It is located on the edge of city limits, on 16th Avenue (which straddles the border between Surrey and White Rock).

Originally White Rock Secondary School, Earl Marriott Secondary was founded in 1973 and named after its first Principal, Earl Marriott, who eventually became Superintendent of Surrey School District #36.

[2][better source needed] The institution has a history and custom of cooperation with First Nation peoples; the school hosts an annual Pow Wow and students have visited Haida Gwaii to engage in cultural sharing.

The Wheelhouse Theatre is a 280-seat proscenium theater located at Earl Marriott Secondary School.

The Wheelhouse's primary usage is as a classroom and training facility for students pursuing theatre, and is also available for rent by local people.