St Katherine’s Preparatory celebrates a legacy of 110 years
Unbreakable bonds and legacy celebrated at St Katherine’s Preparatory as the school observes its 110th birthday.
St Katharine’s Preparatory came alive in song on May 15 to celebrate the school’s 110th birthday.
Alison Jennings, head of the school, explained that the importance of celebrating the school’s birthday is for the girls to acknowledge the history that roots them to St Katherine’s.
“Today is a moment to pause and reflect on what we are grateful for as a school, and to give us a moment to think about what’s coming next.”
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The school was founded by Ethel Fielding on modern, even radical principles. She conceived of the school along progressive, individualistic, and unconventional lines. Jennings added that Fielding founded the school due to her passion for education.
“Fielding, who was from England, started the school with three children at another location. Then she moved the school to where it is today.
She led the school for 50 years, then she passed it on to her niece, who led it for a further 30 years.”
The head of school noted that the legacy of 80 years carried by the two women is what made St Katherine’s what it is today, evident in the walls and corridors that breathe philosophy and ethos.
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“I started at St Katherine’s in January 2025,” said Jennings, “so it’s my second year here. What sets the school apart from all the other schools that I’ve worked at is that, because of its smallness, it has one class per grade. Everybody knows everybody else, and there is a vertical sisterhood that is celebrated.
“We get feedback from the high schools to say that St Katherine’s girls are the ones who put up their hands. They volunteer for everything and get themselves into all different opportunities.
The other thing that I think sets this community apart is the support from our parent body. They are always here in such a supportive way, looking out for all the girls in the school, not just their own daughters.”
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