Beyond the gates of this Grade II* listed Queen Anne mansion, peacocks strut across striped lawns while sheep graze at the edge of rugby pitches. Cokethorpe occupies 150 acres of West Oxfordshire parkland, offering an all-through education from Reception to Sixth Form in a setting that makes visitors pause and draw breath. Founded in 1957 by Dr Francis Brown, the school has evolved from a boys' boarding establishment into a co-educational day school serving approximately 585 pupils. The 2025 ISI inspection awarded Excellent for Educational Quality, recognising both academic achievement and the school's success in developing well-rounded individuals. This is a school that celebrates breadth over narrow specialisation, where the academically gifted and the developing learner can find their place within the same community.
The Cotswold stone Queen Anne building at the heart of the estate has witnessed centuries of history. The property dates to the tenth century, with Queen Anne herself visiting in 1713 and donating the impressive panelling that still graces the Corinthian Room. Today, Reception through Year 6 occupy classrooms arranged over three floors of the mansion house, while senior pupils learn in purpose-built blocks arranged around courtyards that echo Oxford college quads.
Dr Sarah Squire became Head in September 2025, the school's first female Head and its eighth overall. Previously pastoral director and vice principal at d'Overbroeck's, she brings a background in psychology and a post-doctoral research pedigree from the University of Oxford. The Prep School operates under Nicky Black, who arrived in 2018 from Dulwich College Kindergarten and Infants' School.
The atmosphere combines traditional elements with a relaxed, family feel. The joint Church of England and Roman Catholic foundation reflects the school's boarding school origins when both persuasions needed accommodation. Chapel services are held every few weeks rather than daily, and the stained-glass chapel is described as being a brief walk from the main buildings. This is not an aggressively religious environment, but one where faith provides a quiet foundation.
Uniform reflects the school's character: kilts for girls in the senior school, grey pinstripe trousers for younger pupils, and tartan trews in the newly designed junior uniform. Sixth formers wear business attire rather than school uniform.
At GCSE, 52% of grades reached 9-7 in the most recent cohort. This places Cokethorpe 397th in England for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), positioning the school in the top 10% in England, and 1st among schools in Witney. Most pupils take ten GCSEs, following a curriculum that includes Latin from Years 5 and 6, which can now be continued through to A-level.
A-level results present a more varied picture. In 2024, 48% of grades reached A*-B, with 19% at A*/A. The school ranks 1,216th in England for A-level outcomes (FindMySchool ranking), placing it within the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile). Mathematics typically proves the most popular A-level choice, followed by psychology, economics, physics, and geography.
The school offers around 26 A-level subjects alongside an EPQ programme that most sixth formers complete. Business BTEC offers an alternative for pupils for whom A‑levels aren’t the right fit. Computer science is notably absent from both GCSE and A-level offerings.
The gap between strong GCSE results and more modest A-level outcomes reflects the school's philosophy of inclusive education rather than academic selection. Pupils who might transfer elsewhere after Year 11 often stay, attracted by the community and co-curricular opportunities.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
A-Level A*-B
47.8%
% of students achieving grades A*-B
GCSE 9–7
52%
% of students achieving grades 9-7
Class sizes average six pupils per teacher across the school, enabling genuine individualisation. In the Prep School, mixed ability classes operate with setting for mathematics and spelling from Year 3. In juniors, termly topics link multiple disciplines, and the Cokethorpe Characters programme introduces learning values via memorable figures — Creative Chameleon, Caring Camel, the Go‑For‑It Gorilla, and others.
Reading receives particular emphasis. A reading specialist runs Accelerated Reader, using the computer-based system to track practice and progress up to Year 8. The stylish glass and metal library houses a sixth form study area below its shelves, with Years 7-9 enjoying weekly library lessons upstairs.
Specialist teaching in French and music begins from Reception, with tasters of German, Spanish, and whatever other languages staff can offer woven into the junior years. The school has embraced digital learning, holding Microsoft Showcase School status with smart screens and Surface devices deployed throughout classrooms.
