Jingfan Middle School was built on the site of Fan Yi Zhuang, a school with charitable status that was established by a famous figure in Suzhou’s past, Fan Zhongyan, a prime minister during the Northern Song Dynasty. After his death, Fan Zhongyan’s descendants carried on his educational policy, renaming the school “Wengzheng Academy” in his memory.

Over the years the school was destroyed and rebuilt on the same site several times. In the year 1938 Tang Yan opened the Chongfan Private school on the same site as Fan Zhongyan’s original school. After victory in the Sino- Japanese war, Fan Zhongyan’s descendants reclaimed the right to run the school. After Liberation, the school came under the direct control of the government which again renamed it several times. Firstly it was called Suzhou Wu’ai Middle School. Later it became known as Suzhou No. 8 Middle School and then Suzhou No. 22 Middle School. Finally, in 1989, on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of the birth of Fan Zhongyan, the school gained its present title, Jing Fan Middle School.

In September 2011 a new modern campus called Jinchang New Town Campus was set up meaning that Jingfan Middle School has now become the only school in Suzhou to have two campuses.