华文名：圣安东尼女校 (小学)

History

On 1 August 1879, Father Jose Pedro Santa Anna de Cunha decided to start a school for the children of his poor parishioners. The school, a small house on Middle Road, was called St. Anna’s School. The first teachers were Misses C.M.E. Buccanan, Margaret Dias and Mary Ann Rugguly.

In 1881, Father Nicholas Pinto, the new director of the school, decided to build a larger building within the church compound along Middle Road. On 23 February 1886, the new building was named ‘St Anthony’s Boys’ and Girls’ School’, which educated girls and boys together.

In November 1893, the school became two separate schools: St. Anthony’s Boys’ and St. Anthony’s Girls’ schools. A new beginning for the girls’ school came about on 11 December 1894: The first four Canossian sisters – Mother Theresa Rossi, Mother Justina Sequeirs, Mother Matilda Rodrigues and Mother Harietta Rossini – arrived in Singapore to take over the girls’ school. The school grew and, with aid from the Portuguese Mission and subsidies from the government and private sectors, a new wing was added in 1899.

In 1928, a new building comprising 12 spacious rooms was added. There were further extensions made at the premises. In 1953, an imposing five-storey edifice replaced the old part of the convent. Finally, in 1971, administration of the primary and secondary schools was separated and the schools were named St. Anthony’s Convent Primary School and St. Anthony’s Convent Secondary School. In 1995, the schools moved from Middle Road to new premises at Bedok North Avenue 4. At the same time, the schools were renamed as St. Anthony’s Canossian Primary and St. Anthony’s Canossian Secondary, respectively.

In December 2010, the school moved to a holding site as its current premises underwent PRIME upgrading from 2011 to 2012. The school returned to its original location at 1602 Bedok North Avenue 4 at the end of 2012, and started 2013 in the upgraded premises.