Hockerill enjoys a rich and varied heritage. Originally established in the early 1850s, it was a teacher training college until 1978. It re-opened in 1980 as a co-educational boarding school until 1994 when it became grant maintained Hockerill Anglo-European School.

1998 proved to be a defining year, as the school underwent a dramatic transformation into Hockerill Anglo-European College. In the process it: 

• became one of the country’s first specialist language colleges;

• offered a sixth form provision for the first time;

• chose the International Baccalaureate Diploma programme as the only course of sixth form study