Known as SMSJ, it was created by the London Diocesan Board for Schools and London Borough of Barnet to provide a mixed Church of England-based education up to sixth form for an increasing number of pupils in the Barnet area.

It specialises in performing arts as well as Business & Enterprise, offering Music, Dance & Drama to its students, as well as scholarships in these subjects.

The school has undergone a huge refurbishment and rebuilding programme and the newest site opened on the Downage in September 2017.

[2] Reportedly, the school's motto for many years was "Audio, Video, Disco", Latin for "I hear, I see, I learn".

St Mary's and St John's Church of England School offers GCSEs as programmes of study for pupils,[5] whilst students in the sixth form have the option to study from a range of A-Levels.