Guernsey
In 1909, when the religious teaching orders were expelled from France, the FCJ Sisters opened a house in Guernsey, where they lived in great poverty for two years. They were then invited by the Soeurs de St Andre to take over their two schools in Jersey at Val Plaisant and St Matthew's.
The following year, the FCJ Sisters opened a boarding school in Bagatelle. The Jesuits, also expelled from France, opened a school in what is now Highlands College, and many families, unable to find a Christian education in France, sent their boys to the Jesuits and their girls to FCJ.
Eventually both St Matthew's Convent and Bagatelle were closed and only the Convent in David Place remained. Bagatelle, which had earlier been a private house, eventually became the Palace Hotel.
David Place
As well as housing the community, the site at David Place served both as a preparatory and secondary school until 1957. In that year, because of the increasing number of pupils, the Sisters bought Midvale House and transferred the preparatory school there. As it was impossible to extend the school premises at David Place or provide adequate space for games, in 1967 they bought Grainville Manor, in St Saviour.
In January 1969 work began on the new Convent and school building. The preparatory school was opened in September 1970 and the Convent and secondary school a year later. In 1979, with the number of pupils falling, there was a reorganisation of the Catholic Schools on the island. The FCJ Sisters gave up their secondary school and the site is now home to Grainville secondary school.
The primary school remained, however, and in 1981 an additional wing was added to respond to the rise in numbers. A further extension was added in 1996, funded in full by the FCJ Sisters.
Gallery
The David Place building
The Chapelle des Enfants de Marie
The Val Plaisant frontage of the town convent building
The garden of the Val Plaisant convent
FCJ at Bagatelle
St Matthew's Convent and school at Coin Varin
Children at the Val Plaisant convent in 1910
St Andre's Convent
Senior school
St Andre's Convent
The gardens at Bagatelle
1917
St Andre's Convent, Val Plaisant
The Convent's Midvale Road primary school building
The convent entrance in 1915
St Andre's Convent, 1905
St Andre's classroom
St Andre's refectory
Convent St Andre building - picture courtesy of Jersey Temps Passe
The grounds of the FCJ boarding school for girls at Bagatelle
Demolition in Val Plaisant
Demolition in 1970
1968 - Picture courtesy of Jersey Temps Passe
1968 - Picture courtesy of Jersey Temps Passe
Fifth form in 1960
Fifth form in 1960
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Annual procession
Pictures from the annual procession in 1959
Pictures from a prospectus for the school at Bagatelle
The prospectus contained the following information: Extras
Piano, with Professor, £2 18s per term
Piano with Mistress, £1 10s
Violin or mandolin, £1 10s
Singing, £1 10s
German, £1
Drawing and painting, £1 1s
Dancing and Callisthenics, £1 1s
Class books and stationery 5s
Use of library and games, 5s
Pupils are prepared for the Cambridge Local Examinations, College of Preceptors, Royal Academy of Music and South Kensington Science
and Arts.
A report on the conduct and progress of the pupils is sent to the parents at the end of each half-term.
No uniform dresses are required for weekdays, but a black dress, jacket and hat for Sundays. The style and make are optional.
With a view to habits of order and economy, the pupils will keep account of and pay for mending, music and other current expenses, and will therefore require a little money.
