St Martin-In-The-Fields High School for Girls
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| St Martin-in-the-Fields High School for Girls | |
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| Motto | Caritate et disciplina (With Love and Learning) |
| Established | 1699 |
| Type | Secondary Comprehensive |
| Religious affiliation | Church of England |
| Headteacher | Mrs Lesley Morrison BSc Hons DipSocSc Cert Ed |
| Chair | Rev S Gates MA BA |
| Founder | Parish of St Martin-in-the-Fields |
| Specialism | Technology (Operational) |
| Location | Tulse Hill Lambeth London England  |
| Ofsted number | 100641 |
| Students | c.851 |
| Gender | Girls |
| Ages | 11 to 18 |
| Website | St Martin-in-the-Fields High School for Girls Web Site |
St Martin-in-the-Fields High School for Girls is one of the oldest schools for girls in the country having been established in 1699 as a charitable enterprise by the parish of St Martin-in-the-Fields in London. Its popularity and consequent growth led to its relocation to a larger site in 1928 to Tulse Hill, in the Borough of Lambeth in South London where for many years it acted as a Grammar School. It now operates as a a fully comprehensive Voluntary Aided High School with Technology College status.
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[edit] History
The school was founded by the Parish of St Martin-in-the-Fields in 1699. [1] as a charity. At this time St. Martin-in-the-Fields and the SPCK (Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge) were headed those considered radical by their contemporaries because of their ideas that a school should be provided to educate the girls of the parish rather than just boys.
The school was originally based in Charing Cross Road, near the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. The school was known as St Martin’s Middle Class School for Girls and it was only later that it became known as St Martin-in-the-Fields High School for Girls[2] It used charities that had accumulated to it in the parish in which it was situated to fund the education of girls. [2] Due to the fast growing and populous nature of the parish, the school did well and grew. Near the beginning of the twentieth century the growth was such that it was felt that a larger building with extensive grounds and playing fields was necessary. Thus plans were made to move and the school relocated in 1928 to its present home in Tulse Hill, near to Strand School, another school that had relocated for similar reasons just fifteen years before. The new buildings were officially opened by the then Duchess of York, wife of the future King George VI, who was later known as Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Despite the relocation, the school still has close links with its founding church in Trafalgar Square.
When the London County Council established in 1955 [1] a local comprehensive school for girls using the name Dick Sheppard School for Girls, this was naming was directly related to St Martin's (as it is still colloquially referred to). The English Anglican clergyman, Dick Sheppard was famed for turning the church St Martin-in-the-Fields into an accessible social centre for all those in need. Hence the resonance between this new comprehensive school and the already established grammar school.
This pairing of schools had a male counterpart in the vicinity, being the Strand School acting as the Grammar School for Boy and Tulse Hill School as the boys comprehensive. Of these four Tulse Hill schools St Martin-In-The-Fields High School for Girls is the oldest in its original foundation and is the only one to have survived, with the Strand School , Tulse Hill School and Dick Sheppard School having closed in the late 1970s, 1990 and 1994 respectively.
In 1996 the school was awarded by being acknowledged with Technology College status and then recently in 2003 opened its sixth form to its first students. [3] St. Martin’s, as it is colloquially referred to, is now a fully comprehensive Voluntary Aided High School with Technology College status. The school has also been awarded Sportsmark and is an Ambassador School for Gifted and Talented Youth. [3]
[edit] Catchment
The school serves a catchment in Lambeth, south west London, with 36% on free school meals and a high percentage with lone parents. Almost 90% of the pupils are of Caribbean or African heritage, with a significant proportion (27%) speaking English as an additional language. [3]
[edit] Education
The school is in the top 5% nationally compared to like schools. It now teaches girls from 11 to 18 and thus encompasses the ‘A’ level curriculum as well. The school remains a Christian school although accepts all faiths. [3]
[edit] Debating
St Martin’s has an impressive record in debating having won the Lambeth Debating competition four times in a row. [3]
[edit] School Logo
The school logo depicts St. Martin. The Latin phrase Caritate et disciplina which forms part of the school logo, means With Love And Learning. The school maintains that the words are central to its ethos of providing a loving, supportive environment in which to promote effective learning. [3]
[edit] Alumni
- Evi Blaikie - author (Juliette Weisz '51-58)
- Skin/Skunk Anansie/Debbie Dyer - singer
- Anne Nightingale - newsreader
- Carol Barnes - broadcaster
[edit] External links
[edit] Further Reading
- D H Thomas, A Short History of St Martin-in-the-Fields High School for Girls (1929)
