil. In 1871, property was found in Tavistock Road, Croydon, and named Coloma. The school remained there until its move in 1965 to the present site.
Admissions policy
Girls wanting to attend the school are admitted using a religious observation points system, which is intended to give priority to candidates who are seen as the most devout, and to families who are most active in the church. The school is one of a small group of Catholic comprehensives to have adopted this system, along with the London Oratory School, Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School and the John Fisher School. Prior to the year 2000 most of these schools admitted a percentage of their pupils based on ability, aptitude or through an interview process. The points system is seen by some as a way for these schools to protect the Catholicity of their intake.
Academic Reputation
The school gets results comparable to that of a rural grammar school with A*-C GCSE pass rates consistently in the high 80s-low 90s.
In 2010, the school was placed 6th of all comprehensive schools, with 98.1% of girls achieving 5 A* to B grades.[citation needed]
House System
Each pupil attending the school is a member of a house; each year group contains six houses: St. Barbara's (red) St. Bernadette's (green), St. Edith's (yellow), St. Margaret's (light blue), St. Theresa's (purple) and St. Winifred's (dark blue). Inter-house competitions and events take place throughout the year, culminating at the annual summer Sports Day.
Combined Cadet Force
While the school does not have their own Combined Cadet Force (CCF), a few of the girls per year get to attend CCF training at Royal Russell School enabling them to experience the Army or the RAF.[3]
Headteachers
- Madame Helene, 1875 - 1892
- Madame Elitrude, 1892 - 1919
- Mother Winefride, M.A., 1919 - 1945
- Mother Marie Winefride, M.A., 1945 - 31 Aug 1948
- Interregnum 1 Sept - 31 Dec 1948
- Sister Mary Cuthbert, 1 Jan 1949 - Apr 1980
- Sister Mary Gabriel, 21 Apr 1980 – 1989
- Miss M Dolan, 1 Jan 1990 – Nov 1994
- Sister Sheila (Acting), 1 Sep 1994 – 31 July 1995
- Mrs M Martin, 1 Aug 1995–2017
- Mrs J Johnson, 2017 -31 Aug 2019
- Mrs S Collins, 2019-present
Alumni
- Francesca McDonagh, CEO of Bank of Ireland
- Paula Ann Bland, played Claire Scott in Grange Hill
- Mya-Lecia Naylor, actress
- Jenny Shircore, make-up artist
Grammar school
- Marie Angel, artist and illustrator
- Mavis Batey, World War II codebreaker
- Barbara Jones (artist)
- Dame Erica Pienaar, teacher
- Cathy Shipton, actress who played Duffy in Casualty
- Sarah Thomas (actress),
References
- ^ "Education | League Tables | Performance results for Coloma Convent Girls' School". BBC News. 13 January 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ^ "AFTER 40 years of teaching, Selsdon High School shut its doors for the last time on Wednesday. | This is Croydon". Thisiscroydontoday.co.uk. 23 July 2010. Archived from the original on 23 July 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ^ http://www.coloma.croydon.sch.uk/Combined-Cadet-Force-