History
History
The beginnings of Werenfridus take us back a long way. In 1948, the school started as Sint Werenfridus Lyceum. Sint Werenfridus was a preacher and missionary who, in the eighth century, attempted to convert people to the Christian faith in West Friesland, among other places.
Legend has it that when Werenfridus had died, his followers placed his coffin in a small boat so that he would find his final resting place ‘where God willed it’.
Growth and merger
In the years that followed, the Sint Werenfridus Lyceum continued to grow, and the school became a household name in West Friesland. In 1983, the number of students had grown so large that the school had to be split. Thus, alongside Werenfridus, a second Catholic secondary school was established in Hoorn: Oscar Romero. In 1985, a merger with the Aloysiusmavo followed. From that point onwards, Werenfridus became a school for mavo, havo, atheneum, and gymnasium. After a second merger, Werenfridus became part of the Tabor College on 1 August 1996.
Secondary school
The phasing out of the MAVO department began in 2011. In 2015, the last MAVO students took their exams. Since then, Werenfridus has been a HAVO/VWO school. The campus, with approximately 1350 students and 120 staff members, is located on De Keyzerstraat in Hoorn, situated between Drieboomlaan, Liornestraat, and the Hoorn – Enkhuizen railway line.
Renovation and new construction
A large-scale renovation and new build of Werenfridus began in 2016. A period followed in temporary accommodation on Johannes Poststraat and Nieuwe Steen. Meanwhile, the new building took shape. In May 2018, the long-awaited moment finally arrived. Pupils and staff moved into the new Werenfridus, returning to the familiar old location on De Keyzerstraat.
Ready for the future
We believe meeting each other is important, and our modern building, completed in 2018, offers ample space for this. The central square, with its striking hanging theatre, provides plenty of room to relax or to work individually or in groups. This also applies to the various learning environments. The four sports halls and the sports fields on our own grounds make it possible to combine exercise and learning at the same location. With this building, Werenfridus is ready for the future.
Some photos are from the archive of Association Old Hoorn, where you can read more about the origins and history of our school.