| Motto | Quis ut Deus ("Who is like God?") |
|---|---|
| Established | 1908 |
| Type | voluntary aided, grammar |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Headmistress | Miss Ursula Morrisey |
| Chaplain | Father John Ball |
| Chair of Governors | Mr. B. Hartigan |
| Founders | Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus |
| Specialism | Languages |
| Location | Nether Street Finchley Barnet N12 7NJ England |
| Local authority | Barnet |
| DfE URN | 101361 |
| Ofsted | Reports |
| Students | c.750 students |
| Gender | Girls |
| Colours | Purple |
| Website | www.st-michaels.barnet.sch.uk |
St. Michael's Catholic Grammar School is a Voluntary aided, Catholic Grammar School for girls, situated in North Finchley, London. The school was founded in 1908, when it became the first Roman Catholic school in Finchley since the Reformation.[1] It was founded by, and is now under the trusteeship of, the Congregation of the Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus. Formerly known as St. Michael's Convent, it became a Voluntary-Aided Grammar School in September 1958. Its current headmistress is Miss Ursula Morrissey.
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Every year the school does exceptionally well in the league tables and many pupils are offered places at prestigious universities such as Oxford, Cambridge,UCL and Imperial College. The school has been identified as a top Grammar School for A levels and GCSE by The Times, The Independent, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph & The Evening Standard.
The school had the highest value added score among among English Catholic secondary schools in 2003,[2] and is oversubscribed. All applicants to the school must complete four exams in English, Mathematics, Verbal reasoning and Non Verbal Reasoning; places are awarded to the top 96 girls.
The girls study Religious Education, English, Mathematics, Information Communication Technology, Latin, French, German, Spanish, Italian, History, Geography, Science, Music, Art, Physical Education, Drama, Technology and Education for Living with Citizenship. The pupils carry on their selected 11 GCSE subjects to Key Stage Four.
Pupils have a choice of either Design/Food/Graphics Technology as well as Dance/Physical Education. Since the school has recently become a Language College, the choice of language options has increased to offer Mandarin Chinese and Japanese.
St. Michael's collaborates with nearby Finchley Catholic High School (a boys school) to offer an extensive range of subjects ranging from the usual taught at KS3 and KS4. This collaboration has meant both schools have the most subjects to offer its pupils in Sixth Form, in North London. Some of these subjects include Photography, Music Technology, Classical Civilisation, Politics, Economics, Dance, Performing Arts, Business Studies, Physiology, Sociology, Accountancy and much more. As well as the pupil's chosen subjects, the school strongly recommends to take General Studies as an additional A level. Unlike most schools in London, which offer their pupils the choice of taking up to 4/5 A Levels, St. Michael's offers its pupils the choice of up to 6.
The school has a distinctive purple uniform, which is the colour of the St. Michael’s flower, the Michaelmas Daisy. This royal purple symbolises the status of St. Michael as the archangel who quelled the rebellion of Lucifer. It also contributes to the cost of the uniform, which was sold only in Harrods until very recently and now Pullens.[3]
The school song Dux Michael is sung in Latin praising St. Michael the Archangel, protector and defender of the faith. It is always sung on St. Michael's Day and at various key stage certificate assemblies along with the school prayer. Here is the first part:
In Year 12, a husting takes place to elect the Head Girl and her two Deputies at St. Michael's. As well as this, several committees and clubs are set up according to the interests of the girls, which vary each year. The pupils are welcome to start their own club or committee along with the help of Year 12 pupils and the permission of the headmistress. Some of the committees and clubs this year include Athletics, Art, Book, Charity, Chess, Junior Choir (Years 7 and 8), Senior Choir (Years 9 to 13), Drama, Environmental Committee, Animal Rights Committee, Cultural, Debate, English, Fair Trade, Hockey, Italian Film, Japanese, Justice and Peace, Language, Library, Magazine, Mandarin Chinese, Netball, Orchestra, Poetry, Prom, Spanish Film and Year Book.
St. Michael's Day is the most important day of the academic year at St. Michael's. Here the whole school, pupils and staff, join in celebration of mass in the school hall with a liturgy of music and drama. After mass, free ice cream is given out to its pupils and staff in celebration of St. Michael the Archangel.
Mass is not only celebrated on St. Michael’s Day but liturgies are prepared on the Holy Days of Obligation found in the Catholic Calendar; as well as on the last days of term, part of St. Michael's Catholic ethos along with prayers said daily, and Mass weekly by the school's chaplain, Father John Ball, who has been the chaplain since the 1970s. It is known that the Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus prayed for the school not to be bombed during the Blitz in World War II and the school indeed was spared even though all surrounding areas were heavily bombed.
The staff assembly takes place on the last school assembly before the term breaks for Christmas. It is here that the staff organise an assembly for its pupils, either a talent show or a mini pantomime. Many events are organised throughout the year organised by the staff or various committees. An example includes the Cultural and Charity Committee who organise the traditional "Ireland v. The Rest of the World" netball match played by the staff on St. Patrick's Day, with all monies raised going to charity.
St Michael's celebrated their centenary on September 28, 2008, the day before St Michael's Day. The Duke of Gloucester was invited to the school to mark the centenary with the opening of the new sports hall.