When the Latin school in Køge closed in 1776, it was a great loss of prestige for the town, and aspiring students now had to go to Roskilde, Næstved or Copenhagen to study.

[1] In 1826, Thomas Tøxen, a wealthy merchant with no children, made a donation of 15,000 Danish rigsdaler for the establishment of a "higher school" in Køge.

5–7) in 1783 and had previously made large donations to the church and indigent citizens.

He outlived his wife and lived the last years of his life at Køge Torv 22 up to his death.

A site between the town's North Gate and Norske Løve was chosen, and the school was inaugurated on 2 February 1859.