St Peter's School

                      The Old School (Harrison Street)                                                  The New School (Lichfield Road)

The History of St Peter's School
​The School originated as a day school n 1825 and was held in a small room next to St Thomas’ Chapel in Harden Lane (now Harden Road); a school room was erected adjoining the Chapel in c.1830.
In 1833, the school attendance was 56 pupils during weekdays and 76 pupils on Sundays. Normally reading was the only subject that was taught at the school and a fee of one penny per week was charged for each pupil who attended the school for those whose parents were able to afford the fee. There were additional fees of one penny per week each for writing and arithmetic respectively.
 
In 1869, St Thomas’ Chapel closed when St Peter’s Catholic Church opened in Bloxwich. In 1869,. A new school was erected in Harrison Street at the rear of the Church, and in 1871, the school attendance was 65 pupils.
The attendance rapidly increased and subsequently it became necessary to extend the school so Fr Patrick O'Toole, the Parish Priest at that time, had three buildings erected before 1899 and the original building (c.1871) became the Infants Department; the new school opened on 18th June 1899. At the official opening ceremony, Fr O'Toole was happy to express publicly Catholic gratitude for the sympathy and practical help of many 'non - catholic' people of the locality. To measure better the courage of this school venture by Fr O'Toole, it should be remembered that it was not until 1902 that an Education Act provided financial help for Catholic schools. Fr O'Toole saw the new school flourish and he remained as Parish Priest until 1910. He died on 1st February 1940.
 
In 1963, the School became Primary status and the senior pupils attended a new school that had been built in Dartmouth Avenue and was named Francis Martyn Catholic High School.
 
In 1972, the Primary School in Harrison Street was closed and was transferred to a new school complex which was built in Lichfield Road; part of the old school building became the Church Hall.

For information regarding St Peter's Primary School, please click here_ www.st-peters.walsall.sch.uk
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Headteachers of St Peter's Catholic School

Mistresses in Charge

Jan 1873  - 15 Aug 1873 - Annie Orpe
13 Sep 1873 - 07 Oct 1873 - Eleanor Burke
08 Oct 1874 - 18 Dec 1874 - Teresa Webb
04 Jan 1875  - 26 Feb 1875 - Mary McLaughlin
03 Apr 1875 - 04 Aug 1876 - Helen Nolan
28 Aug 1876 - 22 Dec 1876 - Mary Anne Short
08 Jan 1877 - 30 May 1879 - Mrs Kate Higgins
09 Jun 1879 - 06 Aug 1886 - Mary E Doherty (later Mrs Mary E Moore)
27 Aug 1894 - 28 Jun 1895 - Teresa Webb
30 Sep 1886 - 03 Sep 1894 - Annie Kenny
01 Jul 1895 - 24 Aug 1896 - Julianne Sheehan

The Infants Department became a separate department on 24 Aug 1896

Headmistresses - Infants School

Aug 1896 - Jan 1897 - Elizabeth Parker
Jan 1897 - Jan 1898 - Teresa Fielding
Jan 1898 - Nov 1900 - Agnes Field
Nov 1900 - Oct 1904 - Helen Jennings
Oct 1904 - Jun 1905 - Mary Dickenson
Jul 1905 - Apr 1908 - A Cronin
Apr 1908 - May 1910 - Mary Collins
May 1910 - Dec 1913 - Clare Beech
Jan 1914 - Oct 1915 - M Imbery
Nov 1915 - Nov 1944 - C Molloy

Heads - Junior/Secondary School

24 Aug 1896 - 01 May 1931 - Julianne Sheehan
4 May 1931 - Nov 1944 - Mr H W Hartland

The all departments combined under one Head on Nov 1944.

Headteachers - Entire School

Nov 1944 - 04 Apr 1955 - Mr H W Hartland
24 Apr 1955 - 31 Aug 1968 - Mr G L Worrall
01 Sep 1968 - Apr 1983 - Mr Thomas J Butler
04 Sep 1983 - 22 7 1992 - Mr Christopher Bradbury
04 Jan 1993 -  2001        - ​Mr John Gubbins
2001 - 2002 - Sandra Fletcher (Acting Headteacher)
2002 - 2012 - Mrs Mary Green
2012  -  2022 - Mrs Debbie Beirne
2022 -  2023 - Mrs June Burrows (Acting Head)
2023 - To date - Mrs Heather Taylor