La Sainte Union Catholic School

La Sainte Union Catholic School
Motto Cuique Omnes et Omnes Deo - Each for all and all for God
Established 1861
Type Voluntary Aided School
Religion Roman Catholic
Headteacher Maureen Williams
Founder Jean Baptiste Debrabant
Specialism Science
Location Highgate Road
London
NW5 1RP
England
Local authority Camden
DfE URN 100059
Gender Girls
Ages 11–18
Colours Bottle Green, White & Gold
Website www.lsu.camden.sch.uk

La Sainte Union Catholic School is a girls' Roman Catholic secondary school based in Highgate, Camden in North London.

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History

Formerly a grant-maintained school, it is now a voluntary-aided school which teaches girls aged 11–19. It is a Specialist Science College. It was awarded Beacon school status in 1999. The school is a part of the La Swap Sixth Form consortium, together with William Ellis School, Acland Burghley School and Parliament Hill School. As such, although the main student body is female, the school has a mixed sixth-form.

The school is named after the order of sisters that founded and continues to run the school, the Sisters of La Sainte Union des Sacrés-Coeurs. This teaching order was founded in 1826 by Father Jean-Baptiste Debrabant, a Belgian priest who felt that the future of the Catholic Church lay in the hands of the young women who would eventually bring up future generations of the faithful, declaring that "a Christian-based education offers sure hope for the future of religion and society".[1]

The school site is on Highgate Road/Croftdown Road, opposite Parliament Hill Fields. It was originally a small private boarding school, becoming a grammar school in the 1960s, and then a comprehensive in the 1970s. During the 1990s the school had grant-maintained status. It was one of the first schools in London to be named as a Beacon school in a government scheme designed to recognize outstanding achievement in inner-city schools. The school has recently also been awarded specialist school (science and mathematics) status.

Notable alumni

Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock - Ph.D., MBE, British space scientist.
Tulisa Contostavlos of multi-platinum hip-hop trio N-Dubz attended the school during her early secondary years. An X-Factor judge 2011
Imelda Staunton - actress, most recently known for her appearances in 'Vera Drake', and 'Harry Potter and The Order of The Phoenix'.
Gloria Hooper, Baroness Hooper - Conservative MEP and Life Peer

External links

References