Former pupils include a number of famous people such as Pierce Brosnan, and the school has appeared in the films Love Actually and The Kid Who Would Be King.

[2] The main part of school is a Grade II listed building[3] designed in the early 1950s by G A Trevett of the London County Council architects' department.

English Heritage have described it as "perhaps the finest of the large comprehensive schools built by the London County Council architects".

[4] In 2012 Wandsworth Council decided that much of the new ARK Putney Academy's open space would be sold for housing to pay for a major refurbishment of the main school buildings.

[5] The decision, which included the demolition of some existing outer buildings, received formal planning permission in October 2013, with the refurbishment taking place the following year.