St Katharine’s School in Westcliff is celebrating 100 years of excellence, all due to Ethel Fielding who had the courage to start her own school in 1916.
Mandy Mitchley, headmistress of the school, applauded Fielding’s bravery for leaving England and travelling thousands of kilometres to where the greatest need was.
“This school is not a bubble on the hill,” said Mitchley.
“It’s a South African school that started in what was a mining town that wasn’t safe for women. And here is this young girl [Fielding] who came out to South Africa and said I want to teach.”
Mitchley believes in creating an environment that is open and friendly, and the school, with only 228 pupils and one class per grade, makes it possible for teachers to give enough attention to each pupil, and for pupils to get to know each other better.
Sarah Warner, who left the school in 1987, came back in 2005 as a staff member. “I finally got into the staff room which you hold in high regard as a pupil,” said Warner.
“You think all kinds of exciting things happen in there.”
She said there was a sense of a close-knit community at the school and there were certain things that have carried through from when she was a pupil. For example, there is a huge emphasis on children being allowed to develop along their own lines and a good relationship between the girls and teachers is encouraged.
“What has stayed in place is that you foster children for the future,” Warner said.
“We don’t say who are you now and try and make you fit into a mould which we have in our heads. [Rather] we give you opportunities to explore different things about yourself and who knows what will happen – that’s the exciting part.”
Celebrations are still ongoing and the school will hold two centenary events in September and have invited old girls to be part of the festivities.
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