[1] Bishop Douglass opened with voluntary aided status as a mixed secondary modern Roman Catholic school in Hamilton Road in 1963.

[2] The founding headmaster, Michael Caulfield, was at the time of his appointment the youngest of any school in the UK.

Bishop Douglass was taken out of special measures following HMI inspection in December 2005 and in its most recent inspection Ofsted described it as “a Good school of which students, parents, staff and governors are proud of” [3] In 2007, the school was granted Specialist Science College status, and was renewed in 2010.

The pupils study Religious Education, Mathematics, Science, English Language and Literature, Spanish, French, History, Geography, Music, Art, Physical Education, Drama, Technology, ICT and Citizenship.

When the school became a comprehensive, at the time of the merger with Manor House Convent, until 2001, the Bishop Douglass uniform for girls consisted of a long royal blue skirt, grey V-neck jumper and a royal blue blazer.

Originally, a navy bow-tie was worn with the blouse, but this was abandoned around 1974, at around the same time that the summer dress in blue and white dog tooth check was discontinued.

The sixth form tie for boys was black, with the school emblem stitched in white.

Girls wear a Royal Blue and basil green kilt, or may choose dark trousers, which were allowed after 2001.

Inter-house competitions, such as poetry, chess, art and sport, take place throughout the academic year.

Additionally, there are two houses that do not bear the name of Catholic Saints nor colours: All-Saints and Southwell.

Niamh Parker-Arnull, headmistress of nearby Finchley Catholic High School, was a former pupil.