Private School News

COTTESMORE School is top of its class after inspection

COTTESMORE School in Pease Pottage, near Horsham, is top of its class after being rated as ‘outstanding’ for the second time in 11 months.

Gaining top marks at an Ofsted inspection, which took place on January 19 and 20, was a particularly sweet reward for new headmaster Tom Rogerson for whom running the school is a family tradition.

When Tom took over the IAPS day and boarding prep school with his wife Lottie in September last year, he was following in the footsteps of his father Mark, who was also headmaster as was his grandfather before that.

Tom said: “Lottie and I are so thrilled with this major endorsement from the school inspectors Ofsted. In our ISI inspection in February 2008 we were graded outstanding, but that inspection was outside our tenure, whereas this is especially great because it endorses what we are doing now.”

The couple’s consummate commitment to the school came to fruition in a ‘very positive and relaxing inspection’ at which the visiting team of inspectors judged the school to be outstanding overall and outstanding in almost every category including important areas such as health, food, boarders’ welfare and risk assessment.

Inspectors eulogized the school food, describing the chef as ‘excellent’; called the sick bay ‘a warm and friendly environment in which to recuperate’; and praised the ‘nurturing and supportive processes in place’ in the boarding facilities, where each child is treated as an individual.

The good community spirit amongst the children and very good relationships between children and staff were also lauded by inspectors.

Cottesmore, one of the UK’s leading IAPS day, weekly and full boarding preps, has been preparing 7-13-year-old children for the major public schools since its establishment in 1894.

Tom, who has high hopes for the future, added: “What is exciting is that the overall judgment of ‘outstanding’ validates us as the new team and has given us an extra boost of confidence to take the school to new levels.”

To visit Cottesmore at Buchan Hill, Pease Pottage, West Sussex, call
01293 520648, e-mail schooloffice@cottesmoreschool.com or visit www.cottesmoreschool.com