The History of our School

The school was founded in 1830 by Mrs James Burton during the reign of George IV. The school opened in the crypt of the St Leonards Assembly Rooms (now the Masonic Hall).

In 1834 a new National School was erected in Mount Pleasant, St Leonards, at a cost of £270. It was the first school of a public character to be established in St Leonards-on-Sea. In 1847 the school was moved to new buildings in Mercatoria. The building cost £750.

At that time the school was organised as an Infant School, a Senior Boys' School and a Senior Girls' School and until 1872 it remained the only school in St Leonards-on-Sea.

In 1926 the senior boys were transferred to the Tower Road School and in 1940 all the children were evacuated as invasion threatened.

In 1945 the school was reorganised as an Infant and Junior School and continued in the Mercatoria buildings until Christmas 1977.

The school moved into the new building (its fourth) in Collinswood Drive on the 11th January 1978. It was planned to accommodate 280 primary age pupils and contained a hall, nine classrooms, quiet areas and practical areas, kitchen and rooms for the Head, Deputy Head and staff.

The building was designed by the County Architect (Mr O Perry), the Project Architect being Mr C Weltert. The Contractor was Eldridge & Cruttenden, St Leonards-on-Sea. The total cost was £216, 633.

The building was opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on Wednesday 14th June 1978