History
St Philomena’s Catholic Primary School History
c.1856 – The beginnings of Catholic education in St Mary Cray
A Catholic school was established at Lawrence’s Yard, St Mary Cray by Dr Todd, formerly President of the Royal Irish Society and a respected writer on St Patrick and the early Irish Church.
This was a private Catholic school, founded before the Education Act of 1870, and represents the earliest known roots of Catholic education in the area and the beginnings of what later became St Joseph’s Catholic School.
1934 – Arrival of the Sisters of Charity
The Sisters of Charity of Our Lady, Mother of Mercy, a religious community originating in Holland, came to St Mary Cray.
Marion Bailey’s family moved with them. Her parents helped support the convent, with her father working as a handyman and maintenance manager and her mother assisting in the convent kitchen. Marion later became one of the school’s longest-serving teachers, teaching for around 40 years.
1935 – St Philomena’s Convent School opens
St Philomena’s Convent School opened on the site of the present school.
It was a private Catholic school, run and taught by the Sisters of Charity, who educated generations of children in the parish.
1936 – Expansion of St Joseph’s Catholic School
Sister Clare McHugh became Headmistress of St Joseph’s RC School. She began fundraising and expanding the school buildings before the outbreak of World War II.
1941 – Wartime bombing and temporary relocation
During the bombing of London and the South East, the St Joseph’s school building was destroyed.
The pupils temporarily moved to St Philomena’s Convent Hall, where lessons continued and Mass was also celebrated until new parish facilities became available.
1942 – Rowlands Manor becomes a school site
Rowlands Manor, formerly the home of the Heckstall-Smith family near Reynolds Cross, was made available to the parish.
It was used as a school site, particularly for the older pupils.
1940s – Evacuation during World War II
As bombing intensified, many St Joseph’s children were evacuated to Porthmadog, Wales, where they were billeted with Catholic families until the end of the war.
Sister Clare and other nuns continued teaching pupils in temporary accommodation, including a prefabricated hall transferred from another Diocesan school in Dartford.
1945 – Sister Veronica becomes Headmistress
Sister Veronica took over as Headmistress and continued developing St Joseph’s, which remained an all-age school for children aged 5 to 14.
1949 – New Church Hall (Frawley Centre)
The Church Hall was completed, providing an important meeting place for parish and school life.
1958 – Temporary classrooms
The Diocese of Southwark rented huts from the London Borough of Bromley at Rectory Paddock, Main Road, St Paul’s Cray, as temporary classrooms.
1960s – Changes to Catholic education
With the introduction of secondary schools in the London Borough of Bromley, St Joseph’s gradually became a primary school, with older pupils transferring to Catholic secondary schools.
1965 – New leadership
Sister Veronica retired. She was followed by Head Teachers George Parker and later Roger Gilchrist Kelly.
1970 – Veronica Shelley-Pearce becomes Headmistress
Veronica Shelley Pearce (née McCullagh) became Headmistress.
At this time, St Joseph’s was housed in sixteen Nissen huts at Riverside, St Mary Cray.
1971 – St Philomena’s Convent School closes
After 36 years as a private Catholic school, St Philomena’s Convent School closed in July 1971.
October 1972 – The move to the present site
During the October half term, St Joseph’s RC Primary School moved to the former grounds of St Philomena’s High School.
The school was renamed: St Philomena’s Roman Catholic Primary School
This brought together the traditions and memories of both St Joseph’s and St Philomena’s.
1980 – The convent building closes
The old convent building was demolished.
The Sisters of Charity moved to two houses in Southborough Lane, Petts Wood, continuing their community life.
c.2000 – New Head Teacher
Mary Riley succeeded Veronica Shelley Pearce as Head Teacher.
2012 – New Head Teacher
Veronica Maher became Head Teacher following Mary Riley’s retirement.
2014 – Becoming an Academy
St Philomena’s Roman Catholic Primary School converted to academy status on 1 October 2014, becoming a single-academy trust.
The school’s official name changed to St Philomena’s Catholic Primary School, while continuing its Roman Catholic identity and connection with the Archdiocese of Southwark.
2014 – Fr Cyriacus Okafor joins the parish
In 2014, Fr Cyriacus Okafor joined Our Lady of the Crays, St Mary Cray, beginning his ministry with the parish and strengthening the close relationship between the parish and St Philomena’s Catholic Primary School.
2020 – COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning
During the COVID-19 pandemic, St Philomena’s moved to remote learning during lockdown before reopening with safety measures in place, including support for key workers’ children.
2022 – 50 years
In 2022, St Philomena’s marked 50 years since moving to its present site, following the relocation of St Joseph’s RC Primary School in 1972 and the creation of St Philomena’s RC Primary School.
2025 – Joining the St Oscar Romero Catholic Academy Trust
Directed by the Diocese of Southwark to join a Catholic Multi-Academy Trust, St Philomena’s became part of the St Oscar Romero Catholic Academy Trust.
2026 – New Head Teacher
After many years of dedicated leadership, Veronica Maher retired as Head Teacher of St Philomena’s Catholic Primary School. Stacey Anderson was appointed as the new Head Teacher.
Today
St Philomena’s Catholic Primary School continues to build on a long and proud history of Catholic education in St Mary Cray, bringing together the legacy of St Joseph’s and St Philomena’s while preparing future generations of children for the years ahead.
