About St. Hilda's...
St. Hilda’s has a proud history of educating Liverpool’s children, beginning on 1st May 1894 when the school, founded by the Community of the Sisters of the Church, opened under its original name, Sefton Park School.
Emily Ayckbaum – ‘Mother Emily’ – the founder of the school wrote that pupils cannot love God “unless they know him; neither can they know him; for as St. Paul says, ‘apart from the love of God and the love of man for God’s sake, all knowledge is nothing.” Inspired by this, the Sisters’ aim was to provide a sound education built on Christian principles.
By 1901, the school had begun to focus on the education of girls, becoming an Upper Grade School which admitted older pupils. In 1924, it took the name Arundel Central School, with approximately 300 on roll, their ages ranging from 11 to 16. At that time, the school’s emphasis was on vocational subjects.
The current name of the school – St. Hilda’s Church of England High School – was adopted in 1948. It continued to function in its buildings on Arundel Avenue until 1967 when it moved into its current site on Croxteth Drive on the perimeter of Sefton Park. The move coincided with a decision to offer education to Sixth Formers. On its opening day, the new St. Hilda’s had 361 pupils, including 32 in a sixth form which it was hoped would eventually expand to 150.
In 1971, Sister Mary Grace retired as headmistress. Her place was taken by Mrs. Patricia Dennis, the first lay head of the school, which had been handed over to the Diocese of Liverpool by the Community of the Sisters as they regrouped to their Mother House in Richmond.
Mrs. Dennis reigned as Headmistress from 1971 until 1979. On her retirement, her deputy Mrs. Close took over until a replacement could be appointed. This occurred in 1980 and was a momentous departure for the school: the appointment of its first headmaster, Mr. Harry Dawson.
In 1997, Mr. Dawson retired to the Isle of Man and was replaced by another man, Mr. Christopher Yates. This hand-over of power coincided with the opening of a new wing of the school, named after the departing headmaster.
Building remained on the agenda as the school continued to grow; in March of 2000 a further extension was opened and named the Marguerite White Wing in memory of Miss White, who had served the school long and faithfully as Chair of Governors. In 2005 a further phase of building provided a much-needed drama studio with a light and airy library above it.
In September 2006 St. Hilda’s began its latest incarnation, as a specialist school with a focus on business and enterprise, an aspect of school life which continues to enrich the curriculum and offer opportunities for pupils.
The recent early departure of Mr. Yates, following a period of ill-health, places the school in another inter-regnum under the guidance of Mrs. Eleanor Benson, Deputy Head.
At present there are 861 pupils on roll, 267 of these being in years 12 and 13. With the prospect of a new school building on a new site; with the advent of new qualifications such as the diplomas; with the constant demands of a rapidly changing world; one thing is certain: St. Hilda’s cannot and will not ever be satisfied that ‘enough is enough’!
