In the year 2000, Kongsbakken videregående skole had approximately 650 pupils, with about as many boys as girls.

Since 1930, the students of the schools have made the annual Bragerevyen in their Christmas brakes, a revue premièring on 1 January.

The institution dates back to 1833 when Tromsø Middel- og Realskole opened, with two teachers and eighteen male students aged 12 to 16.

At the time, the premises were three classrooms in a house that stood where Frederik Langes gate 14 is today.

The two year educational programme comprised the subjects writing, mathematics, Norwegian, history, geography, religion, Latin, Greek, German and English (optional).