[12] The new building is being built by Berkeley Homes as part of its Twelvetrees Park development project (formerly Stephenson Street)[13] and is expected to be complete sometime in 2022.

East London Science School was opened on 2 September 2013[15] by its founder and first principal David Perks with the intention of providing an education of rigour to students regardless of academic aptitude.

[19] During this time, a location for a permanent site was still under negotiation between the school trust and the Greater London Authority, however it was expected to neighbour West Ham.

[21] In July 2015, the London Legacy Development Corporation permitted the school to expand their temporary site into the building opposite of the Clock Mil, the Custom House.

It was decided that the school's permanent site be built on Stephenson Street in West Ham, as part of the Berkeley Homes Twelvetrees Park development project.

[22] Her successor, Chairman Adam Atashzai, was a special adviser during the David Cameron premiership and reported directly to the Prime Minister.

[29] Perks criticised the recommended mandatory face coverings as appeasing teaching unions and cited the herd immunity of East London Science School, produced as a result of previous cases in 2020, as a reason why they were not needed.

[30] Department for Education representative Sue Baldwin expressed concern over Perks' defiance and enquired the school over its face mask policy.

According to Chairman Atashzai, It was decided that the school would now mandate face coverings as recommended in the government guidance, however Principal Perks refused to comment.

[32] Religious education was absent from the school's curriculum and its harsh testing regime was criticised for overworking teachers (exams were held each half term).

[34] In February 2022 the Department for Education asked the Harris Federation to invite East London Science School into its multi-academy trust.

As a result, the curriculum is academic and centres around technical education,[51] mathematics and the core sciences of physics, chemistry and biology, which are taught separately.

[52][53] In year groups seven to eleven, all students learn the three core sciences, English language and literature, ethics, mathematics and sports.

They include the humanities of history and geography, the languages of German, French and Latin, computer science, music, photography and art.

Optional subjects introduced in year nine include GCSE sports, level 2 EPQ philosophy, the languages of Mandarin and Ancient Greek, electronics, astronomy and economics.

Two more A-Level courses are then chosen in the previously studied subject areas of philosophy, economics, one of the humanities, Latin, English literature and art.

The award's expeditionary area gives students the ability to go on a two-day camping trip where the subjects of campcraft, teamwork, navigation and cookery are taught.

[60] In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, personalised tuition has been offered to sixth formers with a particular focus on students who failed their GCSEs in English and mathematics or have special needs.

Swimming lessons are provided from rented locations in Mile End, as are other sports throughout London including netball, basketball and cricket.

[21] The network is based in East London and includes extracurricular activities such as workshops, school trips and, for teachers, continuing professional development (CPD).

[71] He also taught a Latin lesson supporting the No campaign in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum to some of East London Science School's students in that same year.

Lock Keepers, an apartment complex located on Gillender Street and Navigation Road in Bromley and Bow, Tower Hamlets, hosts the upper school site.

[77] The school's permanent site will be located on Stephenson Street in West Ham in the Berkeley Homes Twelvetrees Park development project.