1834: St John’s the school first began in an adapted cottage, known as a 'Dame' School, on the corner of Spring Park and Shirley Church Roads. 35 years later a separate boys school was built. The logbooks describe how this new building was far from perfect – smoke filled in winter and hot and poorly ventilated in summer.

1885: The previous buildings were replaced by a building costing £2,330. There were 3 classrooms with an adjoining room divided by a folding screen. It certainly had no frills – no hot water, no staff room, staff and children’s toilets 100 yards away across the playground. It was opened on September 17th 1885, by the Vicar, the Revd. W. Wilks.

1939/40: When the war came St. John’s school was evacuated to Rottingdean and then to IIfracombe. The school then remained open for children whose parents did not choose to evacuate them. On Wednesday 26th July at 2:30pm a flying bomb fell in the Infant playground and the blast destroyed the school buildings. Twenty-four children and three teachers were in the shelter in the playground. Although Tthe shelter was filled with fumes and smoke and the entrance doors were shattered, but luckily no one was injured. For the next ten years the school was housed at Benson Primary School, until the present premises were completed.

4th June 1953: New Shirley Church School being built.

1953

3rd June 1954: St John’s school was reopened by His Grace the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury (the Most Rev and Rt Hon Geoffrey Francis Fisher D.D) after the war. It was officially designated a 'controlled school'. This meant that while it remained a Church School, the Church was relieved of all financial responsibility.

1954

2011: Our beautiful Octagon reception area opened

2015: The decision was made for St. John’s school to become a two form entry school, allowing double the number of children to be part of the school each year. For this reason, an Expansion plan was underway...

2016: The magnificent new Ark building was officially opened marking the beginning of St. John’s move to becoming a two form of entry school.

2016: St John's was awared OUSTANDING by Ofsted