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 The original St. Anne's Schools, built on the present site in 1960, drew
their main stock of pupils from two smaller establishments in the area, the tree teacher
co-ed school, which stood in the location of St. Anne's Hall at Lower Road, Shankill (the
south east room of which still retains its tall windows and internal wooden ceiling), and
the smaller school which was located in Loughlinstown, just south of the Silver Tassie.
This building still stands also, but is now unrecognisable as a former school as it forms
a section of a small factory.St. Anne's Schools were officially opened in 1961 by Archbishop McQuaid. The pupils attending the two smaller establishments in Lower Road Loughlinstown were relocated in the new building, which comprises of three-roomed schools on the same campus, i.e. a separate boys and girls school with two different roll numbers, two principles etc. The new school cost £20,000 to build in 1961. |
| However the accommodation proved to be quite inadequate as within a few short years, it was added to, because of the increasing number of school going children in the area, and by 1970, there was as many prefabricated classrooms as solid rooms on the site. Work on the present school building commenced in 1985 and resulted in a very fine complex indeed with a deceptively small frontage, consisting of 17 rooms, library, computer room, general purpose hall etc, - surrounded by well landscaped play areas, lawns and flower beds. "Space and comfort at last". The location of the school is quite magnificent, situated as it is on the southern end of Shanganagh Moraine (formed during the mid-Landian Ice Age, 10,000 years ago) The Pupils and staff enjoy panoramic views south and west of the Wicklow and Dublin mountains, with rolling fields and woodlands in between. In 1991 work was completed on the Shankill/Bray by-pass, which runs through the valley to the west of the school, but which thankfully does not spoil our wonderful view. Also with the new building a new school was born - St. Anne's Co-Ed National School, boys and girls in each classroom, learning together. At present the teaching staff consists of Principal, 17 Assistant Teachers, Remedial Teacher, with auxiliary staff of Caretakers and School Secretary, FAS Supervisor and Classroom Assistants. The number of pupils on the roll is 550. St. Anne's has the population of a small village and the workforce of a small factory. Because of the improved space and facilities, dedication of staff and parents, St. Anne's van offer many curricular activities to its pupils, including sporting, artistic, linguistic and musical disciplines. With it's fine modern facilities, spacious comfortable classrooms, sound management, capable dedicated staff and hardworking parent body, the future for St. Anne's looks very bright indeed. Arial Photograph courtesy of: STUDIO LAB 087:2611602 imac@iol.ie |
