Ages 
A school full of kindness and respect. Plenty of fun to be had – but, we are told, not at the expense of academic achievement. As one senior school head told us, ‘A Pennthorpe child thinks for themselves, comes ready to learn, with a real twinkle in their eye.’ What more could you ask for?
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Overview & data
- Pupil numbers
- 267 ·
- Religion
- None
- Fees
- £8,340 - £19,875 pa
- Local authority
- West Sussex County Council
- Area guides
Headteacher
Head
Mr Christopher Murray
Since 2023, Chris Murray, who brings a wealth of experience from previous prep school roles as senior deputy head at Holmewood House and, prior to that, Somerhill. Teaching career began at Moulsford, before moving to Cheltenham College Prep; where,
Entrance
Reception is filled by little ones coming up from the popular nursery, joined by around six newcomers into two receptions classes of 16. If space, will welcome new pupils into any year group at any time of year, can be flexible.
- Open days
- March
Exit
Conversations with head begin in year 5. School hosts a 'future schools fair', every two years, and Pennthorpe alumni from a range of senior schools share their experiences with parents and pupils.
Committed to finding the right fit for each
Latest results
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Learning support & SEN
Pupils
Money matters
Instead of traditional internal scholarships, Pennthorpe has the ‘Prodigy Programme’, designed to nurture exceptional talent in digital learning, arts, sport, drama, and academics. The money saved from no longer offering scholarships is reinvested
- Fee information
- £8,340 - £19,875 pa
Our view
Tucked away in the village of Rudgwick, Pennthorpe is a bit of a hidden gem in the West Sussex prep school landscape. Starting out as a boys’ boarding prep in Kent before moving to Rudgwick in the 1930s, the school went co-ed in 1977 and dropped
The last word
A school full of kindness and respect. Plenty of fun to be had – but, we are told, not at the expense of academic achievement. As one senior school head told us, ‘A Pennthorpe child thinks for themselves, comes ready to learn, with a real twinkle in
