About

Our Head - George May

George May hails from Radley College, Oxfordshire, where he was a senior Housemaster with a reputation for exceptional pastoral care, and buckets of energy and empathy. A champion of academic, music and dramatic endeavours, after Eton he gained a First Class degree in Architectural History at Edinburgh University and then was awarded a two-year Post-Graduate Acting place at LAMDA. His 20s were spent writing, directing and performing a classical and modern repertoire in London, Europe and America, before joining Radley in 2006, with his wife, Emi-Lou, a writer and teacher.

George and Emi-Lou have welcomed many a Cothillian taking his first tentative steps at Radley and along with their four children and two dogs, have created a warm and much sought-after ‘home from home’ at the heart of the Radley community.

A welcome from the Head

Family  Foundations  Future

These are exciting times for Cothill House. After 150 years as a dedicated and successful Prep boarding school, we have opened our doors to day and flexi boarding pupils. As such, we will be open to more families, so if you are considering a full boarding, a bit of both or a day place for your son, then I hope you enjoy browsing through our website. You are all also welcome to sign up to one of our exciting events dedicated to giving you and your child an enjoyable introduction to Cothill life. 

In another new development, and in response to demand from our current parents, I have decided that the time is right to open our wonderful Cothill Experience to pupils moving into Year 3 in September 2024. 

As I take over the helm at Cothill, I will initially be focusing on the academic, music and drama fronts, without losing sight of what makes Cothill unique: a family home where children have space to be children, with outdoor adventures, pillow fights, playing conkers and general youthful exuberance the order of the day. The aim is to develop confidence and curiosity, equipping them for any challenge the future holds.

Cothill House is globally recognised as one of the UK’s leading prep schools set in wonderful grounds just a short drive from central Oxford. Our pupils enjoy inspirational teaching and an amazing range of opportunities outside the classroom – not to mention proven preparation for entry to some of the country’s top schools. They leave us as confident, happy young adults, who know and embrace the value of hard work, integrity, teamwork and decency – young men of whom we are always incredibly proud, and who we know will forge a place and make a difference in the world.

The school provides a magical five years and a superb underpinning for all future education.

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