The school was mentioned for the first time 1390 as an (origin) Grammar school. The school was named after Gerhard Halepaghe (* about 1430 in Buxtehude; † April 1484 in Buxtehude), a famous graduate from Buxtehude.
The Halepaghen-Schule was the first school in Germany, which established a new sixth form system. Instead a class system (Obersekunda, Unterprima, Oberprima), the HPS established a course system.