Cothill House

History

The school was started in 1860 in Dry Sandford, before moving to its present location in 1870. Previously a boys' school, it began to move towards co-education in 2024. The school was operated by the Prep Schools Trust, a charity registered in England. and in September 2025, became part of Radley Schools Group.

In 2024, the school was listed by the Oxford Mail as one of 45 Oxford schools with stories of sexual harassment and abuse collected by the website Everyone's Invited.

Cothill is situated on a 26-acre site is just a short drive from central Oxford, and the school is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading prep schools. For the last 150 years Cothill House was solely for boarders, yet this changed in September 2023 when it opened the door to day pupils for the very first time. This coincided with the arrival of a new headmaster, George May, who was previously a housemaster at the nearby Radley College. In September 2025, the school began to accept girls.

Present school

The school is academically successful, and the class sizes are small, with an average of 14 pupils per class. Cothill House routinely sends boys to destinations such as Eton, Harrow and Radley.

Cothill is a nurturing, dynamic day and boarding school committed to helping every child discover their strengths. The school has a family feel with core values rooted in kindness, humour, teamwork, curiosity and respect.

Headmasters

2023: George May

2011 – 2023: Duncan Bailey

Notable alumni

Gaj Singh of Jodhpore, diplomat and politician

John Bradbury, 2nd Baron Bradbury

Hugh Stockwell, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe

James Charles Macnab of Macnab, Chief of Clan Macnab

Rupert Thorneloe, British Army Officer

Richard Dinnick, BAFTA nominated writer

Alexander Gordon, 7th Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair

Jeremy Thorpe, British politician, leader of the Liberal Party 1966–76

Richard Symonds, civil servant

Hugh Pym, British journalist and author

Archie Campbell, Marquess of Lorne, British aristocrat