Founded in 1902 by the brother of the then Head of Winchester College, Copthorne Prep began its life as a small boys’ prep school feeding into Winchester College. Now a thriving co-ed prep school feeding a range of senior schools, its original motto ‘Pervincet Vivida Virtus’ (Lively manliness conquers all) is no longer relevant, although lively minds remain a feature of Copthorne today.
Amongst the alumni known to have been at Copthorne are:
- Robert Graves, Poet, novelist, author of ‘I, Claudius’ and ‘Goodbye to all that’.
- Charles Graves, his brother, also an author
- Derek Alan Trevithick Tangye, author of ‘The Minack Chronicles’.
- Charles Phipps Brutton, Hampshire cricketer.
- Holcombe Douglas ‘Hopper’ Read, Essex and England cricketer.
- Dennis Price, actor
- Frederick Raphael, author
- Sir John Stanley, MP for Tonbridge and Malling
- Crispian Steele-Perkins, trumpeter
- Rory Knight-Bruce, Author, journalist
- Francis Wheen, journalist
- Stuart Head, Great Britain and England hockey international
- Sarah Kennedy, TV presenter (matron at the school for a time)
- Ed Sanders, actor (Sweeney Todd)
Read more about our history
1897 – Emsworth House, the building now known as Copthorne Prep School, became a temporary home for Twyford School whilst their own buildings were reconstructed
1902 – Copthorne Prep founded by Mr Bernard H Rendall (brother of the then Head of Winchester) as a boys’ school and feeder school for Winchester. There were just 9 boys initially.
1910 – Part of the original building (initially used as an observatory, complete with tower) was converted into a Chapel, dedicated by the Bishop of Lewes.
1911 – The first edition of the Copthorne School Chronicle was published
1913 – the sad news of the tragedy in the Antarctic touched many at the school as Dr Edward Wilson, Mr Bernard Rendall’s brother-in-law, had made the school his headquarters for a short time after the ‘Discovery’ Expedition. The stained-glass window funded in his honour remains a fitting tribute.
1919 – The chapel tower was raised to install a clock and chimes ‘to look out over the school for the generations to come’ in honour of the twenty old boys and masters lost in WWI. A bronze plate positioned on the south side of the chapel listed the fallen.
1920 – The rifle range was installed
1924 – 6 piano practice rooms and a music lesson room were constructed.
1928 – Mr Ernest Skeete Workman took over the running of the school in partnership with Mr John Philip Howard.
1937 – The founder Mr Bernard H Rendall died at the age of 71.
1939 – The Rendall Memorial Library was opened.
WWII – the school was evacuated to the Lee Bay Hotel in Ilfracombe, returning in March 1945. The school building was requisitioned for use by the army.
1949 – Mr Pinney, an old boy of the school replaces Mr Howard.
1952 – Mr P J H Workman (Tim) took over as headmaster on his father’s death; at the age of just 25 he was at the time the youngest headmaster in the IAPS.
1956 – A rival to the Copthorne Chronicle appeared when members of the 1st Form wrote and published ‘The Copthornian’.
1961 – The first Sports Day was held (although mumps interfered as several competitors were either in bed or on their way home.)
1963 – Mr David Sale who had joined the teaching staff at the school in 1954 become joint Headmaster with Mr P J H Workman
1963 – The Jubilee Cup competition was revived with boys competing for one of four houses, Red, Blue, Green and Silver, over a range of events. The magnificent trophy, first presented in the school’s Jubilee year, is still competed for today although the four houses now bear the names of previous Headmasters – Rendall, Workman, Sale and Newton.
1964 – Numbers at the school exceeded 100 for the first time in its history
1967 – The first science laboratory was opened
1972 – Copthorne celebrated its 70th Anniversary with an Old Boys Reunion attended by over 70 old boys.
1973 – Pre-Prep (Junior Department as it was known) began operating. Other notable improvements at that time were the completion of two hard tennis courts.
1976 – The school was formed into a charitable trust run by a governing body. Mr P J H Workman retired and Mr David Sale was joint headmaster with Mr David Cann (1976-1982) and then with Mr David Newton. The ‘Friends of Copthorne’ was also established.
1979 – Girls were admitted for the first time.
1984 – Mr David Newton became the sole headmaster. He presided over the building of the sports hall, a project he first began with Mr David Sale. The old gymnasium was converted into the theatre.
1996 – An extension to the junior department was completed and opened by local MP, Mr Peter Ainsworth
1997 – The Coach House Nursery and a new classroom block were welcome expansions to the school.
1999 – Mr Charles Allen was appointed as Head. In his six year tenure he maintained and developed the strong academic standard expected of Copthorne pupils by the senior schools. Sporting success also continued, and the girls won the National IAPS Netball Tournament in 2000 a first for Copthorne.
2002 – The school celebrated its centenary with a ball at Effingham Park Hotel and a series of events at the school.
2005 – Mr Chris Jones was appointed as the 8th Headmaster since being founded in 1902. During his seventeen years, the school continued to grow with pupil numbers exceeding 300 for the first time. Scholarship success to the local senior schools also hit an all-time high with art, drama, DT, IT & music joining the more regular academic and sporting awards.
2022 – Mr Chris Jones retired and leadership of the school was then handed to Mr Nathan Close, previously his deputy.
