Three cheers for three centuries

3:26pm Tuesday 2nd October 2007

While the subject of faith schools often divides opinion, one school can be sure its status has a positive effect - this year more than ever.

St Mary's Church of England High School, in Hendon, celebrates its 300th anniversary this year.

To put that into some perspective, it was founded the same year as the Acts of Union merged England and Scotland to form Great Britain.

For three centuries, St Mary's has been an important part of the community - many residents obtained their secondary education there, and many others worked there.

With its aim to create a learning community based on Christian values, religion plays an integral role in school life. The school works closely with Father Gwyn Clement at the nearby St Mary's Church, in Greyhound Hill, where pupils regularly attend services. Furthermore, religious education (RE) often has the school's highest results.

The high school, together with St Mary's & St John's Church of England Primary School, is voluntary aided and provides education for pupils up to the age of 18. But despite its status as a Church of England school, it's not exclusive. St Mary's welcomes children from all faiths, providing they and their parents are fully aware pupils will be taught the Bible, will be expected to buy a Bible and will attend regular Church of England services.

The school has seen much development throughout its departments recently. With its Ofsted inspection passed last year, the school has made improvements in departments such as ICT and drama. In 2007, the school had its best ever GCSE results, with 52 per cent of students achieving five A* to C grades. Retention rate for sixth form education is also good, and the current Year 12 has seen more than a third of all students stay on, while almost all Year 13 students go on to study at university.

As well as excellent academic facilities, the school is fortunate to be near to Copthall Stadium, which it uses for football and athletics, as well as Sunningfields Park, while the Sunningfields Road Gym and changing rooms were completely refurbished this summer.

To celebrate 300 years of the school's existence, the Bishop of London unveiled a plaque in July, and also discussed with pupils issues such as Hendon's role in the abolition of the slave trade.

This week, the school held a church service at St Mary's, during which the Bishop of Edmonton preached the sermon. There was also an exhibition St Mary's and its 300 years in the Church Farmhouse Museum.