Sacred Heart Parish School had been run by the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus since their arrival in Timaru in 1880. This was a primary school for girls and junior boys. Older boys – Standards 2 to 6 – were taught at the Marist Brothers School on Browne Street.

In 1985, it was decided to merge Sacred Heart Parish School with the Marist Brothers School – to have one school for both girls and boys. The Sacred Heart pupils moved over to the Marist School site.