[1] The school was principally established to offer a deeper study of the principles of ship design than had traditionally been retained through the apprenticeship model.

To this end, students were taught mathematics, science, drawing, history, geography and literature.

Of the first School's closure, Reverend Joseph Woolley observed "that establishment produced men of accomplished skill and power in the application of sound theoretical principals to their professional work; but because they were treated with suspicion and dislike by the uneducated members of the profession, who unfortunately had too much influence at head quarters: the old cry of want of experience was raised against them, and the value of their services, were for many years--the best years of their lives--lost to the country.

It was founded by Woolley, who had been Principal of the short-lived School of Mathematics and Naval Construction in Portsmouth (1848–1853).

This United Kingdom school or sixth form college related article is a stub.