The school was founded in 1976, and named after Nobel Prize winning scientist Sir William Ramsay, who lived in Hazlemere until his death in 1916.

It was awarded specialist school status as a Visual Arts College by the Department for Education and Skills in September 2000.

Pupils were held in classrooms and the school was placed on lockdown while a police helicopter and canine team searched the surrounding area.

[7] In 2017 a new complex housing science labs, maths rooms, and a sixth form centre was opened by alumna and British singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock.

[8] In June 2022, Sir William Ramsay School underwent a full Ofsted inspection, where it was rated 'Inadequate', following a monitoring visit in 2021.