Cottesmore School, Crawley
Cottesmore School is an independent school for pupils aged 4 to 13 in Crawley. It is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted; its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in May 2026.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Cottesmore School in detail
Cottesmore School in its own words
In its own words: "Cottesmore is a thriving boarding prep school for girls and boys aged 7 to 13, in the countryside on the border of Surrey and Sussex. Founded in 1894, the school is rich in history while continuing to embrace innovation and a forward-thinking approach to education."
Coming up: an open day on Saturday 5 December 2026. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in West Sussex
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other independent schools to Cottesmore School are Atelier21 Future School (1 mile, Good); Brighton College Prep Handcross (2 miles, selective); and Worth School (4.2 miles).
Atelier21 Future SchoolBrighton College Prep HandcrossWorth School
Who goes there
In 2026, 41 pupils (23.7%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ifield Rail Station, about 1.9 miles away in a straight line.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Cottesmore School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
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
12 May 2026
Regulatory Compliance
17 May 2023
Educational Quality / Focused Compliance
12 February 2019
Regulatory Compliance
1 March 2016
Integrated
5 February 2013
At a Glance
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 1 nearby independent school
Latest from Cottesmore School
Newsletter - Lent 2026
21 May 2026
Newsletter - Summer 2025
15 Sep 2025
Newsletter - Lent Term 2025
19 Jun 2025
Newsletter - Michaelmas Term 2024
16 Jan 2025
Wand-erful day for Sussex primary schools
16 May 2024
Cottesmore School named in top 100 schools globally and top 15 UK prep schools
26 Feb 2024
From Cottesmore School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with Cottesmore School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025.
The typical figure for schools in West Sussex is 11 (the median across 337 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
84%
Available places
173 pupils
205 places
32 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Crawley
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Crawley
Across West Sussex council
Places available
9,806
Applications
8,765
Got 1st preference
87.5%
Got preferred school
97.6%
All secondary applications across West Sussex council (2026/27), not just this school.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
41
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
23.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
No need-level breakdown available
Pupil Demographics
Key Indicators
173
Total Pupils
103
Boys
70
Girls
2026 academic year
Linked Schools
Schools linked by geographic proximity
Cottesmore School
Questions parents ask about Cottesmore School
When was Cottesmore School last inspected?
Cottesmore School is inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) rather than Ofsted. Its most recent ISI inspection was a routine inspection in May 2026.
How many pupils go to Cottesmore School?
Cottesmore School has around 173 pupils on roll.
How do I apply to Cottesmore School?
Cottesmore 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 Cottesmore School?
No injury road collisions were reported to the police within 500 m of the school's mapped location in 2021 to 2025. The typical figure for schools in West Sussex is 11 (the median across 337 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Cottesmore School?
Cottesmore School is at Buchan Hill, Pease Pottage, Crawley, West Sussex, RH11 9AU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)