The approach to learning support deserves particular mention. Around 17% of pupils receive SEN support, with the department offering one-to-one sessions aimed at building independence rather than permanent reliance. Learning support carries no stigma here. Pupils speak of it as entirely normal, with most having visited at some point. Support fees of £1,110 per term for seniors and £864 for Prep pupils apply where specialist assistance is required.
Movement between the Prep and Senior Schools is almost universal. Parents receive advance notice in Year 5 if their child might not suit the senior school, but such conversations are rare. Around 50% of Year 7 places go to internal candidates.
University destinations reflect the academically broad intake. According to DfE data for the 2023/24 cohort, 52% of leavers progressed to university, with 25% entering employment and 4% continuing to further education.
The school reports that approximately 50% of university-bound leavers secure Russell Group places. Exeter, Southampton, York, Leeds, Loughborough, and the Royal Agricultural University feature among popular recent destinations. Oxbridge remains rare; three students applied to Cambridge in the measurement period, with one securing a place. The school has not sent students to Oxford in recent years.
The destinations list demonstrates genuine breadth: Business Management at UWE Bristol sits alongside Economics at Durham, Agricultural Business Management at the Royal Agricultural University, and Physics at Birmingham. One medic joined the 2025 cohort. All destinations are celebrated regardless of perceived prestige, reflecting a culture that values individual pathways over collective status markers.
The school runs a Higher Education and Careers Fair biennially, attracting leading universities and employers. Each sixth former receives a supervisor for extension work beyond the A-level syllabus, with one-to-one tutorials supporting reading, research, and mature debate.
Total Offers
1
Offer Success Rate: 33.3%
Cambridge
1
Offers
Oxford
—
Offers
Entry points exist at Reception, Year 3, Year 7, Year 9, and Sixth Form, with places occasionally available in other years.
Reception admits a small class of around 9-12 pupils on a first-come, first-served basis. No formal assessment is required; families attend Welcome to Reception events in the summer term before entry. The registration deadline falls in May.
Half-termly Taster Days include assessments in mathematics and English, with a school reference required. Year 5 applicants whose first language isn’t English also sit the Cambridge English exam.
Up to 60 places are available, with approximately half taken by internal candidates. All pupils sit online entrance assessments in January covering mathematics, English, and reasoning skills, followed by interviews and practical components. External joiners come from 20+ feeder primaries and preps, including St Hugh’s, The Manor and Chandlings, plus Dragon, Pinewood and Hatherop Castle.
Key dates for 2026 entry: Parent Information Evening on 27 November 2025; Assessment Day on 31 January 2026; Registration deadline 30 November 2025.
A similar process applies, with candidates able to sit January assessments up to two years before intended entry. Common Entrance is welcomed but not mandatory.
Around 20 places are available annually. Sixth form entry requirements include an average of at least 5.5 across the best eight GCSEs, and grade 6+ in any subjects you want to take at A‑level. BTEC candidates need an average of 5. Experience Days take place on 28 November 2025 and 6 March 2026.
Registration costs £120 (non-refundable), with a £500 acceptance deposit refunded against final term fees.
The house system provides the primary pastoral structure, with Housemasters and tutors supporting each pupil's journey. The family atmosphere emerges repeatedly in descriptions of school life. Older pupils look out for younger ones; sixth formers greet Year 7s encountered in supermarkets.
Behaviour expectations are clear without being oppressive. The mobile phone policy requires First to Fourth Form pupils to surrender phones at morning registration, collecting them at day's end. Fifth and Sixth Formers may use phones only for educational purposes when directed by teachers. The school has not excluded pupils for drugs in recent years, though occasional sniffer dog visits provide what staff describe as an excuse for pupils to say no to external pressures.
