St Anne's Primary School - East London

The History of St Anne’s dates back to January 23 1883 when it opened in Albany Street with an enrolment of 63 boys and girls. It grew quickly and by the end of the year had 200 learners.
The schools teachers gave their services without reward, only one receiving a small salary.
Later it was decided to move the boys to a school of their own and St Anthony’s was opened nearby. This school was staffed at the time by the nuns and financed by the Department of Cape Education. St Anthony’s was later taken over by the De La Salle Brothers as a primary school.
The History of St Anne’s on its present site at 36 St Marks Road goes back nearly 30 years. The site was once the home of the King family.
The house on the site was built by Ivan King, of Baker, King and Company. His wife  

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was a Miss Grant, daughter of Archdeacon Grant.
The house was owned by Mr and Mrs Burnham and once was known as the Nightingales Cage. It was given this name as Mrs King was a well known singer.
Eventually the house was bought by Mr and Mrs. Billson, who sold it to the De La Selle Brothers in 1934. The Brothers built a boarding school for pupils from Std 1 to Std 7. The school was opened in 1938 by the Mayor of East London Mr. G. Lewis.
In 1952 the property was bought by the Dominican Sisters of King William’s Town, who called the school St. Raymonds. Then in 1955 the girls moved from the Albany site to St Marks Road and generally became known as St Anne’s.
In 1976 the Maris Stella Primary School was amalgamated with St Anne’s and the facilities in St Marks Road were extended.
The school follows the primary curriculum set by the Department of Education, with religion taking first priority.
Extra Mural activities include Scripture Union and Bible fun along side other extra murals such as netball, chess, soccer, cricket and swimming.