St Mary's School Ascot

Infobox Secondary school
name = St. Mary's School Ascot

motto = AD MAIOREM DEI GLORIAM (for the greater glory of God)
type = Catholic all-female
city = Berkshire
country = England
established = 1885
grades = 7-Sixth Form
head_label = Headmistress
head = Mary Breen
students = 360 approx.
website = [http://www.st-marys-ascot.co.uk/ St Mary's School Ascot. ]

St Mary's School Ascot is a Roman Catholic public boarding school for girls in Ascot, Berkshire, England founded in 1885. The school now has about 360 pupils.

History

St Mary's Ascot was founded by the order of nuns known as the Congregation of Jesus (CJ), formerly the Institute of the blessed Virgin Mary (IBVM). In 1998 the school had its first lay (not a nun) head teacher, Mrs Mary Breen, and now has only one teaching nun remaining; Sister Michaela. The school stays strongly linked to its religious ties, with its own Chaplin, Fr Dermot.

In 2006, the school opened its new sports centre named The Orchard Centre after the family from which the two previous headmistresses came. The Orchard Centre was opened by the principle ballerina, Darcey Bussell. A Performing Arts Centre is in the process of being built. To be opened in 2009.The current headmistress, Mrs Mary Breen, was previously head of Physics at Eton. The results are outstanding for a small school and it has a very good parent support network.

Notable Alumnae

The school alumnae (or Old Girl) network is worldwide, and there is an "Ascot Old Girls' Association" (AOGA)

*Caroline, Princess of Hanover
*Sarah Hogg, Viscountess Hailsham, economist and journalist
*Felicity Leng, writer and artist [http://www.allen-unwin.com/shopping/ProductDetails.aspx?ISBN=9780860123491 [1] ]
*Margaret Costa, cookery writer [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19990809/ai_n14246673 [2] ]
*Nicola Jennings, cartoonist [http://opal.kent.ac.uk/cartoonx-cgi/artist.py?id=86 [3] ]
*Marina Warner, Writer
*Olga Polizzi, hotelier
*Lady Antonia Fraser,Writer
*Sabrina McEwen,Artist
*Victoria Jerjian, great niece of Jack Agazarian

*Lady Rachel Fitzalan-Howard, daughter of Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk

Notable Current Pupils

*Lady Marina-Charlotte Windsor, Royal Family
*Lady Amelia Windsor, Royal Family
*Lady Amabel Scott, daughter of Richard Scott, 10th Duke of Buccleuch
*Lady Marina Cochrane, daughter of Iain Alexander Douglas Blair Cochrane, 15th Earl of Dundonald
*The Hon. Florence Fitzalan-Howard, daughter of Lord Gerald Bernard Fitzalan-Howard, granddaughter of 17th Duke of Norfolk
*Lady Isabel Fitzalan-Howard, daughter of Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk
*Elizabeth Jerjian, great niece of Jack Agazarian
*Sophie Smurfit, granddaughter of Michael Smurfit

External links

* [http://www.st-marys-ascot.co.uk/ St Mary's School Ascot. Official site.]