The school has been consistently recognised as one of the top twenty state schools in England,[2] became a Specialist Language College in 2002, and was later awarded the status of a Specialist Science College.

The Hugh Clopton School for Girls was given a Grammar Stream as the result of the 1944 Education Act.

The first and second intakes took the External School Certificate and after that when O and A Levels came into force, these were taken as a matter of course.

The original school was centred on the historic Shottery Manor, parts of which date from the 14th century.

Three additional buildings were added before the school opened, in what were originally the Manor orchards and flower gardens.