Famous alumni include among others composer Witold Lutosławski and poet and Home Army soldier Krzysztof Kamil Baczyński, killed during the Warsaw Uprising.

Enhanced education in mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, humanities (languages and history) and geography is provided.

[2] The school's history starts with the founding of the Stefan Batory Gymnasium (now called Lyceum) on 1 September 1918 with Zdzisław Rudzki as its first headmaster.

Construction of the current premises, the work of the eminent architect and urbanist Prof. Tadeusz Tołwiński, started in 1922 and was completed in September 1924.

The school was equipped with exceptionally modern learning facilities and science labs, an astronomical observatory (now closed), an underground swimming pool, and botanical garden.