Tatler UK - 10.2019

94 Tatler Schools Guide 2020 tatler.com

PREP

SOUTH EAST

94

CHRIST CHURCH

CATHEDRAL

SCHOOL 

Brewer Street, Oxford OX1 1QW

Website cccs.org.uk Head Richard

Murray Pupils 144 boys, day and

boarding (and four girls in nursery)

Ages 3–13 Term Fees Day: £5,710;

boarding (choristers only): £3,600

The choir is at the heart of CCCS,

a civilised and civilising environ-

ment in which choristers are the

school celebrities and there are

more instrumental lessons per

week than there are pupils. The

boys are charming and chatty,

unselfconsciously pursuing their

own interests in a unique setting.

The buildings are fabulously old-

fashioned with higgledy-piggledy

classrooms and history permeates

the school, seen in various quirky

traditions. Parents and grand-

parents feel like genuine stake-

holders (one boy’s granny tends

the garden) and are keen to dispel

the idea that CCCS is merely

for musical prodigies. Music is

foremost but academia is close

behind. For example, pupils are

taught in sets of 10 or less for

English and Maths from Year 5.

COTHILL HOUSE 

Cothill, Oxfordshire OX13 6LJ

Website cothill.net Head Duncan

Bailey Pupils 205 boarding boys

Ages 8–13 Term Fees £9,930

A seasoned researcher forgave

Head Duncan Bailey for being a

little late as he was on important

educational business: competing

in the school table tennis tourna-

ment. No wonder the strong par-

ent community treasure him as

‘the most enthusiastic and ener-

gised headmaster ever’. Indeed, it

is evident that the entire school is

enthused by his vivacity. Parents

rely on his intrinsic knowledge of

the senior schools when choosing

where to send their boys, with an

annual cohort moving on to

Eton, Harrow and Radley. A sense

of fun is pervasive with boys

recreating the Dambusters; and a

Head of Science who was a mem-

ber of the magic circle and whose

speciality is escapology.

COTTESMORE

SCHOOL 

Buchan Hill, Pease Pottage,

West Sussex RH11 9AU

Website cottesmoreschool.com

Head Tom Rogerson Pupils 175

boarding: 90 boys, 85 girls

Faith C of E Ages 4–13 Term

Fees £9,550

Parents feel incredibly lucky to

watch their children flourish at

Cottesmore, which, with five ap-

plicants per place, is booming

and has just won a rather dizzying

array of awards. Despite being

academically selective, with most

boys heading to Winchester, Eton

and Harrow and girls to the likes

of Marlborough and Wellington,

there is an undeniably cosy family

feel to the school, whose main

building is a magical, sprawling

19th-century house with roaring

fires, dogs, landscaped grounds

and even a rowing lake. Every

Cottesmorian boards full-time

and the atmosphere is brilliant –

pupils genuinely love their Head

Tom Rogerson: ‘He makes sure

you are happy on a day-to-day

basis.’ The facilities are outstand-

ing, well-being is taken extremely

seriously and the extra-curriculars

on offer are dazzling.

CRANLEIGH PREP

SCHOOL 

Horseshoe Lane, Cranleigh,

Surrey GU6 9QH

Website cranprep.org Head Neil

Brooks Pupils 338 day and

boarding: 192 boys, 146 girls Faith

C of E Ages 7–13 Term Fees Day:

£6,946; boarding: £8,388

Neil Brooks arrived as Head in

September 2018 and his ideals are

now beginning to show as he

makes small but significant changes.

The school is known for its sport-

ing prowess, but he is keen to place

increasing emphasis on drama and

music to provide a more all-round

experience for the 338 pupils. Visi-

tors are particularly impressed by

the children’s impeccable manners

and happy faces – one pupil

summed up the supportive ethos:

‘They accept me for who I am and

don’t expect me to be someone

different.’ Scholarships are nota-

ble, with 40 being awarded in

2018. Although plenty of students
      head to Cranleigh Senior, there are
      no automatic places. Head Neil
      Brooks is a strong supporter of
      finding absolutely the right school
      for each child to move on to.

CUMNOR HOUSE

SCHOOL 

Danehill, Haywards Heath,

West Sussex RH17 7HT

Website cumnor.co.uk Head

Christian Heinrich Pupils 370 day

and boarding: 192 boys, 178 girls

Faith C of E Ages 2–13 Term Fees

Day: £6,635; boarding: £7,900

The inaugural 10-year reunion for

the Class of 2008 saw a 100 per

cent turnout – testament to how

much pupils enjoy their school-

days here. Head Christian Heinrich,

who has been at the helm for 18

years (and precedes new Head

Fergus Llewellyn, who will take

the reins in July 2020), sums up

his school as one ‘in which every

decision taken has to be justified

through its impact on the chil-

dren’. Parents agree that Cumnor

is constantly striving to be better

while maintaining the emphasis

on enjoying one’s childhood. This

year, Saturday school for Years 4–8

Christ Church Cathedral School’s

buildings are fabulously higgledy-piggledy

and history permeates the place

ELSTREE SCHOOL

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