History

The history of our school goes back as far as the 1850’s when it began as an elementary school in Johnson Street, in which children from the ages of 5-14 were taught in one building. St Mary and St Michael Junior School was officially opened in November 1933 at Lucas Street, which is now Lukin Street.

It continued to function as a school right through the Second World War, when it was also used as a rest centre. On 17th March 1945 a V2 rocket destroyed the Junior School building. Luckily it was a Saturday and there was no loss of life, but some injury to three teachers who were on the premises at the time. One of these teachers was to become Headteacher of the Junior School from 1945 – 1975 (Sister M. Cyril). For more than eleven years the school was housed in other available school buildings including Christian Scott School in Cranford Street.

In September 1956, the Junior School moved to the present building and was joined by the Infant School previously in Johnson Street. The Infant School then took on the same name as the Junior School, but the two continued to function as separate, but closely linked, schools until the end of the 1998 / 1999 academic year. In September 1999, the Infant and Junior schools were amalgamated to become St Mary and St Michael RC Primary School.

The two Nursery Classes were opened in 1950 in Nissen huts in Thirza Street, where they provided a much needed service to the under-fives at a time when Nursery class availability was very limited. A Nursery building was opened on the school site in 1963 to replace the temporary buildings in Thirza Street.

Our School, Then and Now…..