St John’s College was originally located on the former site at Greenway Road in Cardiff. The school was founded after the former De La Salle Boys Preparatory School was established in the 1930s. 

By the late 1980s, De La Salle faced imminent closure and a forward-thinking group of dedicated parents, some of whom were pupils at the old De La Salle School, were determined to keep the school open and in 1987, decided to establish St John’s College.

The school opened its doors to both boys and girls aged up to 16 and A levels were introduced in 1996. Our Founding Headmaster, Dr David Neville, built up the reputation of the school and the choral foundation as St John’s became the choir school to St David’s, Cardiff Metropolitan Cathedral and the College still provides the boy and girl choristers for weekly services.

The school roll grew year on year and it quickly became apparent that St John’s had outgrown the site at Greenway Road, moving to its current site, the grade II listed William Nicholls House in 1995. The sports hall, laboratories, dining doom, design technology suite and junior classrooms were built in the first development phase in 2002. The ‘Atrium’ was built in 2012 and the Sixth Form Centre at Eastern Business Park was opened in 2018. 

In addition, the College purchased land off Began Road, a short drive from the main site, to use as sports fields. A pavilion was added in 2019.