Did you know St Helen’s Catholic Primary School has a rich history? This school has seen many changes. It has evolved to meet the needs of its students.
St Helen’s is a Catholic primary school. It is in the London Borough of Newham. The school is part of the Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy Trust.
The first school in the Parish was St Margaret’s. It was founded in 1870. This school was behind the current Parish church on Barking Road. In 1908, they built an additional school. It was on the land near the current convent building. Both St Helen’s and St Margaret’s schools faced destruction. This happened during World War II.
St Helen’s rebuilt in a bungalow style. It reopened in 1951. The Franciscan Missionaries of Mary supported it.
By 2002, the 1950s building was outdated. It was no longer suitable for 21st-century education. So, the Governors began a mission. They wanted to rebuild St Helen’s. The third St Helen’s school opened in 2009. This school is on the same site as the previous one. It has continued to flourish. A pre-school for two-year-olds opened in September 2013.
On July 6th, 2018, St Helen’s celebrated a milestone. It was the school’s 110th anniversary. There were wonderful events. These events marked the school’s long history.
The school created a history booklet for the anniversary.
The 110th-anniversary celebrations were special. The school buried a time capsule. It is to be dug up in 50 years. There was an Edwardian dress-up day. The children learned about the school’s history. There was also a street-style party on the playground. An Open Day Fete event took place. Bishop Alan celebrated a special mass. There was a meal with past pupils, staff, and governors. The children wrote lyrics for an anniversary song. It was called ‘Super St Helen’s’. They designed a stained-glass window. It marked the special occasion.
St Helen’s Catholic Primary School achieved several Healthy Schools London awards. It earned Bronze awards. These were given in 2014-2016, 2016-2018 and 2022-2025. The school achieved a Silver award in 2015.
Ofsted inspected St Helen’s Catholic Primary School. The inspection occurred on December 6, 2022. The school received an overall outcome of Outstanding. The report also rated the school as outstanding in several categories. These included the quality of education. Also behaviour and attitudes. Personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.
St Helen’s Catholic Primary School is located on Chargeable Lane. This is in Plaistow, London. The postcode is E13 8DW. The school’s phone number is 02074761785.