[citation needed] The school is named after its founder, Arthur Holditch Mellows (1892–1948), a British army captain from the Hunts Cyclist Battalion[1][failed verification] who was promoted to colonel during World War I, served in Iraq during the 1920s, and commanded local Home Guard units during World War II.

Arthur Mellows offered evening classes and a meeting area for community groups and had a public library on site.

More recently the school developed a broader catchment including pupils from the large Peterborough suburb of Werrington.

[citation needed] However, Arthur Mellows converted to academy status, underwent significant expansion and was considered a successful school.

The external walls of these classrooms are almost entirely glass, which would have allowed patients access to large amounts of light and south facing patios.