It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada.

In 1962, the Scarborough Board of Education acquired the 14.2-acre site for Guildwood Secondary School at a cost of $303,751.00.

The building was designed by architects Hugh L. Allward and George P. Gouinlock with Bennett and Pratt its contractors.

The population is diverse, with about 40% speaking a primary language other than English and 15% having lived in Canada for less than 5 years.

The internationally respected International Baccalaureate Programme is offered to students in their Grade 11 and 12 years, in rough alignment with regular Ontario high school credits allowing students to obtain both an IB Diploma and an OSSD.