The parish of St Agnes was founded in the 1860s and the school opened in 1872, to cater for 125 pupils.  In 1938 the mistress was Miss M J GILMAN. She may have been Martha Jennie GILMAN, aged 18 in 1911 and listed as a pupil teacher at an elementary school, living with her family in Accrington.

John YATES attended in the 1950s. He writes:

“When I started there in 1954 there were only three classes: infants, juniors and seniors encompassing the full age range from 5 to 15. I think these schools should have stopped just after the war but the church was still awaiting the completion of the secondary school called St Augustine’s, which I think was later changed to St Thomas A’Becket. The three tier situation only lasted for a year and a fourth classroom was added when it became a full primary school in 1955.

For all of the six years I was there the staff were constants. Miss M Penelope GROGAN was the Headmistress, Mr John DOOLEY was the deputy head and Miss McINTYRE the third teacher when I started.  When the fourth classroom was added I think the new teacher that came was Mrs GILMORE. Miss GROGAN was the head until she retired about 1973 when John DOOLEY took the helm. Miss GROGAN and Miss McINTYRE lived in Waterloo I believe and if my memory serves me right John DOOLEY lived in 85 Shepherd Avenue Childwall somewhere near the old Vernons Pools. Mrs GILMORE lived in a house directly oppposite the school gate next to Bellis' shop.

As far as schools went I had a very happy time there although it was a very strict and regimented place- so much so that it would be closed down within a week these days. But it was definitely my sort of place. In my last year of primary school we moved out into a new building which is now the Church Social Club whilst the new school was being built.”