The school was founded using a bequest by William Ward, a merchant of Brixton, in 1881 and opened in Carmelite Street in 1894.

The school is still administered by the Corporation of London, and the Board of Governors is appointed by the Court of Common Council.

In 2018, it was rated by The Sunday Times as the second-best independent school in the UK, based on GCSE and A-Level results.

[6] The school is secular, yet has mildly Christian traditions, with an optional annual Carol Service in the neighbouring St Giles' Church.

The school has several times won the national European Youth Parliament competition and has a debating programme.

The school offers language exchanges to France, Spain, Germany and China, as well as other travelling opportunities through schemes such as World Challenge, which has seen girls go recently to Venezuela.

In January 2018 plans were advanced to expand prep school for four- to seven-year-olds in an underground car park of an adjoining tower block, Thomas More House.

A further plan for expansion was prepared by Nicholas Hare Architects, again meeting with strong opposition, and was subsequently abandoned.