It is located in the Dorchester region of Boston, Massachusetts[2] and was named after Richard Mather.

Mather was an English-born American Congregational minister who emigrated to Boston and settled in Dorchester in 1635.

May 20] 1639 The Dorchester Town Records reads the following: "It is ordered that the 20th of May 1639, that there shalbe a rent paid of 20ls yeerely foreur imposed upon Tomsons Iland to bee payd p euy p'son that hat p'prtie in the said Iland according to the p'portion that any such p'son shall fro tyme to tyem injoy and posesse there, and this towards the mayntenance of a schoole in Dorchestr this rent of 20ls yeerlyl to bee payd to such a schoolemaster as shall undertake to teach english latin and other tongues and also writing...."[4]The first building was a one room schoolhouse and was located on what had been known as "Settlers' Street," near the corner of the present Pleasant and Cottage Streets.

Other classes offered are music, art, physical education, science, library and computers.

The school has a culturally diverse student and staff body with seven specialty classes and a well equipped playground.