Our School History
The Beginning – 1872 to 1873
St Anne’s School has a proud history that stretches back to August 1872. The original school was built thanks to the generosity and vision of Mary Anne Patrick, who wanted to give the children of Edgeside a place to learn. Many of their parents worked in the felt and cotton mills along Whitewell Brook and Shaw Clough, in the quarries at Scout, or on nearby farms and coal pits.
Mrs Patrick set up a fund to build the school and worked alongside local architect Mr Harry Percival of Newchurch. The foundation stone was laid on 31st August 1872, and the school officially opened on 7th April 1873 as Edgeside Holme National School. A Sunday School began shortly after, on 4th May 1873, starting a cherished tradition of School Sermons held on the first Sunday in May each year.
Growth and Development
Over the years, the school has grown and changed to meet the needs of its pupils and community. In 1992, a new hall and classroom were added to the main building. In February 1997, a Nursery was opened on the land opposite the school, creating a split-site setting. The following year, in 1998, improvements were made to the infant classrooms to provide better accommodation for younger children. The Nursery site was also extended to include a dedicated Foundation Stage facility, enhancing provision for early years education.
St Anne’s Today
In recent years, St Anne’s has continued to flourish. The school now has seven classes as well as a Nursery, reflecting the growing number of families who choose to be part of our caring community. To accommodate this growth, three classes (Years 1, 2, and 6) are currently housed in temporary buildings.
We are delighted that, with the support and funding from the Manchester Diocese, a new permanent building is planned for the 2025–2026 academic year. This exciting development will provide modern classrooms for Year 1 and Year 2, ensuring our children continue to learn in a safe and inspiring environment.
Our Ongoing Mission and Values
Through all these changes, the heart and spirit of St Anne’s School have remained constant. Inspired by Saint Anne, the grandmother of Jesus, we are guided by her example of love, care, and faith. Her life reminds us of the importance of nurturing others and helping them grow.
Today, we continue to live out our core values of respect, love, thankfulness, and forgiveness in everything we do. These values are at the heart of our learning, our relationships, and our community. St Anne’s aims to ‘be awesome and shine bright!’ in our school and community.
As we look to the future, we do so with gratitude for our rich history and with hope for all that is yet to come.
St Anne
Saint Anne is very special to our school because she is the grandmother of Jesus and a wonderful example of love, kindness, and faith. At St Anne’s School, we look to her as a role model who teaches us to care for others, to be patient, and to trust in God. Just as St Anne helped Mary to grow in goodness, we try to help each other learn and be awesome, shine bright every day. Anne’s example links closely to our school values of respect, love, and forgiveness and thankfulness, reminding us to always do our best and show love in all we do.
