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School Name

Cottesmore School

Category

UK Prep Schools

Types

Prep school

Pupil type

Co-ed

Boarding-Day

Boarding

Day

Curriculums

UK Curriculum

Pupil age range

4-13

Location

West Sussex

Cottesmore School

Focus 

Strong academic tradition

Day fees 2024/25 

$15,100–$31,700 (incl. VAT)

Boarding fees 2024/25 

$46,600 (incl. VAT)

Pupils

181

Ages

4–13

Spear’s Review

Describing itself as ‘a close, caring and very busy community’, Cottesmore School offers ‘traditional values in a modern world’ and has always been a family school: current head Tom Rogerson is the third member of his family to take the role. 

Located in the heart of the Sussex countryside, the school’s main building was purpose-built as a boarding school in 1896; it became fully coeducational in 1974, one of the first in the country.

Academic results are excellent, and students are encouraged to find the confidence to excel in academic and extracurricular pursuits. Cottesmore has an extensive sports offering, with pupils competing at the local, county and national level, as well as a strong tradition of supporting music, drama and the arts.

Senior school destinations 

Popular leavers’ destinations include Eton, Winchester, Benenden, Radley, Harrow and Downe House.

Head teacher

Tom Rogerson has been working in the independent school sector for more than 30 years and is in his 17th year of headship at Cottesmore School. He was educated at Eton and Cambridge.

Admissions

According to the school: prospective students will be asked to submit a registration form; a maths and English test may be given depending on the depth of information given by the child’s current school; and applicants will attend an interview with the registrar and headmaster.

Accessibility 

Heathrow Airport: 50 minutes / London Gatwick Airport: 15 minutes

Location

Click for more information about the research process and expert insight behind the Spear’s Schools Index.

Rank: Top 100

Top 100 2025, UK Prep Schools

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