[2] The school is allied to St. Philip Neri with St. Bede's Catholic Voluntary Academy for younger pupils aged 3–11 years.

Mansfield's first Catholic school was established along with a church for the relatively few worshippers in the town during 1877/1878 at the Manor House, Ratcliffe Gate, both named after St. Philip Neri.

[4][5][6][7] A new-build school was officially opened in 1960 at Rosemary Street for secondary pupils, whilst St. Philip's continued for primary tuition.

After All Saints' school, was opened, St. Philip and St. Bede's continued separately under the three-tier system of lower/middle/upper, then conjoined to cater for under-11-year-olds at the Rosemary Street site.

Each school has a smaller local board of governors: there are 12 members including staff and parent representatives.

[13] The school was in the national news in 2009 when a teacher was charged with attempted murder after attacking a student in a science lesson.

[14] During a trial at Nottingham Crown Court, the jury heard that, after the teacher had returned following an absence due to stress and depression, pupils had intended to provoke and secretly film the reaction, so the footage could be circulated throughout the school to cause humiliation, and that the teacher was mocked by pupils just before the attack.

The teacher was found not guilty of attempted murder but admitted a lesser charge of grievous bodily harm without intent, and was given community service.