Headteacher's Welcome

I am delighted to welcome you to The Holy Cross School. Established in 1931 by Sisters of The Holy Cross, our school is steeped in tradition and history and is continually evolving to meet the needs and aspirations of our students.

Since 1931, generations of young women from across Kingston upon Thames and beyond have been proud to receive a first class education in this vibrant and caring Catholic school. The education we offer underpins the spirit of the pioneering Sisters who first established the school – to inspire students to work hard, identify their gifts and talents and aspire to greatness. This ethos which permeates every aspect of our school life, entrusted to us by Sisters of the Holy Cross is lived out in our Mission Statement every day.

Mission Statement;

“We are the Children of God and in the spirit of St Francis and Mother Bernarda we aim to create a happy family environment in which all may grow: In faith, hope and love for God, in love and respect for one another and the world around us, in learning and wisdom so that we may live life to the full and joyfully share this life with others, especially those who are in anyway disadvantaged.”

Based on our distinctive Catholic ethos, we are an inclusive and values driven school community promoting trust, tolerance, respect and kindness. We work in partnership with our families. We celebrate each and every student’s individuality and unique talent, developing their full holistic potential across a wide range of academic and extracurricular areas. Through high aspirations, we encourage our girls to aim for excellence, to learn joyfully and to live fully. Whilst excellence is a key priority in our school, so too is compassion for others, kindness and a deep seated desire to support those who are disadvantaged.

We are blessed to have a highly experienced and dedicated staff whose mission is to ensure that each student makes sustained and substantial progress, experiencing success, no matter what their starting point. Our excellent pastoral system ensures that our students feel valued and cared for. Girls join us in Year 7, full of anticipation and flourish into young accomplished women having grown in confidence, knowledge and compassion, emerging as potential leaders ready to take their place in society and make a difference locally, nationally and globally.

I love this quote from Pope Francis as he spoke to a group of Italian teachers, parents and children:

“If something is true, it is good and beautiful; if it is beautiful; it is good and true; if it is good, it is true and it is beautiful. And together, these elements enable us to grow and help us to love life, even when we are not well, even in the midst of many problems. True education enables us to love life and opens us to the fullness of life.”

I do hope you enjoy browsing through our website and are able to get a flavour of how we learn joyfully and live fully at The Holy Cross School.

Dervla McConn-Finch

Headteacher