Alexandra College
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Alexandra College is an all girls primary and secondary half boarding half day pupils; school located in Milltown in south Dublin, Ireland. Currently, It has about 300 pupils in the primary school and 600 in the secondary school. It has had an important and prolific involvement in the education of women from its foundation in 1866.
Contents |
[edit] History
Known as 'Alex' for short, the school takes its name from Princess Alexandra of Denmark, who attended the formal opening of the school. The school colours, red and white, were adopted from the Danish flag in her honour. Alexandra College was founded by the quaker Anne Jellicoe in 1866. The main assembly hall as well as the sixth year boarding house take their names from her. Alexandra College was the first Irish institution to put forward women candidates to university. The first women to graduate with degrees were Alexandra College alumni. The school was originally situated in Earlsfort Terrace, but moved out to its sports grounds to accommodate more students in Milltown. Until the 1980s no male teachers were permitted on staff, or even in the building. The 1916 rebel Padraig Pearse was once employed as an Irish language teacher. The first ever international hockey match was held on the Alexandra College hockey pitch. It was England vs. Ireland, and Ireland won 1-0.
[edit] Religion
Alexandra College is under Church of Ireland management and the Archbishop of Dublin and Bishop of Glendalough currently acts as chairman of the school council. The students are addressed weekly by a female Minister and a school assembly is held daily at which Church of Ireland hymns are sung and which finish with the extended version of The Lord's Prayer.
[edit] The Primary School
Children from ages 4-12 are taught through the Froebel method. There is a strong emphasis on the arts, and the students perform regular shows throughout the year. The attendance fees for the primary school are in fact higher than the secondary school due to the high number of teachers of subjects which are not subsidised by the government on the payroll. The kindergarten classes are obliged to wear a red tracksuit, which the older classes wear only for sports, wearing the brown uniform of the secondary school for normal classes.
[edit] Alexandra College Today
Alexandra College usually features in the top ten schools in the Irish league tables but has appeared as the best all-girls school in the past. Like the primary school, an unusually wide range of subjects are available to study, from the arts to the sciences. It is a prime feeder of Trinity College Dublin and UCD. The student body is made up of a mix of local girls, and boarding students from the rest of Ireland, Europe, Asia, Africa, Canada and Australia. The school was greatly benefitted in 2004 with the opening of the the Milltown Luas stop at the back gate of the college.
[edit] Charity Work
The prestigious 'Children of Ireland' award was last year awarded to five Alex students who went to work in Calcutta to work with the Hope foundation charity, [[1]]. The school devotes up to five full days per school year to raising money for a range of charities decided by the student body. These 'Charity Fun Days' are entirely student-run and very successful, raising up to €4000 per day.
[edit] Distinguished members of The Guild
- Catherine McGuinness, Justice of the Supreme Court (2000 - )
