Maricourt High School
Encyclopedia
Maricourt Catholic High School, in Maghull
, Merseyside
, United Kingdom
, formerly Mater Misericordiae Grammar School
, is a Roman Catholic comprehensive school. Maricourt is one of two secondary school
's administered by the Sisters of Mercy
in Merseyside
, the other being Broughton Hall High School
in West Derby
. Maricourt caters for both male and female students from ages eleven to eighteen. Former headmistress Sister Mary Teresa RSM BSc
was the last Sister to be Headmistress at the school and ceased her duties as Headmistress in 2007 with the new Headmaster being Mr Brendan McLoughlin MA. The school offers both GCSE as well as Advanced Level
qualifications from the highly acclaimed facilities it provides to students.
inventor and Conservative
MP
Frank Hornby
, with only 16 eleven year old girls, but they moved to the first small section of the school in January 1958. This was formally blessed by Cardinal Heenan on 8 March. Due to the interest taken in it by the Bootle Education Committee, it rapidly grew in building and numbers and became a voluntary aided Grammar School in September 1964, maintained by the Bootle Authority. The Government, however, favoured Comprehensive education and so, in November 1967, the then Archbishop of Liverpool
, Dr. Andrew Beck, approached the Sisters to see if they would take over a nearby St. Paul's Catholic Secondary Modern and annexed it to their building as a Co-educational Comprehensive. This they agreed to do and, in September 1968, the first Co-educational Comprehensive School in the Archdiocese opened under the new title of Maricourt Catholic Comprehensive with Sister Mary Magdalen still as Headmistress. Sister Mary Magdalen retired at Christmas 1989 and was followed by Sister Mary Teresa who led the school from 1989 to 2007. The school is now the largest Catholic High School in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton. A Jubilee Mass was celebrated on 21 September 2007 in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ The King
, Liverpool
in Thanksgiving for the first fifty years of Maricourt's existence. The chief celebrant was His Grace The Archbishop of Liverpool
, Patrick Kelly. Thousands of friends, students, past and present filled the Cathedral
to celebrate this milestone in the school's life and to pray for the next fifty years of educational and fundamental service and endevaur in the community set by Maricourt to the pool of students from across Merseyside.
at Maricourt was rated as gaining some of the highest Advanced Level
results in Merseyside
and stand consistently above the national average, as well as enjoying a regular 100% pass rate for Advanced Level students. Maricourt works alongside Maghull High School
and Deyes High School
to form the Maghull
Collaborative in which students may study with a combination of these schools to broaden the A-Level curriculum available in the local area and amongst the students studying at Maricourt's Sixth Form. Facilities at Maricourt, based in Quarry Brook House, were subject to substantial refurbishment during the 2011 August Holidays with modified study areas as well as the conversion of one of Quarry Brook's larger first floor rooms into an Oratory for use by students.
Maghull
Maghull is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in Merseyside, England. The town is located eight miles north of the City of Liverpool and south of Ormskirk in West Lancashire. The area of Moss Side also contains HM Prison Kennet and Ashworth Hospital. Maghull had a...
, Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, formerly Mater Misericordiae Grammar School
Grammar school
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and some other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching classical languages but more recently an academically-oriented secondary school.The original purpose of mediaeval...
, is a Roman Catholic comprehensive school. Maricourt is one of two secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
's administered by the Sisters of Mercy
Sisters of Mercy
The Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
in Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
, the other being Broughton Hall High School
Broughton Hall High School
Broughton Hall High School is an all-girls', Roman Catholic secondary school and sixth form in the West Derby area of Liverpool, L12 9HJ England. The school holds Specialist Technology College status.- History :...
in West Derby
West Derby
West Derby is a suburb in the north of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is also a Liverpool City Council ward. At the 2001 Census, the population of the ward was 14,801 .-History:...
. Maricourt caters for both male and female students from ages eleven to eighteen. Former headmistress Sister Mary Teresa RSM BSc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
was the last Sister to be Headmistress at the school and ceased her duties as Headmistress in 2007 with the new Headmaster being Mr Brendan McLoughlin MA. The school offers both GCSE as well as Advanced Level
Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
qualifications from the highly acclaimed facilities it provides to students.
History
Maricourt Catholic High School was founded by the Sisters of Mercy on 12 September 1957 under the title of Mater Misericordiae High School with Sister Mary Magdalen as the first head, a position she held for 32 years. It opened in the convent parlour of Quarry Brook House, former home of MeccanoMeccano
Meccano is a model construction system comprising re-usable metal strips, plates, angle girders, wheels, axles and gears, with nuts and bolts to connect the pieces. It enables the building of working models and mechanical devices....
inventor and Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Frank Hornby
Frank Hornby
Frank Hornby was an English inventor, businessman and politician. He was a visionary in toy development and manufacture and produced three of the most popular lines of toys in the twentieth century: Meccano, Hornby Model Railways and Dinky Toys...
, with only 16 eleven year old girls, but they moved to the first small section of the school in January 1958. This was formally blessed by Cardinal Heenan on 8 March. Due to the interest taken in it by the Bootle Education Committee, it rapidly grew in building and numbers and became a voluntary aided Grammar School in September 1964, maintained by the Bootle Authority. The Government, however, favoured Comprehensive education and so, in November 1967, the then Archbishop of Liverpool
Archbishop of Liverpool
The Archbishop of Liverpool heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool in England. As such he is the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Province of Liverpool, known also on occasion as the Northern Province.-History:...
