The school grounds opened to pupils in September 1981, although construction of the Biology and Language Blocks (Phase 3) was still underway.

[4] The large playing fields were finally handed over by the developer in the mid-1980s, much later than planned, due to issues with landscaping and coal mining shafts being discovered.

A primary school was marked on plans for the East 'mound' area of the field, but this was cancelled in the late 1980s.

In 2004, work started on a new building to house the school's English Department; this was completed in the middle of 2005 and features five classrooms, three offices, and toilet facilities.

On the morning of 15 March 2011, a bus carrying pupils to school collided with a bridge near Barrow Hill.

A history book of the school, written by former pupil Leonie Martin, was published in 2015 to mark the anniversary.

Former deputy head teacher Susan Cain was awarded the Benemerenti medal by the Pope upon her retirement in December 2020, following 35 years of service to education at the school.

These include language trips to France, Germany and Spain, excursions or religious retreats to the Hayes Conference Centre and Hartington and the Hallam youth pilgrimage to Lourdes each June.

St Mary's performance is considerably higher than the local and national average,[9][10] and was recognised as "particularly successful" by Ofsted in 1993–4 and 1997–8.