Welcome from the Headmaster

Welcome to Cokethorpe, a school that prides itself on providing a liberal education to boys and girls from the age of four to eighteen.

A school with liberal education at its heart

Damian Ettinger - Cokethorpe Headmaster profile

This is a school that has confidence in the conviction of its educational offerings, taught with a truly individualised focus by an extraordinary and committed teaching staff. The approach fostered by a liberal education ensures that the interests, strengths, and ambitions of every pupil are granted equal weighting, whatever their passion may be. This is achieved by delivering more than just an expansion of knowledge through classroom study. We teach our pupils how to explore their subjects, give them the confidence to question their learning and, ultimately, the skillsets to achieve in any sphere, and at a level above that of which they thought themselves capable.

I often describe Cokethorpe as a restless school. Restless, not because we are eager for change, rather because we seek to be consistently self-reflective, providing the best version of ourselves to our pupils at every turn. This models the behaviour we expect of our pupils – always looking for ways to improve their learning. I would encourage you to read our Strategy 2021-2026 document, outlining our intentions and how we intend to deliver upon them, and our Strategy Update 2022 which is the embodiment of that self-reflectiveness.

As you peruse our website, you will quickly form the impression of a school that is unashamedly progressive, shuns complacency by not looking to past glories, and most of all places value on being a close, caring community. 

Young people encounter rigorous challenge in a supportive environment, and with this careful preparation, year after year, our talented students head out into the world with the confidence to thrive and the conviction to make a difference.

At the heart of our School is the belief that our pupils dig deeper, reach higher, and stretch further when they feel the embrace of supportive peers and the oversight of enthusiastic and experienced teachers who know when and how to challenge them. This sense of community is fostered by the close-knit House system where young people develop a deep sense of belonging; it is forged around the close, working relationship of the small classrooms, where teachers engage the intellect, encourage pupils to grapple with ideas, and teach lifelong respect and humility.

So, let me welcome you to our School and invite you to experience the warmth and strength of our community first hand by contacting our Admissions Office.

Damian Ettinger - Headmaster Signature

Mr D J Ettinger
Headmaster

Two schools.
One stunning Oxfordshire estate.

Our Aims and Ethos

At Cokethorpe, we fulfil our pupils’ ambitions by providing a liberal education in a vibrant, kind, and academically challenging environment. Education, and especially ‘liberal education’, is what makes civil society possible. A liberal education is one that includes literature, history, and appreciation of the arts, and gives them equal weight with scientific and practical subjects. We embrace the diversity of children’s talents, ideas, and experiences.  

By providing a liberal education, we allow our pupils the freedom to contemplate, explore and respond. In keeping with the School’s leadership traits, Cokethorpe values and seeks to imbue our pupils with integrity, courage, empathy, judgement, ambition, and responsibility, allowing them to live productively in a dramatically changing world. 

We aim to develop the School based on six evaluative measures that best reflect our intents. These are: promoting academic excellence, providing a nurturing environment, delivering opportunity to every pupil, extending the impact of our outreach, creating a community for life, and preparing pupils for the future as global citizens. The Headmaster often describes Cokethorpe as a restless school. Restless, not because we are simply eager for change, rather because we seek to be consistently self-reflective, providing the best version of ourselves to our pupils at every turn. This models the behaviour we expect of our pupils – always looking for ways to improve their learning. 

We show all this by offering our pupils an exceptional breadth of opportunity, together with a focus on the individual that ensures every pupil fulfils their potential in our liberal educational setting. Pupils leave Cokethorpe as well-rounded adults who are honest, decent, and prepared for life after school. 

Cokethorpe feather

Where next?

Approaches to Learning

Whether at the earliest stages of learning or in the final preparations for A Levels, expert consideration is given to the approaches to learning at each stage of a pupil’s academic development at Cokethorpe.

The Co-Curricular Programme

Our Co-Curricular Programme covers the performing and creative arts, sport and outdoor education, the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, and our extensive range of clubs and societies.

Discover Cokethorpe

What you will discover when you visit Cokethorpe is more than a stunning vista. Pupils have an exceptional breadth of opportunity and are supported with a truly individual focus.

Book your tour today

Come and visit Cokethorpe, whether for an Open Morning or a personal Tour, and Discover Your Cokethorpe.