During the 18th century when Jamaica prospered as a sugar colony of the British Empire, several large donations were made by wealthy slave owners for the funding of schools.

This law also authorized the removal of the school from Walton Pen in St. Ann in 1883, and classes were conducted at Barbican Great House until mid-1885.

The buildings on Old Hope Road were opened on 9 July 1885, by the then Governor of Jamaica, Sir Henry Wylie Norman, and the first classes took place in September of the same year.

It was therefore decided that the purpose of the school would be to give secondary preparation to potential students of the University of London who happened to reside in Jamaica.

The museum boasts scores of poster boards, which chronicle the history of the school, and secondary education in the country in a systematic and comprehensive manner.

The building at Hope was designed at the time to accommodate boarders as well as day students, and was large enough to hold the whole school without difficulty.

[7] Erected in 1889 of brick, mortar, and wood, with iron detailing on the balcony railings, the Scotland building combines a variety of architectural styles including palladian windows on the west elevation, a lower arcaded wrap around verandah, and a steep-pitched cedar shingled hip roof.

[7] Constructed in 1913 of concrete block and steel, the Assembly Hall is wrapped by an arcaded verandah which helps to keep the interior cool.

Dr. Karl Hendrickson, a Jamaica College alumnus who contributed heavily to the construction project, the new Christian auditorium is poised to host the school's formal events, including graduations, prize giving ceremonies, morning devotions, general assembly and theater and music productions.

Jamaica College will now be able to comfortably host various indoor sporting events such as basketball, volleyball, badminton and table tennis in the 11,000 sqft structure.

A naturally lit and spacious gymnasium for the athletes of the Jamaica College was renovated and dedicated in 2013 in and named in honor of Olympian Frank Hall, Class of ‘53.

The gym was fully stocked with a plethora of world class equipment all donated by the Jamaica College Old Boys of New York.

The course is being offered in partnership with a Jamaican company, The Flying Club and managed by Executive Director, David Robertson, Class of '78.

[23][24][25] Since 2009, it operates under the Aircraft Training Organisation's (ATO) approval granted to The Flying Club by the Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA) for a private pilot's licence ground school.

The precursor to the Robotics project was embedded in foundation work that was done and the foresight of the Jamaica College Old Boys Association of New York to build and equip the first computer lab at JC (circa 1990) which was enthusiastically embraced and endorsed by Principal Ruel Taylor.

As a continuum of their first strategic project and main area of focus, over the years JCOBA-NY shipped hundreds of computers, monitors, smartboards, printers, projectors and related peripherals to JC valued at over half-million USD and counting.

[28][29] The school continues to broaden the exposure to the students by entering into a memorandum of understanding with the Caribbean Maritime Institute of Jamaica to offer courses and career opportunities in the nautical industry.

This first in the nation USD 500,000 (JMD 72 million) signature initiative, with a clarion call of ‘Going Beyond Borders’, will infuse and integrate a culture of STEAM education into the Jamaica College academic curriculum.

This scholarship fund will benefit talented and deserving Jamaica College Students and the first recipient was J’voughnn Blake, the outstanding student-athlete.

STEAM has its basis in the STEM learning initiative as well as adding Art as a component of the curriculum to stimulate creativity, beauty and technical proficiency.

Annually, various high schools, athletic clubs and organisations compete in the Wata/Powerade/Jamaica College Track & Field Development Meet.

[44] The most recent victory has been achieved in the 2011 edition,[45][46] making the school the current champions and holders of the Mortimer Geddes Trophy.

[57] Jamaica College have made good on their Olivier Shield acquisitions, having been able to obtain the trophy 75% of the time that they are Manning Cup Champions.

[59] In December 2010, Jamaica College completed a historic triple by winning all the Under-19 schoolboy football competitions on offer during a single season.

The left half of the school's crest incorporates the red cross of England and the five golden pineapples that is to be found on Jamaica's Coat of Arms.

The Romans placed pine cones on their buildings and monuments to symbolize confidence in the administrative, judicial and defensive power of the state.

There is an open book in the top right section of the shield to symbolise Bible truth, justice, and the importance of scholarly focus and academic pursuits.

The griffin, being the combination of the lion (king of beasts) and the eagle (most powerful and recognised bird of prey) represents the best of both creatures in terms of their characteristics and status – similar traits are to be displayed by each student.

It is astonishing how much may be accomplished in self-culture by the energetic and the persevering, who are careful to avail themselves of opportunities, and use up the fragments of spare time which the idle permit to run to waste.

The Jamaica College Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) provides the opportunity for parents and teachers to plan, report and interact on activities related to the interest of the school and the students.