The orphanage was set up to educate the daughters of Scottish Presbyterian soldiers and Indian navy seamen.

[3] On 18 February 1867, the first general meeting of subscribers to the Bombay Scottish Orphanage Trust was held.

The school building was designed by D. E. Gostling and J. Morris and sanctioned by the Government of Bombay on 15 July 1875.

The construction of the school building was commenced on 8 December 1875 by Sir Philip Edmond Wodehouse, then Governor and President in Council.

The orphanage was opened by Sir Richard Temple Bart, then Governor and President in Council on 13 April 1878.

[3] When the orphanage was shut down and its 11th and 12th classes discontinued, its name was changed to The Bombay Scottish School.

The white Crux decussata (cross) quarters the shield into four segments each representing a house colour denoted by the Fleur-de-lis, the Castle, the Lion and the Palm tree.

Inter-house competitions are held in cultural activities such as drama and elocution and sports such as football, throw ball, and basketball.

An annual survey conducted by the Outlook magazine in 2002 ranked the school at top position in the Mumbai region.