Mottoes Laborare Est Orare Religion Roman Catholic Phone +44 20 8654 6228 Founded 1869 | Established 1869 Headteacher Mrs Maureen Martin Motto Laborare Est Orare Founder Constant van Crombrugghe | |
Type from 1999 Comprehensive, 1994-1999 Selective School 1965-1978 Grammar School Similar Edenham High School a, Shirley High School, Croydon High School, Whitgift School, The Quest Academy | ||
Coloma convent girls school a gaelic blessing
Coloma Convent Girls' School is a Roman Catholic school in a semi-rural location in Shirley, on the outskirts of Croydon, South London, England. Coloma is a comprehensive school, so does not select its pupils: it has a history of selection, having been a grammar school for much of its history, and a grant-maintained school in 1994-1999.
Contents
- Coloma convent girls school a gaelic blessing
- History
- Admissions policy
- Academic Reputation
- House System
- Combined Cadet Force
- Headteachers
- Alumni
- Grammar school
- References
The school selects a number of pupils at 11+ or 16+ for music scholarships; all other girls are admitted using a religious-based points system.
Since September 2010 the school has operated The Quest Academy in the form of an academy trust.
History
The school regards its founder as being the Very Reverend Canon Constant Van Crombrugghe, who founded the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary and Joseph in Belgium in 1817. There is a bronze bust of Van Crombrugghe in the Main Hall.
The school opened on 2 August 1869, with one pupil. In 1871, property was found in Tavistock Road, Croydon, and named Coloma. The school remained there until its move in 1965 to the present site.
Admissions policy
Girls wanting to attend the school are admitted using a religious observation points system, which is intended to give priority to candidates who are seen as the most devout, and to families who are most active in the church. The school is one of a small group of Catholic comprehensives to have adopted this system, along with the London Oratory School, Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School and the John Fisher School. Prior to the year 2000 most of these schools admitted a percentage of their pupils based on ability, aptitude or through an interview process. The points system is seen by some as a way for these schools to protect the Catholicity of their intake.
Academic Reputation
The school gets results comparable to that of a rural grammar school with A*-C GCSE pass rates consistently in the high 80s-low 90s.
In 2010, the school was placed 6th of all comprehensive schools, with 98.1% of girls achieving 5 A* to B grades.
House System
Each pupil attending the school is a member of a house; each year group contains six houses: St. Barbara's (red) St. Bernadette's (green), St. Edith's (yellow), St. Margaret's (light blue), St. Theresa's (purple) and St. Winifred's (dark blue). Inter-house competitions and events take place throughout the year, culminating at the annual summer Sports Day.
Combined Cadet Force
While the school does not have a Combined Cadet Force (CCF), a small number of girls attend CCF training at Royal Russell School.