On 18th April, 1825 this school opened and it became a recognised school ten years later with 90 boys and 89 girls attending.

Among those who signed the application to make Newcastle an official school were Lord Cloncurry and John Locke Sherritt. The pupils paid a halfpenny - a penny per week. Older children had a reading, spelling and arithmetic book as well as book-keeping and measuring books. School was open from 10.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m. six days a week but all day Friday only religion was taught.

There were seats for 8-10 pupils with an inkwell in front of each pupil. Boys were taught on the ground floor and girls were taught upstairs. When the old School was built in the 1930ís the first school continued to be used as a classroom whenever extra space was needed. It was last used in the 1970ís before the new school was built.