The school was established in 1877. In 1896 Plymouth College bought Mannamead School (founded in 1854), and was temporarily known as Plymouth and Mannamead College.[1]
In 1976, the first girls were admitted to the school's sixth form. Plymouth College became fully coeducational in 1995. In 2004, the school absorbed St Dunstan's Abbey School, an independent school for girls founded by Lydia Sellon.[2]
The swimming programme has a partnership with the Plymouth Leander Swimming Club.[4][5] At the 2012 Olympic Games, RÅ«ta MeilutytÄ— won the gold medal in the 100m breaststroke for Lithuania.[6]
In 2019, the under-14 girls hockey team won the national tier 2 championships[7]. Other sports activities in this school include Whitewater rafting, Sea kayaking, Sailing, Mountain biking, and Scuba diving.[8]