In 1859 the Franciscan Sisters from Glasgow, Scotland, opened a school at Duke Street known as the Immaculate Conception High School. A small Kindergarten and Preparatory School was attached to it, and was operated from this location for close to 80 years.
A disastrous fire occurred in October 1937, which destroyed the School and Convent at Duke Street. The High School and the Preparatory School were subsequently moved to Alvernia in Cross Roads.
In 1941 the Constant Spring Hotel was acquired for the High School and Convent, but the Kindergarten and Preparatory remained at Alvernia as Alvernia Preparatory School until the following year. With only 10 pupils, the Immaculate Conception Preparatory School was re-opened at Constant Spring on the porch of the Convent by Sister Clarella in 1942. She continued her good work until just prior to her death in 1972.
The staff quarters of the former hotel were gradually converted into two class-rooms and later a cottage. The former High School Laboratory, the garage and the old commercial building were also subsequently acquired.
In 1961, the Preparatory School became independent of the High School. A new building was constructed and dedicated in 1965. This consisted of 10 classrooms, Activity Room, Library, Office and Staff room. Since that time, the school continued to expand to include additional facilities such as a Canteen, Art Room, Computer Lab and additional classrooms, the last two of which were built in 1996.
Today, the Immaculate Conception Preparatory school boasts a beautiful and spacious campus, which offers the ideal learning environment to achieve its mission of fostering Christian attitudes towards work and life.
