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Our 100+ Year History

Our School Name

Loyola Preparatory School takes its name from St Ignatius of Loyola and the school badge is an adaptation of two coats of arms representing the two sides of his family. The coat of arms of the Loyola family was two grey wolves with a kettle or cauldron between them on a white background. The Spanish word for ‘wolf’ is ‘lobo’ and ‘olla’ is a pot. Hence a wolf and a pot is ‘lobo-y-olla’, which is contracted into Loyola.

The badge was taken to refer to the benevolence of the Loyola family in feudal times. Reputedly, the family was so generous to its armed retainers that even the local wolves found something on which to feast after the soldiers had eaten their fill. 

The History of Our School 

Loyola Preparatory School has been educating boys for more than a century. Situated in Buckhurst Hill since 1950, the school traces its descent from 1894 when St Ignatius College was founded in Stamford Hill. Loyola was founded originally as the preparatory department of this college in the year 1900. Following the 1944 Education Act it became impossible to maintain the preparatory department within state school premises and it became a separate schooI. In 1950 it relocated to its present site on Palmerston Road, which originally comprised part of Braeside School for girls.

Loyola has maintained links with St Ignatius which is now in Enfield but also transfers pupils to other secondary schools. These include Bancroft's, Brentwood, Forest, Felsted, Chigwell, City of London Boys', Davenant Foundation School, King Edward VI's Grammar School, Chelmsford, St Edmund's College, New Hall,  Haileybury,  Roding Valley High School, St Nicholas, Trinity Catholic High School, Ilford County High School , the Royal Grammar School Colchester, St Olaves and West Hatch.

Loyola Preparatory School is a charitable trust. Our Headteacher is appointed by the Board of Governors which is appointed by the Board of Trustees, who in turn receive their appointment from the Bishop of Brentwood.

Headteachers of Loyola Since 1950

1. Miss G Stokes

2. Father Palmer, S.J.

3. Father F Lane, S.J.

4. Mr M O'Gara

5. Mr I O'Connor

6. Mr PGM Nicholson

7. Mrs K R Anthony