The aspirations of the Catholic Church and the nature of the 1875 education legislation in Queensland ensured that the early commitment became an enduring feature of Catholic activity, for the church deplored the secular nature of instruction offered in "state" schools and determined to establish its own schools wherever possible.

[1] Classes had been conducted in various "second-hand" buildings since 1845, but on 20 March 1892 Archbishop Robert Dunne, a trained teacher, laid the foundation stone for this purpose-built school.

[1] Construction time was quite brief - on 25 September 1892 the school was blessed by Cardinal Patrick Francis Moran in the presence of a large public gathering.

The 1960s extension was subsequently removed as part of the large St Stephens Cathedral project of the late 1980s.

It is T-shaped in plan form with the top of the T being the street elevation and the leg of the T extending back into the site.

The masonry and cast iron front fence uses similar detailing to the body of the building and was probably constructed at the same time.

[1] St Stephens School was listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992 having satisfied the following criteria.

St Stephen's School is significant for its contribution, together with other buildings in this ecclesiastical group, to the Charlotte Street streetscape.