St Joan of Arc Catholic School, Rickmansworth
Encyclopedia
Saint Joan of Arc Roman Catholic School is a Catholic school
in Rickmansworth
. It is larger than average, mixed, voluntary-aided, comprehensive school taking students aged 11, Year 7, through to 18, Year 13. The catchment area for the school spreads over South West Hertfordshire, parts of Buckinghamshire and parts of North West London. The school grounds back on to the River Chess
and Chess Valley and a 17th century Barn is located at the boundary of the grounds.
.
The school was founded as an all girl convent school in 1904 by the Filles de Jesus.
It was a grammar school
from 1951 until 1975, when it became a comprehensive mixed sex school, in line with the Labour government policy of converting grammar schools.
The school was awarded Specialist Status for Mathematics & Computing in 2003. It has also gained a Specialist status for Science.
, Bede
, Campion
, Clare
, Frances
, More
, Theresa and Ward
.
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
in Rickmansworth
Rickmansworth
Rickmansworth is a town in the Three Rivers district of Hertfordshire, England, 4¼ miles west of Watford.The town has a population of around 15,000 people and lies on the Grand Union Canal and the River Colne, at the northern end of the Colne Valley regional park.Rickmansworth is a small town in...
. It is larger than average, mixed, voluntary-aided, comprehensive school taking students aged 11, Year 7, through to 18, Year 13. The catchment area for the school spreads over South West Hertfordshire, parts of Buckinghamshire and parts of North West London. The school grounds back on to the River Chess
River Chess
The River Chess is a chalk stream which springs from Chesham, Buckinghamshire and runs through Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire, in south-eastern England. The Chess, along with the Colne and Gade, gives rise to the name of the district of Three Rivers, in which it forms its confluence with the...
and Chess Valley and a 17th century Barn is located at the boundary of the grounds.
History
The main house was previously The Elms, once home to the novelist George EliotGeorge Eliot
Mary Anne Evans , better known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, journalist and translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era...
.
The school was founded as an all girl convent school in 1904 by the Filles de Jesus.
It was a 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...
from 1951 until 1975, when it became a comprehensive mixed sex school, in line with the Labour government policy of converting grammar schools.
The school was awarded Specialist Status for Mathematics & Computing in 2003. It has also gained a Specialist status for Science.
Houses
In total there are eight forms in each year, with about 30 pupils in each. The forms are named after catholic saints: AlbanSaint Alban
Saint Alban was the first British Christian martyr. Along with his fellow saints Julius and Aaron, Alban is one of three martyrs remembered from Roman Britain. Alban is listed in the Church of England calendar for 22 June and he continues to be venerated in the Anglican, Catholic, and Orthodox...
, Bede
Bede
Bede , also referred to as Saint Bede or the Venerable Bede , was a monk at the Northumbrian monastery of Saint Peter at Monkwearmouth, today part of Sunderland, England, and of its companion monastery, Saint Paul's, in modern Jarrow , both in the Kingdom of Northumbria...
, Campion
Edmund Campion
Saint Edmund Campion, S.J. was an English Roman Catholic martyr and Jesuit priest. While conducting an underground ministry in officially Protestant England, Campion was arrested by priest hunters. Convicted of high treason by a kangaroo court, he was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn...
, Clare
Clare of Assisi
Clare of Assisi , born Chiara Offreduccio, is an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi...
, Frances
Frances of Rome
Saint Frances of Rome, Obl.S.B., is an Italian saint who was a wife, mother, mystic, organizer of charitable services and a Benedictine oblate who founded a religious community of vowed oblates.- Biography :...
, More
Thomas More
Sir Thomas More , also known by Catholics as Saint Thomas More, was an English lawyer, social philosopher, author, statesman and noted Renaissance humanist. He was an important councillor to Henry VIII of England and, for three years toward the end of his life, Lord Chancellor...
, Theresa and Ward
Mary Ward (nun)
The Venerable Mary Ward, I.B.V.M., was an English Catholic Religious Sister who founded the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also known as the Loreto Sisters...
.
Notable alumni
- Alex CampanaAlex CampanaAlessandro "Alex" Campana is an English footballer who currently plays for Hemel Hempstead Town. He is a right midfielder.-Career:...
, professional footballer - David ConnollyDavid ConnollyDavid James Connolly is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for Southampton. He has previously played for various clubs including Feyenoord and Excelsior in the Netherlands as well as Wigan Athletic and Sunderland in the Premier League.Although born in England, Connolly has...
, professional footballer - Mary PortasMary PortasMary Portas , is an English retail adviser, journalist and television presenter.-Early life and education:Portas was born and brought up in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, in a family of five children. Educated at St Joan of Arc Catholic School, Rickmansworth, she looked after her youngest brother...
, TV presenter and retail consultant - Mikee GoodmanMikee GoodmanMikee Goodman is a vocalist best known for singing in the now defunct British metal band, SikTh. Goodman left the band in September 2007.He recorded two full albums and five EPs with SikTh. He was a guest vocalist on the Mercury Prize nominated Bat for Lashes album, Fur and Gold...
, heavy metal vocalist - Eric Johnson, co-presenter, The Wright StuffThe Wright StuffThe Wright Stuff is a British television chat show, hosted by Matthew Wright, and currently airing on Channel 5 each weekday morning from 9:15 to 11:10am....
- Nicky Maxwell, Big Brother 2007 (UK)Big Brother 2007 (UK)Big Brother 2007 was the eighth series of the United Kingdom reality television programme Big Brother, airing on Channel 4, with a number of closely associated programmes also airing on E4....
contestant - Danny MayDanny MayDanny May is a footballer, currently playing for Hemel Hempstead Town in the Southern League Premier Division. He plays mostly as a right back....
, professional footballer - Kate NashKate NashKate Marie Nash is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. She had a UK no. 2 hit "Foundations" in 2007, followed by the platinum selling UK number 1 album Made of Bricks. She was named Best Female Artist at the 2008 BRIT Awards....
, singer-songwriter - Mary PortasMary PortasMary Portas , is an English retail adviser, journalist and television presenter.-Early life and education:Portas was born and brought up in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, in a family of five children. Educated at St Joan of Arc Catholic School, Rickmansworth, she looked after her youngest brother...
, Television Presenter