St Margarets C of E Primary School

The School was founded in 1840 for junior and senior boys only. At some time there was also a St. Margaret's Girls' School in Old Foundry Road.

Over the years the number of boys at the school rose to between 200 and 240. Many in the town still remember St Margaret’s as an all age school for boys. However, by the late 1950’s it had become clear that, despite the wishes of the school governors, it would not be possible to turn the school into a mixed Secondary School to serve the other Church of England Schools in Ipswich. The decision was therefore taken that the school should become a mixed primary school and so in September 1964 after extensive building work the school began its new life as a primary school with girls attending for the first time.

Further building work through the 1960’s saw new classrooms added but the seventh classroom was not added until September 1970 and it is from that time onward that the school has largely existed in its present size and form.

During 1992 further extensive work was carried out to the buildings. 2004 saw the completion of further building work. The main features are a new information technology suite with eighteen networked computers; a new music room; a new outdoor ‘learning through play’ area directly linked to the reception classroom and new staff and learning support rooms.

The reorganised school, which had originally opened in September 1964 with well under 100 children in three classes, grew to a school of about 250 by 1970. With the emphasis on reducing class sizes to no more than 30, numbers are slowly going down and the school is now designated as having places for 210 pupils from the ages of 4+ to 11.