[1] In 1896, four nuns from the Congregation of St Mary of Namur came from Belgium to Bishop's Stortford and established a school with nine students.

These sisters were the first to provide Catholic education for the district, and the school grew.

It also has around 50 classrooms with multiple ICT suites, a 10,000 book library, a large sports hall and refectory.

[2][3] Previously a voluntary aided school administered by Hertfordshire County Council, in September 2021, St Mary's converted to the academy status.

The school was a founding member of the St Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy Trust.