Formally opened by Rev. W.F. Oldham on 1 March 1886, it was the first link in the chain of Methodist Schools throughout Singapore.
The Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) was founded by Rev. William Fitzjames Oldham in 1886 at a shophouse in Amoy Street. Starting with 13 students, the school aimed to provide an education for the many boys Bishop Fitzjames saw wandering aimlessly in the streets. ACS (Barker Road) was established in 1994 as a full government-aided school catering to both primary and secondary students and is one of the six units of the ACS Family of Schools. As the school grew, plans to redevelop the campus were made and in 1999, the school split into ACS Primary and ACS (Barker Road). In January 2003, ACS Primary and ACS (Barker Road) moved back to its newly renovated Barker Road Campus.