The school was named after the Lowestoft-born composer Benjamin Britten and was designed as he approached his death in 1974.

Its modernist design reflected the style of his compositions and remains distinctive in its layout and intended black and white colour scheme.

[2] Peter Aldous, MP for Waveney, opened the school's Centre for Excellence in Mathematics on 5 July 2016.

The Britten Theatre forms the centre piece of the music academy's work in the performing arts.

On 1 May 2016 the Benjamin Britten Music Academy and Centre of Excellence in mathematics became part of the Hartismere Family.