In 1976 it admitted the first female pupil, Fiona Hook, to the Sixth Form, to study Classics.

The school converted to academy status in April 2011,[10] but continues to have science and languages as specialisms.

[11] In 1981 it was named by The Sunday Times as the most successful state school as measured by Oxbridge open awards.

In 1998, it was rated by the Financial Times as the most successful state school at GCE advanced level in the period 1993-1998.

[13] In 1907, headmaster Frank Rogers set up the system of "Houses"[14] – Holland, named for the translator Philemon Holland; Mildmay, for the courtier and politician Sir Walter Mildmay; Strutt, for the antiquary Joseph Strutt; and Tindal, for the lawyer Sir Nicholas Conyngham Tindal, and dividing the school into four forms in each year.

It carries the drums of the 5th Battalion (Territorial Army)[15] emblazoned with the Regiment's battle honours.

A notable success is of a student winning a gold medal in the International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) in 2022.

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