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Also known as Copthorne Elementary School and Copthorne Village Primary, the school began its life in 1842. The land had been given by the Blunt family of Crabbett Park. In its early days the school was run by the National Society for Promoting Education of the Poor in the Principles of the Established Church.
In the early days, every visit by the Vicar for his weekly instruction was recorded and the tradition of a weekly visit continues to this day.
In 1922, a lack of income and other problems led to the Managers of the school to consider dropping the church connections. A meeting of the Parochial Church Council, with the Vicar Rev. D H Ashford-Smith voted against the suggestion, and the proposal was postponed - and as the school still has its Church connections, presumably dropped altogether. There are many Church of England Schools in the Diocese, and many are particularly sought after by parents.
The current Headteacher is Alistair Hawtin. The Mission Statement of the School reads: "This is a Church School. We hope that the Christian ethos of the school will be evident to all who come here. We hope that it will guide not only the religious parts of the day but will become a firm foundation for the whole life of the school. We hope that the children of this school, as they grow physically and mentally, will also grow socially and spiritually, so gaining a real respect for themselves, for each other, and for countries, cultures and creeds."
Further information from West Sussex Grid for Learning.
Built on the new Fairway Estate, Copthorne Fairway Infant School was opened in April 1970. The first School Secretary, Mrs Janet Hamilton's grandparents had owned the farm on the site the school was built.
Sylvia Brons was the first Head Teacher, and the school had 59 children on the roll, the majority of whom had come down from Copthorne C E School, which at this point became the Junior section for the village. By the official opening in 1971, the school roll had risen to 113, with a capacity for 37 more. The second Head Teacher of the school, since 1981, has been Mrs Alison Weaver, who retired in 2000 to be succeeded by Mrs Lorretta Mckeown.
"Copthorne Fairway is a vibrant, growing and developing school that is always fully subscribed. We have adapted well to all the recent changes in education, absorbing all the new legislation, while still maintaining what we believe in, which is the development of every child to their full potential."
Further information from West Sussex Grid for Learning.
'Pervincet Vivida Virtus' - 'All can be achieved by hard work'The building now known as Copthorne Preparatory School was originally built as a private dwelling called Emsworth House, and was owned by the Kensington Family. It became a girls’ school for a short time, and was then founded by Bernard H Rendall in 1902 as a boys’ school. He was the brother of the then Headmaster of Winchester College, and the school was originally designed as a feeder school for Winchester.
Mr Rendall’s brother-in-law was Dr Edward Wilson, who died in 1913, at the South Pole, whilst on Captain Scott’s fateful expedition. A stained glass window in the school Chapel commemorates the event. Dr Wilson had used the school in preparation for his trip, and the boys had donated funds to provide his huskies.
In 1928 Mr E Skeete Workman took over the running of the school in partnership with Mr JP Howard. Mr Tim Workman took over as Headmaster in 1952 on the death of his father, and was later joined as joint Headmaster by Mr David Sale. Thereafter Mr Sale was joint Headmaster with Mr David Cann and then with Mr David Newton. On Mr Sale’s death in 1984, Mr Newton was sole Headmaster until his retirement in 1999, when Mr Charles Allen was appointed. He was succeded in 2005 by Mr Chris Jones.
During World War II, the school was evacuated to the Lee Bay Hotel in Ilfracombe. The school building was requisitioned for use by the Army (the Buffs had it for six weeks) and then by the RAF.
In 1976 the school was formed into a charitable trust, and in 1980 girls were admitted for the first time. The Junior Department was started in the late 1970’s, and the Coach House Nursery was opened in 1997. The school is now predominantly a day school, although some children take advantage of the weekly boarding and flexi-boarding opportunities offered by the school.
Amongst the alumni who have been at Copthorne are:
(links to Wikipedia or own website)
Click on the School logo or here to link to the school web site.
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Copthorne Village 
Copthorne Church of England Junior School
Copthorne Fairway Infants School
Copthorne Preparatory School