Loreto College, St Albans

Academy in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England
  Truth
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  SincerityColour(s)Navy, maroon and musty yellow
   Websitehttp://www.loreto.herts.sch.uk/

Loreto College is a Roman Catholic secondary school and sixth form for girls located near the centre of St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. It achieved Specialist Status in the Humanities in 2005[1] and became an academy in August 2012.

The college enrolls around 1000 pupils, including 190 in the sixth form, with many pupils coming from a wide geographical area. It expanded to 5 forms of entry (from 4 in previous years) in September 2007.

In 2006, 2009 and 2013, the college was rated "Outstanding" by Ofsted, achieving grade one in all categories.[2][3]

History

Founded by the Loreto Sisters, the college had just seven pupils when it first opened in 1922. The Sisters had bought a building called "The Elms" to use as a convent before opening the school.

Grammar school

During the Second World War, the gymnasium become an air-raid shelter and makeshift dormitories by night. American soldiers billeted in St Albans used the school's hockey pitch to train.[4]

Comprehensive

It turned comprehensive in 1978.[5]

New Headteacher

Mrs Marie Lynch, after 22 years as headteacher, retired in March and new headteacher Mrs Lucy Thompson took over after the Easter Holidays in April.

Notable former pupils

  • Siobhán Fahey (b. 1958) - singer with 1980s pop group Bananarama (second-highest selling British female group, with over 40 million records, after the Spice Girls), then Shakespears Sister in the 1990s
  • Claire Ward (b. 1972) - Labour MP from 1997 to 2010 for Watford
  • Sally Bretton (nee Davis) (b. 1980) - actress
  • Shona McGarty (b. 1991) - actress who plays Whitney Dean in EastEnders

References

  1. ^ Loreto School Specialist Status Page
  2. ^ Loreto Ofsted Report
  3. ^ "Loreto College - Inspection Report". Ofsted. 2009. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014.
  4. ^ "The history behind Loreto College, St Albans". hertsmemories.org.uk.
  5. ^ History of Loreto College

External links

  • School website
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