History of St Mary's School

On Thursday 16th November 1870 the cornerstone for St Mary's School (on South Road) was laid by Mr W.G.Dixon and dedicated by Rev Thomas Smith.

The building was designed by Mr T.A Wilson in the Gothic style to compliment the church building.

The cost of the build was about £1,740, the money raised by Rev Smith through public subscription and a government grant.

St Mary's School opened it's doors on 4th December 1871. The H-shaped building housed a boys school at one end, to accommodate up to 100 boys, an infants' area for up to 120 children at the other end and a central girl's school for up to 80 girls.

The First Headmaster was Mr David Lewis. There were 55 scholars on the first day. By the end of 1871 the school was full.

The Infants school opened in December 1871 with Miss E.Ducker as school mistress. By May 1872 the number of children in the infants' school increased to 175.

School was not free, childre4n had to bring a weekly contribution. In 1883 an assistant teacher was engaged. Most of the classes were taught by pupil teachers, boys and girls who were apprenticed for 4 or 5 years and were responsible for teaching the lower classes.

Each year one of Her Majesty's Inspectors visited the school and carried out a thorough examination.

In 1883 the average attendance in the mixed school was 283 and the infants numbered about 150.

In 1903 St Mary's was taken over by the Sheffield Education Committee. This was the beginning of free education.

In September 1940 the two parts of the school were amalgamated with Mr E.Prideaux as Headmaster. In September 1948 the school became a Primary School.

In June 1978 St Mary's Primary School moved to Cundy Street to the former Burgoyne Road School building, our current location. The school staff spent much of their summer holidays movi9ng in to be ready for September. The school increased in number when St Stephen's school in Netherthorpe closed and some pupils transferred to St Mary's.

St Mary's After School Club opened in January 2005.

We joined the Diocese of Sheffield Academy Trust in September 2014.

Infant School Headmistresses:

Mixed School Headmasters: