St Chad's Catholic School was first opened, to pupils, on January 12th 1977.  

The school had been desperately wanted by the clergy and parishioners of St Chad's, for many years, and they actively fund-raised in order to support the development of a new school in South Norwood.  

Prior to St Chad's being on this site, the grounds belonged to Lady Edridge Grammar School. (Lady Edridge Girls High School 1920 - 1986 was founded 5 January 1920, as a selective central school in Selhurst Road. It was a grammar school (1951 - 1971) and a 14 - 18 comprehensive, 1971 - 1986.) 

The new school of St Chad's was designed by an architect called Mr Jones.

St Chad's Catholic School opened, with ten pupils, on Wednesday January 12th 1977.  There were three members of teaching staff, Miss Mary Betchetti (Headteacher), Mrs Susan Hodge (class teacher) and Mrs Sheila Cohen (part-time class teacher). Mr John Craemer was the school's carpenter and manager and Mrs Reeves was the school secretary.

On that very first day mass was celebrated in the school for the staff and governors. The log for that day reads,

"Mass was offered in the school hall this evening. Concelebration - Father Farmer, Father Moran and Father McKenna. As mass was celebrated the snow began to fall, by the end of the buffet party the snow was so thick that the cars had to be pushed out of the drive. A day to remember!"