The original decree stated that these lands and properties should.... hereafter be governed, ordered and employed towards the maintenance and erecting of a Free School within the said town of Hales-Owen and of a Schoolmaster to reach and instruct within the said School the children of the inhabitants of the said town and parish of Hales-Owen to read English Grammar and other Literature....

Most grammar school instruction of the time was in Latin, Greek and Hebrew to facilitate knowledge and learning of Ancient History, Classical Literature and the Scriptures.

The school's facilities have been updated over the years with extensions and new teaching blocks added, along with sports halls and a dance centre, astro turf pitches and a new cricket pavilion.

In September 1982, the Halesowen area (which had become part of the Dudley borough in April 1974) abandoned the three-tier education system and Earls High became an 11-16 school, gaining two younger year groups of 11- and 12-year-olds (first and second years) but its sixth form was closed following the establishment of an expanded tertiary college of further education at nearby Halesowen College.

The school is among the highest performing in the whole Dudley borough, with the percentage of pupils gaining 5 or more GCSEs at grade C or above regularly passing the 60% mark.

[1] A sixth form centre was added in September 2009, at the same time as a similar unit was opened at nearby Windsor High School, as sixth form education made a return to Halesowen secondary schools after an absence of almost 30 years.

The direct hit caused timber and roof tiles to fall to the ground, one injuring a year 9 pupil.

The lightning then struck the 'astroturf' artificial sports pitch to the front of 'A' Block near a group of year 8 pupils.