Cokethorpe School
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. (April 2008) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
Cokethorpe School is a co-educational independent school near Ducklington, Witney, Oxfordshire, England, founded in 1957.
The school has approximately 650 pupils, ranging in age from five to eighteen. Over recent years, its facilities have been greatly increased, with the addition of an information technology centre and with the building of a new teaching block. A new sixth form centre to house the ever expanding sixth form is being built along with a new dining room - construction is due to start in 2008.
Cokethorpe School was originally contained within an elegant Queen Anne country house, set in 150 acres (0.61 km²) of park land and with a chapel in the grounds. However, due to expansion much of the school's teaching now takes place in newer buildings. The tower of the chapel was virtually destroyed in a fire in 1994 but it has since been demolished and rebuilt.
The school operates a house system, with houses called Harcourt, Gascoigne , Swift,Queen Anne, Vanbrugh and Feilden. The houses compete in competitions such as house rugby and football for boys, and hockey and netball for girls, as well as competitions in the arts, such as house music and drama competitions.
Interschool fixtures are also regularly held against other schools and colleges in the Oxford area, and as of the Michealmas Term 2007, schools further afield, including schools in Gloucestershire and Berkshire. In the Michealmas Term (September - December), rugby and hockey matches are played, in Lent Term (January - April), football and netball, and in the Summer Term (April - July) tennis and cricket are played. The school played a record number of fixtures during the Michealmas Term 2007 - 106 for rugby, and 97 for hockey.
During 2007 it has been celebrating it's 50th anniversary. There have been almost 50 events over the year, including a rugby and hockey tour and geography trip to Sri Lanka, David Cameron appearing as a guest speaker at the School's annual end of year prize giving, and a whole school Celebration of Advent at the New Theatre, Oxford. During 2007, 'Project 2007' was set up. An extract from the 'Fiftieth Anniversary Programme of Events' details the project:
'The school has many plans for the future; and would like to make it possible for people to contribute to a permanent memorial of the Anniversary Year. Project 2007 is the vehicle for this, a way in which contributions can be made either for a specific purpose or to a general fund.'
[edit] Notable alumni
- Former Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards.
- Lucy Boggis, who features on the Sky One programme Gladiators as Tempest
- Tony Martin English farmer who was imprisoned for fatally shooting a burglar in the back.
