Buchan Hill, Pease Pottage, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 9AU
10 reasons to choose Cottesmore School
Main point of differentiation
Cottesmore School has a Schoolsmith Score® of 86, and is a Crawley and East Grinstead prep school that ranks among the top 100 in the country. It has a traditional curriculum with a broad sports, arts and extra-curricular programme. (read the area review here)
School fundamentals
Cottesmore School is an independent prep day and boarding school for boys and girls (60%/40%) between the ages of 4 and 13 years. Boarding from Year 3 for the 60% of pupils who board. All are full boarders. It is a Church of England school, open to all faiths and none. The school has a non-selective admissions policy. It is a standalone prep school, not tied to any one senior school. Cottesmore School fees range from £4,748 (Rec) to £8,889 per term (2025/26). Full boarding fees are £12,999 per term. Fees include VAT but exclude lunches.
Average class size
Cottesmore School has one class per year to Year 3, two from Year 4, and an average class size of 15 pupils.
Leavers' destinations
Destinations for Year 8 Cottesmore School leavers are one of 30 independent day and boarding schools, characterised as the traditional ‘Public Schools’. Some are in Sussex, but most beyond. Charterhouse, St Edward’s Oxford, Harrow, Benenden, Stowe, Eton, Lancing and Marlborough are the most popular, accounting for 50% of leavers, on average.
The Cottesmore School curriculum
School curriculum is based on the National Curriculum and the ISEB Common Entrance curriculum with some additions and variations. It also includes PSCHE, chess, French, Latin. Each pupil may participate in over 10 different extra-curricular academic activities or hobby clubs.
More on the curriculum
There are regular educational trips for all year groups, visiting speakers and residential trips from Year 7.
Specialist teaching
Specialist teachers for sport, music and languages throughout, and for most subjects from Year 5.
Sport at Cottesmore School
School is one of the 50 prep schools with the most extensive sports offers in the UK. Representative teams in major sports from Year 3. In recent years the school has enjoyed national success in equestrian events.
The Arts at Cottesmore School
Art and music are taught as discrete curricular subjects to all pupils. Drama is part of the co-curriculum and central to the annual ‘Arts Week’. All pupils learn an instrument in class and 80% take extra-curricular instrument lessons from Year 3. Three choirs, orchestra and several instrument ensembles. The school is one of the top 50 UK prep schools for the breadth of its creative and performing arts extra-curriculum.
Wraparound care
Wraparound care from 8.00am to 6.00pm.
Find another school near Cottesmore School
Handcross Park Preparatory School (2.9 miles); Copthorne Preparatory School (7.5 miles); Farlington School, Lower & Middle (9.7 miles).
St Mary’s Church of England Primary School (5.3 miles); St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Haywards Heath (9.5 miles); St John’s Primary School (10 miles).
Worth School (5.4 miles); Farlington School (9.7 miles); Ardingly College (9.8 miles).
Hazelwick School (3.7 miles); Millais School (6.2 miles); Tanbridge House School (7.6 miles).