Copthorne Preparatory School, Crawley
Copthorne Preparatory School is an independent school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Crawley. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in January 2026.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Copthorne Preparatory School in detail
Copthorne Preparatory School in its own words
In its own words: "We exist to inspire curiosity and questioning, a love of learning and the courage to speak out, confidence in problem solving and innovation along with an appreciation of the people and the world around us."
From the headteacher's welcome: "It is my great pleasure to welcome you to Copthorne Prep - a school where tradition and innovation walk hand in hand, and where every child is encouraged to look back with curiosity, engage with the present, and step forward with confidence into the future. At Copthorne, we are more than just a school - we are a family."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, hockey, cricket, tennis, gymnastics, multi-sports, dance, ballet, drama and choir.
Coming up: an open day on Friday 6 November 2026 at 9am and an open day on Saturday 28 November 2026 at 9.30am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Surrey
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Copthorne Preparatory School are Worth School (3.3 miles); and Atelier21 Future School (5.2 miles, Good).
Who goes there
In 2026, 37 pupils (22.2%) received SEN support and 1 (0.6%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Gatwick Airport Rail Station, about 3 miles away in a straight line.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cottage Place (opposite), 260 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 18 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, criminal damage and arson and anti-social behaviour. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Surrey (76).
Sources: DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASISI Inspection Reports
Independent schools in England are inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), not Ofsted.
Routine Inspection
20 January 2026
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
14 March 2023
Short Visit
6 July 2018
Regulatory Compliance
21 February 2018
Integrated
28 April 2015
About
Copthorne Preparatory School is an independent preparatory school for children aged between two and thirteen near Copthorne in West Sussex, but just over the county boundary in Surrey.
From Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
At a Glance
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Latest from Copthorne Preparatory School
Ordering 3-Digit Numbers in Year 3
2 Oct 2026
Year 1’s Roarsome Dinosaur Day!
2 Oct 2026
Flip, Flip, Hooray! Chapatti Fun
2 Oct 2026
Let’s Talk in Nursery
2 Oct 2026
Year 3 Pull Some Moves in Science
2 Oct 2026
The Importance of Being Curious
2 Oct 2026
From Copthorne Preparatory School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Copthorne Preparatory School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 13
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 11 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
46%
Available places
167 pupils
360 places
193 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Crawley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Crawley
Across Surrey council
Places available
12,569
Applications
11,986
Got 1st preference
81.3%
Got preferred school
96.2%
All secondary applications across Surrey council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
37
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
22.8%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
167
Total Pupils
90
Boys
77
Girls
2026 academic year
Questions parents ask about Copthorne Preparatory School
When was Copthorne Preparatory School last inspected?
Copthorne Preparatory School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in January 2026.
How many pupils go to Copthorne Preparatory School?
Copthorne Preparatory School has around 167 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Copthorne Preparatory School?
Copthorne Preparatory School is an independent school and runs its own admissions rather than going through the local authority. Contact the school directly for entry requirements, assessment dates, fees and any bursaries.
How many road collisions happen near Copthorne Preparatory School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 13 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 11 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Surrey is 13 (the median across 521 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Copthorne Preparatory School?
Copthorne Preparatory School is at Effingham Lane, Copthorne, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 3HR.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)