St Bernard’s was founded in 1855 for the benefit of the Catholics of the Mascot/Botany area. The Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Sisters ran the school with Fr Couppe MSC as first parish priest. The school opened with only 20 students.

In 1955 the school was relocated to its current site. In 1994 the first lay principal was appointed. Today, the charism of the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Sisters lives on through everyday school life.