The complex history of SMPN 3 Surakarta cannot be separated from the existence of SMPN 10 and
SMPN 5 Surakarta. All of them used to belong to Mangkunegaran. On July 1,1927 this school was inaugurated as a Girls High School named Van Deventer School by Gusti Kanjeng Ratu Timur together with Mangkunegara VII, along with HIS Siswa which later became SMPN 3.Mangkunegara VII had a vision to educate the nation so he built many schools, especially elementary schools. His close relationship with Mr. Conrad Theodor van Deventer, encouraged him to name the Girls' High School (12-15 years old) Van Deventer School.

This school taught female skills, such as cooking, sewing, ironing, embroidery and batik. Her uncle, Mangkunegara VI, was a pioneer of modern elementary education, named Siswarini. Based on the Government Decree No. 1254/B/50 in 1950, the former Sekolah Menengah Putri was designated as the place of teaching and learning activities of SMPN 3 and SMPN 10 Surakarta.