St. Mark’s was graced with a blessed and official opening by the Bishop of Northampton, the Right Reverend Charles A. Grant, in two ceremonies held on 2nd October 1967.

In a solemn blessing, attended by the school’s students and many parents, the Bishop led a procession around the school grounds, culminating in a blessing ceremony in the assembly hall. Following morning Mass, the Bishop invited the children to create drawings of lions for school decoration. In the afternoon, the official opening of the school was marked by the presence of priests, nuns, parents, children, the Mayor, Alderman Lambert, and the Mayoress, who were seated among the audience.

St. Mark’s primary school was constructed to provide for Catholic children in the rapidly growing southwestern area of Ipswich, thereby ensuring the availability of Catholic primary education within the existing borough boundary.