The school manages its dual Church of England and Roman Catholic foundation with a light touch. Chapel provides reflection rather than proselytising; the religious character influences values without dominating daily experience.
Co-curricular provision represents one of Cokethorpe's defining features. The Director of Co-curricular oversees some 160 AOBs (Any Other Business activities), most scheduled during the 95-minute lunch break or dedicated lesson slots. Years 7-11 must participate in at least two activities weekly; some manage six. The range spans the conventional to the quirky: VetMed for aspiring medics and vets, rugby place kicking, badminton, filmmaking, knitting.
The Prep School runs 35 clubs and societies, building habits of participation from Reception onwards.
Three senior productions run annually, with a musical involving all years and termly Prep productions. The Shed, a black box theatre converted from an old lawnmower store, seats 200 and features recently upgraded lighting and sound. A drama workshop space, full-time wardrobe mistress, and 3,500 costume collection support ambitious productions. Recent shows include Little Shop of Horrors. LAMDA examinations are popular, with drama GCSE and A-level results described as outstanding.
Over 40% of pupils learn instruments, with all Year 7 students participating in the Music for All scheme. Four choirs, orchestras, wind band, string, brass and wind ensembles, and three jazz ensembles provide performance opportunities. Years 4-5 receive free weekly individual tuition on an instrument of their choice, with the school covering instrument hire for half the year. Stage musicals run annually, while pupils form their own bands and ensembles. Recording takes place in professional studios.
Despite the opportunities, music outcomes at GCSE and A‑level are strong but not positioned as conservatoire-track. This is not the school for pupils aiming at the Royal College by 18.
Sport emphasises participation over domination, with four to six hours weekly continuing through Sixth Form. The Changing Pavilion, completed in 2022, opens directly onto six rugby pitches and two astroturf pitches. Principal sports follow seasonal patterns: rugby and hockey in winter, football and netball in spring, cricket, tennis, and rounders in summer. Kayaking and clay pigeon shooting run year-round.
Facilities include a sports hall, fitness centre, shooting ranges, a six-hole golf course, and a climbing tower upgraded in 2024. The boathouse, opened in 2023 with an outdoor education classroom, provides River Thames access for kayaking and sailing. Swimming remains the notable gap; there is no pool on site.
The Elite Athlete Programme operates through partnership with Oxford University. Outdoor education runs from Bushcraft in Reception through to Marathon Kayak racing in Sixth Form.
Science laboratories underwent full reconfiguration in summer 2025. The school holds Microsoft Showcase School status, with technology integrated throughout. The absence of computer science at GCSE or A-level represents a curious gap given this digital investment.
Fees for 2025-26 include VAT and lunch:
Annual day fees therefore range from approximately £18,123 for Reception to £28,698 for Sixth Form. This positions Cokethorpe around £4,000 per term below Oxford's leading co-educational independents, a significant consideration for families weighing their options.
13% of pupils currently receive means-tested fee reductions. The school favours fewer substantial bursaries over many small reductions. Families earning under £25,000 may receive full fee remission; those exceeding £100,000 are typically ineligible. Applications close by 31 December prior to entry.
academic scholarships at 11+ and at 13++ carry modest honorific value of £300 annually but can combine with means-tested bursaries, creating substantial packages for academically talented pupils from modest backgrounds. Scholarships are also available in sport, DT, drama, art and music.
Sixth Form Leadership Grants offer an innovative retention mechanism. Pupils accumulate points for achievements across academics, sport, Duke of Edinburgh, music theory, and other areas, potentially reducing sixth form fees by up to 20%.
Technology device charges apply from Year 6: £120 per term in Prep, £165.60 in Senior School. Music tuition runs at £22 per 25-minute lesson. Learning support fees apply where needed. Public examination fees add £500-700 for GCSE candidates and £450-650 for A-level. Transport on the school's coach network covering routes to Swindon, Oxford, Brize Norton, and Didcot costs £525-680 per term.
