Business Manager

School History, Vision & Mission Statement

St Anne’s was founded in 1904 for the Christian education of girls. It is only through Christian Education that woman, created in the image of God, can understand her true dignity and it stated then, as it states now:

“The education it provides is firmly Christian.  Its aim is to communicate Christ to its pupils and to form them as mature persons who will value their Christian responsibilities in life”.

In 1907 the Sisters applied for and received a grant from the Board of Education thus becoming a Direct Grant School, a change of status which enabled girls of a recognised level of ability to obtain free places at St Anne’s.  As the school grew in numbers and expanded in size it retained this status for the next 60 years weathering the trauma of considerable destruction of buildings and evacuation of pupils during the Second World War.

In September 1967, comprehensive reorganisation was initiated committing the school still further to serving local needs by accepting pupils without regard to social or academic pre-requisites.  The expansion at the end of the 1960’s exceeded all earlier developments both in the speed of its implementation and in the range of reorganisation that had to be faced.  In the spiritual, pastoral. social and academic fields the school was obliged to embark on some radical rethinking of attitudes and methods.  Selection for Grammar School ended, but the school was allowed to retain its Direct Grant status as it changed from a three-form selected intake to a seven form comprehensive intake, thus giving the school a head start into comprehensive education.  The school continued in this system until 1978 when Direct Grant status was terminated by the Government of the day.  Since that date St Anne’s has continued as a Catholic Voluntary Aided Comprehensive School within the Diocese of Portsmouth and under the Southampton  Education Authority.

St Anne’s is now a large comprehensive school of some 1100 girls, approximately 100 of whom are in the Sixth Form.  The annual intake is usually a seven form entry of 200 + pupils, a number of whom live in the county.  It is situated in the West/Central area of Southampton. The School is under the trusteeship of La Sainte Union Sisters.  As is usual in the case of Catholic Secondary schools it has a very wide catchment area which extends far beyond the city boundaries into Hampshire.

St Anne’s has a long tradition of all that is best in Christian education.  It has a very good reputation for high standards in teaching and training young people and for excellence in academic attainment.  It is fortunate in having highly qualified and dedicated teaching staff.  Because of these factors there is a great demand for places and parents are happy to send their children very long distances, sometimes at great inconvenience, in order to receive what they consider to be the best education available to them.

In April 2005 the Governors approved, in principle, to allow the admission of boys into the Sixth Form from September 2006.  The number of boys admitted will not be more than 25% of the number of students normally in the Sixth Form at St Anne’s.  This development has enabled St Anne’s to expand the provision of post 16 education at St Anne’s by increasing the number of subjects on offer in the Sixth Form enables more students to benefit from an education which is based on Christian values and located in the heart of Southampton.

The Sixth Form girls take responsibility for organising House Activities (social, sporting and fund raising) and members of staff give encouragement and support.  There are two House Captains in each House, appointed from the Sixth Form.

House
St Alphonsa
St Bernadette

St Catherine
St Edith

St Hildegard
St Josephine

St Thérèse

The school supports the following charities:

Two Saints
Wessex Cancer Trust
Mental Health Foundation
Cafod
The school is committed to encouraging links between home, school and the parishes.  Parish priests and Ministers of Religion are welcome to come into school to meet with staff and pupils and the girls are encouraged to become involved in their own parish activities.

We have a Chaplaincy Team who co-ordinate school liturgies with members of the RE Department and other interested staff.