It lies on the former site of Old Hall School, at the corner of High Street and Little Common Lane in Kimberworth. The name of the new school was chosen by pupils and is derived from the “Winter Hills”, a range of hills that lie directly behind the school. These "Winter Hills" were the spoil heaps from the coal-mining operations in the area and were effectively removed by landscaping in 1976. The school retains Old Hall's motto, 'Other People Matter'. In September 2017, the City Learning Centre @ Winterhill has been combined with the school and now contains the visitor entrance. It has been renamed "The Network."
The school employs around 150 staff and has an enrolment of 1,200 pupils (despite having the capacity for almost 1,600) and accommodates children from Years 7–11. There is no sixth form, but many leaving pupils go on to complete further education in other institutions, such as Thomas Rotherham College and Rotherham College of Arts and Technology.