*Bursaries may be available for eligible families.
Basis: per term
School hours run approximately 8:30am to 4:00pm. Coach transport runs on more than 20 routes, reaching places such as Swindon, Oxford, Brize Norton and Didcot.
The Sixth Form Centre, completed in 2009, serves as academic, administrative, and social hub for older students. The Grove, a dedicated coffee shop for sixth formers and staff, provides free drinks and snacks.
Term dates follow a traditional three-term pattern. The school operates Cokethorpe Enterprises for venue hire, making use of the exceptional grounds for events and functions.
Not a pressure cooker. Families seeking intense academic competition will find the atmosphere too relaxed. The school celebrates all outcomes equally; those wanting a Russell Group-or-bust culture should look elsewhere.
No swimming pool. The school acknowledges this limitation cheerfully. It’s a school that takes muddy shoes in its stride: families who dislike that tend not to choose it, while those who do simply accept it. Competitive swimmers will need to look elsewhere.
Rural isolation. The 150 acres of parkland mean a setting of exceptional beauty but also genuine remoteness. This is not a school for quick public transport connections.
Modest A-level results. GCSE performance sits in the top 10% in England; A-level results fall to the middle 35%. Pupils who stay for Sixth Form do so for the community and opportunities rather than to maximise grade predictions.
Co-educational throughout. The school's culture differs markedly from single-sex alternatives. Families must judge whether this environment suits their child.
Cokethorpe delivers what it promises: a balanced education in an exceptional setting, where pupils can discover interests rather than chase rankings. The ISI's Excellent rating for Educational Quality confirms what families experience, namely a school that knows its pupils individually and celebrates diverse achievements. Florence Pugh, Martin Edwards, and a string of successful alumni demonstrate that pathways from here lead in many directions.
Best suited to families seeking an all-through day school combining traditional values with genuine breadth. Children who play it safe will find encouragement to try new things; those who thrive on intense academic competition may find the culture too gentle. The main consideration is whether the school's celebration of breadth over specialisation aligns with family expectations.
Yes. The 2025 ISI inspection awarded Excellent for Educational Quality. GCSE results place the school in the top 10% in England, with 52% of grades reaching 9-7. The school ranks 1st in Witney for GCSE outcomes. A-level results are more modest, reflecting the inclusive intake policy, but university destinations include approximately 50% Russell Group placements.
Fees for 2025-26 range from £6,041 per term for Reception to £9,566 per term for Third Form through Sixth Form. Annual costs therefore span approximately £18,123 to £28,698. Fees include VAT and lunch. 13% of pupils receive means-tested bursaries, with full fee remission possible for families earning under £25,000.
Register online with a £120 fee. Reception admits on a first-come basis without assessment. Year 7 candidates sit online assessments in January covering mathematics, English, and reasoning, followed by interviews. Year 9 entry follows a similar process, with assessments available up to two years before intended entry. Sixth Form requires minimum GCSE averages of 5.5 with grade 6 in intended A-level subjects.
As an independent school, Cokethorpe has no formal catchment. Pupils arrive from across West Oxfordshire and beyond, transported by a coach network covering routes to Swindon, Oxford, Brize Norton, and Didcot. Boarding ended in 2003, making this exclusively a day school.
Approximately 50% of university-bound leavers secure Russell Group places. Popular destinations include Exeter, Southampton, York, Leeds, Loughborough, Durham, and Bristol. The Royal Agricultural University attracts agricultural and land management students. Oxbridge admissions are rare; one Cambridge place was secured in the most recent measurement period. The school celebrates all destinations equally.
Yes. academic scholarships at 11+ and at 13++ carry £300 annual value but combine with means-tested bursaries for substantial support. Scholarships are also available in sport, DT, drama, art and music. Bursary applications close 31 December; families earning under £25,000 may receive full fee remission. Sixth Form Leadership Grants can reduce fees by up to 20% based on accumulated achievements.
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