Cokethorpe School is a private day school in Witney, West Oxfordshire. The school was found in 1957 by Francis Brown. It is a member of HMC, IAPS, and The Society of Heads. The school has approximately 660 students from age 4 to 18.

History

The country house was used by Simon Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt. When Major Percy Henry Guy Feilden and his wife, Dorothy Louisa Brand, moved there in 1908, they undertook extensive renovations. He died on 25 March 1944 and was buried there. His son, Major-General Randle Guy Feilden, who was later knighted, was his successor. In 1957, it was left with part of the grounds to Francis Brown, who opened the school as a secondary boys' boarding school with 14 pupils. In about 1960 Yarnton Manor was used as a dormitory of the school. In 1963, a charitable trust was formed, and in 1966, the school buildings and grounds were sold to the school trustees.

The school is a joint Church of England and Roman Catholic foundation. The chapel is on the golf course on the school grounds. It is the former parish church of Hardwick and was restored and extended in 1973.

In 1985, the roof of the northwest wing was studied while the building was being repaired. In 1986 work began on the construction of further buildings. The School started admitting girls in 1992 and opened a Prep School in 1994. The boarding facility was closed in 2003.

Facilities

The school runs out of an 18th-century Grade II* listed Queen Anne style country house. The grounds include a chapel, rugby/football pitches, and astro pitches. A carved ‘giant’ peacock stands at the central crossroads within the school grounds. Cokethorpe has a strong sporting tradition with students playing national age group rugby and England women's hockey.

Notable former pupils

• Martin Edwards, a former Manchester United chairman
• Richard and Michael Hills, twins and both successful flat racing jockeys in the UK.
• Toby Sebastian, Actor – starring in the hit series Game of Thrones
• Henry Purdy, Rugby Player at Gloucester Rugby