About Us — St Hilda's School & Junior College, Ooty

Since 1895

Sown as a tiny seed, grown into a great tree

St Hilda's Diocesan School was founded by the sisters of the Church Extension Association in 1895, near the lake at Ooty. The school stands on elevated terrain in the Nilgiris, three hundred feet above the lake.

The original property — known as Sheddon House — was purchased by Dr. Duham for the sisters. In its very first year, six candidates sat for the Cambridge University examinations. The school was established to serve children of clergy, military officers and planters who sought an English education while remaining in India.

Historic view of St Hilda's School, Ooty

Milestones

A walk through our history

1895

The founding

The sisters of the Church Extension Association found St Hilda's Diocesan School near the lake. Six candidates sit the Cambridge examinations in the first year.

1902

The chapel is built

The tranquil Gothic-style chapel is built at the heart of the school — later graced with a stained-glass window and a Botticelli Madonna gifted by Mr. Robinson.

1903

Rapid growth

Enrolment grows so substantially that the school must begin turning away applicants. Patrons include Sir Hector MacDonald and Lady Ampthill.

1918

Service in wartime

Students collect funds and knit socks for soldiers. The newly formed Girl Guide troop gives "a varied programme of play and music to a splendid audience of 500 soldiers."

1925

A new chapter

The sisters withdraw from the Nilgiris. Lay trustees and the Diocese assume control, and Chaplain J.J.D. Borlase secures the school's future through the support of the British community in South India.

1960s

The first Indian Principal

Miss G. Devadasan serves as the school's first Indian principal. Through the following decades the student body evolves to become almost entirely Indian.

Today

A modern heritage school

St Hilda's offers Indian School Certificate preparation with instruction in Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, French and Latin — supported by new classrooms, modern laboratories, a library and a basketball court.

Archival photograph of St Hilda's School

Our Motto

Beati Mundo Corde

"Blessed are the pure in heart" — a calling that cultivates compassion, empathy and integrity in every St Hilda's student, honouring those who came before while embracing the world ahead.

Purpose

Mission & Vision

Our Mission

To create an institution of excellence that integrates knowledge and learning to equip students for life — through the effective application of the time-tested combination of Christian values and academic excellence.

Our Vision

To prepare young women to live faithful Christian lives, so that they may serve others and strive to build a better world — confident, capable and compassionate leaders of tomorrow.

From the Principal

A welcome from our Principal

Ms. Pamela Rodricks

Principal

Selecting a school for your child is a decision that deserves thoughtful consideration. A great school challenges its students to be actively involved — to celebrate their heritage, to enjoy the experiences of the present, and to imagine the possibilities of the future.

Here, students honour those who came before them while embracing our motto, "Blessed are the pure in heart," which cultivates compassion and empathy. Our community shows its warmth through sport, music, cultural activity and the steady development of leadership.

We prepare students for an evolving world by nurturing critical thinking, creativity and technological competence. Learning extends well beyond memorisation, through student-centred approaches that build practical skills and lifelong success — supported by qualified faculty, modern facilities in a serene setting, and nutritious boarding provisions.

Education is a partnership. We are grateful for the collaboration and trust of our families, without whom this holistic education would not be possible.

From the Correspondent

A message from our Correspondent

Rev. T. Ramesh Babu

Correspondent

Beloved St Hilda's family, by the grace and leading of God we celebrate a remarkable heritage of this institution. As we look back over the years, it is astonishing to see how Hilda's — sown as a tiny seed — has, through years of dedication, commitment, vision and a great deal of hard work, grown into a huge tree filled with blooming flowers and many young buds waiting to bloom.

We strongly believe that a leader is born in every child. This institution has always strived to bring out the individual talents of every child through ethical guidance and careful nurturing.

The progress and success of this institution is a testament that we are heading in the right direction. Let us continue to work in the vision on which this school was founded — to support, motivate and empower our children to become brave leaders and good human beings of society.

Our People