[11] The school opened as St Paul's Road School in 1873, the building being on the junction of Bow Common Lane and the then St Paul's Road; Bow Common Lane in 1900 became the border of the Poplar and Stepney Borough Councils.

The merger with the Millwall Central School meant that there were no secondary schools left on the Isle of Dogs, at a time when the Island population was increasing as a result of the building of the Samuda and St Johns Estates in Cubitt Town and the Barkantine Estate in Millwall.

Arthur J. Davenport became the new Headmaster in September 1970, having previously been Deputy at the nearby Stepney Green Boys School.

[citation needed] The East London Advertiser remarked in 1980 on the number of pupils for whom English was a second language, around one in ten.

A major HMI report in 1984/5 rated the school's social relationship with its community as "Excellent".

[14] Vivien Cutler was appointed Headteacher in 1988 and made it a priority to improve security as pupils felt unsafe.

[15] Incidents of violence, other anti-social behavior, and gang culture at the school were reported again in 2006 when parents of pupils from the closing Homerton College of Technology in Hackney opposed transfers to St Paul's Way.

[12][20] The works are within a wider "St Paul's Way Transformation Project", chaired by Lord Andrew Mawson.

[21] The school took the opportunity to commission a large artwork on the hoarding,[21][22] commissioned by Bow Arts and incorporating art by the pupils and professional artist Emily Allchurch— was described as a "crucial" touch by Sir Bob Kerslake of the Homes and Communities Agency.

[23] In 2008 the school caused controversy for firing a teacher, Adrian Swain, for wearing trainers and tracksuits in class, as these were not permitted items of clothing for students.

[32] In January 2014 the school published its intention to also educate primary-age pupils, beginning with a reception class in September 2014.