title: St Bernard's High School, Westcliff-on-Sea
text: # St Bernard's High School, Westcliff-on-Sea
  
  St Bernard's Convent High School is a girls Catholic bilateral secondary school located in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, with a mixed sixth form.
  
  ## History
  
  There has been a Catholic school on the site since 1875, however it was in 1910 that St. Bernard's Convent High School was created on the premises for young ladies by a group of Bernardine Sisters. St Bernard's school celebrated its centenary in 2010.
  
  In 2004 St. Bernard's school achieved Specialist Arts status, and in 2008 a Specialist Science status was also achieved. The school became an academy in 2011.
  
  ## Emblem
  
  The school's emblem, which is featured on the school uniform as well as headed on letters from the school, is three swords within a double diamond. Below the diamond reads "Dieu Mon Abri" meaning "God Is My Shelter" in French.
  
  ## Houses
  
  There are currently 5 forms per year from years 7 to 11. Students in these years are placed in one of 6 different houses. These houses are: "A", "C", "F", "M" "R" and "H", which stand for Annay, Clairvaux, Fountains, Melrose, Rievaulx and Hyning, these being abbeys or monasteries which are in some way connected to Saint Bernard.
  
  ## Notable former pupils
  
  * Dame Helen Mirren, actress
  * Anne Stallybrass, actress
  * Gemma Craven, actress
  