Ealing’s top performing Catholic girls’ school, St Augustine’s Priory, will continue its 100 year anniversary celebrations on 30th June 2015, with a visit from His Eminence (H.E.) Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster.
St Augustine’s Priory was founded as a religious community in France in 1634 by an order of nuns. The school itself wasn’t established in Hillcrest Road, Ealing until 1915, and has since dedicated itself to empowering girls aged three to 18 years through education, becoming the number one performing school for GCSE results in Ealing.
The Cardinal’s visit is a highlight in a series of events to mark ‘100 Years of Faith’; 100 years since the community of nuns first came together to open the school on this site and provide an outstanding education to local girls. During his visit, the Cardinal will celebrate Mass for the whole school, staff, parents and guests. The Mass will feature a series of vignettes and dances played out by the students, each one highlighting important historical events from the past 100 years and weaving these into the school’s history.
Later on, the school will once again open its doors to the local community as it hosts its popular Summer Arts Evening, at which it will unveil its ‘Stitch in Time’ display, in fitting with the ‘100 Years of Faith’ theme. The community project sees staff, parents and students from across the school working with the Royal School of Needlework to design, embroider and upholster kneeling cushions for the wooden kneelers in the school’s Chapel. Prior to creating the kneelers, students explored and took inspiration from the Catholic designs and symbols already present all around the school.
Sarah Raffray, headteacher of St Augustine’s Priory, said: “As well as producing outstanding educational results, St Augustine’s has become a pillar for the wider community. We pride ourselves on bringing together Ealing residents through public events hosted at our grounds on Hillcrest Road, and so it’s an honour to welcome the Cardinal to join parents, staff, students and locals, in paying tribute to the school and all it has achieved over the past century.”
Cardinal Nichols will visit St Augustine’s Priory on 30th June from 2pm followed by the Summer Arts Evening from 5pm-8pm. For further information on the events please visit www.saintaugustinespriory.org.uk
