 The school was named after Gerhard Halepaghe (born about 1430 in Buxtehude; died April 1484 in Buxtehude), a famous graduate from Buxtehude.The Halepaghen School was the first school in Germany to establish a new sixth form system.Instead of a class system (Obersekunda, Unterprima, Oberprima), the HPS established a course system.