The earliest phase of the school was created by letters patent of Queen Elizabeth I in 1597 (428 years ago) (1597).

They merged to become Wantage School (Segsbury, Icknield, and King Alfred's Halls) for the 1984/5 academic term.

[4] Alumni include: computer scientist Professor Dave Cliff; spy novelist John Gardner; actor/author Stephen North; jockey Lester Piggott; neuroscientist Professor Anil Seth; Anna Yearley OBE, Executive Director of human-rights nonprofit Reprieve; Erin Kennedy MBE, paralympic coxswain; Christopher Ricks literary critic and scholar and Thomas Skurray managing director of Morlands (1890 - 1938).

In 2012, £661,000 was spent on improvements to the facilities including new classroom a new science lab, new music rooms and a new fitness suite.

It has more than 20 classrooms including 6 science labs, 3 ICT rooms, a dance/drama studio, newly refurbished kitchen and sports hall.

It has more than 55 classrooms, 16 of which are situated in a four storey block, which includes science labs and ICT rooms.

It has no onsite sports facilities, but is able to make use of the local leisure centre, which was built on the site of the former school playing fields.

Centre Site has had several recent developments with the opening of an upgraded hall and a rebuilt canteen and classroom block.