The school was where a large portion of the motion picture Kes was filmed in 1969.

St Helen's opened on 22 November 1963 to cater for children from the Athersley South and Monk Bretton area of Barnsley.

The original Edward Sheerien School was located on Newstead Road Athersley North.

Edward Sheerien School closed in September 2009, merging with Royston High School to establish Carlton Community College.

[2] The school went on to relocate to a new site in 2011, and in 2016 became Outwood Academy Carlton.