, Dr. Andrew Beck, approached the Sisters to see if they would take over a nearby St. Paul's Catholic Secondary Modern and annexed it to their building as a Co-educational Comprehensive. This they agreed to do and, in September 1968, the first Co-educational Comprehensive School in the Archdiocese opened under the new title of Maricourt Catholic Comprehensive with Sister Mary Magdalen still as Headmistress. Sister Mary Magdalen retired at Christmas 1989 and was followed by Sister Mary Teresa who led the school from 1989 to 2007. The school is now the largest Catholic High School in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton. A Jubilee Mass was celebrated on 21 September 2007 in the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ The King
Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
The Metropolitan Cathedral Church of Christ the King is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Liverpool, Merseyside, England. The cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Liverpool and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool. The Metropolitan Cathedral is one of two cathedrals in the city...
, Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
in Thanksgiving for the first fifty years of Maricourt's existence. The chief celebrant was His Grace The Archbishop of Liverpool
Archbishop of Liverpool
The Archbishop of Liverpool heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool in England. As such he is the Metropolitan Archbishop of the Province of Liverpool, known also on occasion as the Northern Province.-History:...
, Patrick Kelly. Thousands of friends, students, past and present filled the Cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
to celebrate this milestone in the school's life and to pray for the next fifty years of educational and fundamental service and endevaur in the community set by Maricourt to the pool of students from across Merseyside.
Sixth Form
The Sixth FormSixth form
In the education systems of England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and of Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, Jamaica and Malta, the sixth form is the final two years of secondary education, where students, usually sixteen to eighteen years of age,...
at Maricourt was rated as gaining some of the highest Advanced Level
Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
results in Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
and stand consistently above the national average, as well as enjoying a regular 100% pass rate for Advanced Level students. Maricourt works alongside Maghull High School
Maghull High School
-Admissions:It has a sixth form. It is situated off the A59 near the junction of the M57, M58 and A59.-Origin:Maghull Grammar School on Old Hall Road opened in 1954 and new buildings opened in 1958. In April 1961, 11 year old Keith Jones was killed after a rugby tackle at the school...
and Deyes High School
Deyes High School
Deyes High School is for people in the North West of England. The school is situated in Maghull on the outskirts of Liverpool. It holds an official specialist Science College status which was gained in 2006 and provided extra support for better resources in the Science department.- History :The...
to form the Maghull
Maghull
Maghull is a town and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, in Merseyside, England. The town is located eight miles north of the City of Liverpool and south of Ormskirk in West Lancashire. The area of Moss Side also contains HM Prison Kennet and Ashworth Hospital. Maghull had a...
Collaborative in which students may study with a combination of these schools to broaden the A-Level curriculum available in the local area and amongst the students studying at Maricourt's Sixth Form. Facilities at Maricourt, based in Quarry Brook House, were subject to substantial refurbishment during the 2011 August Holidays with modified study areas as well as the conversion of one of Quarry Brook's larger first floor rooms into an Oratory for use by students.
Mission
Maricourt seeks to provide and sustain a living Roman Catholic community which is rooted in Christian values and where growth and knowledge, respect, love and friendship are shared by all. The school motto 'Gaudeamus in Domino' (Let us Rejoice in the Lord) implies peace, tolerance and mutual respect and it is within this atmosphere that pupils will develop into the whole person ready to greet the threshold of adult life. As a Specialist Maths and Computing College Maricourt can offers excellence in these specialist areas as well as support for all subject areas through sharing new technology and developments. The Mission Statement at Maricourt is represented by a tree to represent Maricourt is a living community with each year new people joining whilst others move to pastures new. The School ethos fosters the development of each individual, a proper sense of self-worth, a sense of responsibility and respect for others. Maricourt Catholic High School was founded in the tradition of the Sisters of Mercy, an institute founded for the service of those in need. The provision of a high quality education for young people today is as important as it was in 1831.Headteachers
- Sister Mary Magdalen RSMSisters of MercyThe Religious Order of the Sisters of Mercy is an order of Catholic women founded by Catherine McAuley in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. , the order has about 10,000 members worldwide, organized into a number of independent congregations....
1957 - 1989 - Sister Mary Teresa RSM BScBachelor of ScienceA Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
1989 - 2007 - Mr Brendan McLoughlin MAMaster of Arts (postgraduate)A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
2007–present
Notable alumni
Alumni of Maricourt Catholic High School are known as Old Maricourtians. Noted Old Maricourtians include:- Heidi RangeHeidi RangeHeidi India Range is an English singer, songwriter and member of the Sugababes. Range was an original member of girl group Atomic Kitten, although she left the group after two years of its formation with no album released...
, member of British girlband SugababesSugababesThe Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London... - Kent RileyKent RileyKentigan Peter "Kent" Riley is an English actor, born in Fazakerley, Liverpool, & brought up in Lydiate, where he attended St Gregory's Junior School, where he caught the bug for acting, starring in many of the schools performing arts projects...
, actor who starred in the British soap HollyoaksHollyoaksHollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill... - Simon RichmanSimon RichmanSimon Andrew Richman is an English football midfielder, currently signed to Conference North club Altrincham....
, professional footballer - Stephen DarbyStephen DarbyStephen Mark Darby is an English footballer who plays in the right-back position for Rochdale on loan from Liverpool. Darby was brought up in Maghull, where he attended St John Boscos primary school.-Liverpool:...
, professional footballer - Terry McPhillipsTerry McPhillipsTerence ‘Terry’ McPhillips is a former professional footballer who played 100+ games in the lower division of the Football League, scoring 30 goals.-Professional career:...
, former professional footballer