Churcher's College

Churcher's College is an independent coeducational day school offering Nursery, Junior, Senior and Sixth Form education.

Rated 'Excellent' in all areas - ISI Inspection, November 2022

With over 1072 pupils at the Senior School and 255 pupils at the Junior School (excluding the Nursery) of approximately equal numbers of boys and girls aged 3 to 18 years old, Churcher’s College enjoys recognition as one of the most accomplished independent, co-educational day schools in the country.

The school is hosted on two campus sites in Hampshire enabling the Junior School and Nursery pupils to flourish in their own beautiful grounds in Liphook, whilst maintaining close links to the Senior School and Sixth Form located in nearby Petersfield. Both sites offer on-site playing fields and unrivalled facilities, providing the comfort and opportunities of an open, healthy environment.

Headmaster

Simon Williams,  BSc, MA, (Dunelm)

Mission Statement

We seek to give the widest range of experiences and also the opportunity to excel. Children at Churcher’s College thrive in an atmosphere of high expectation but even higher achievement in a happy, well-disciplined and caring environment.

"Excellent examination results are clearly important; the achievement of these forms a core element of a child’s time here. Equally, the development of self-esteem, moral values and leadership are vitally important parts of a child’s education."

By developing the full academic, creative and sporting talents of the girls and boys, within the context of social awareness, our aim is to fully prepare them for all they will face in the dynamic and challenging world in which we live.

The pupils of Churcher’s College become confident, responsible, respected and selfless citizens in a world which will require gifted, flexible young people of character, dedication and compassion.

History

The College was founded under the will of Richard Churcher in 1722, a wealthy local businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune through interests in the British East India company. Churcher decreed in his will, dated 1722, that the College was, ‘To educate 10 or 12 local boys from Petersfield, of any age from 9 to 14, in the arts of writing, arithmetic, and navigation so they could be apprenticed to masters of ships sailing in the East Indies’.  Churcher’s College was established as a non-denominational foundation under the terms of Richard Churcher’s will and has remained so ever since.

Richard Churcher died in 1723 and was buried in Funtington, the village of his birth.

Location

The original school accommodation was a beautiful 1729 building, which still stands in College Street, Petersfield. However, by the 1870s, pupil numbers had expanded substantially and additional space was required. An extensive new site was located close to the original College on Ramshill overlooking the town of Petersfield.

Churcher’s College continued to expand, in the twentieth century new buildings were added to the Ramshill campus including a new teaching block of 20 classrooms and the Sports Hall.  In 1993 Churcher’s College expanded its horizons to include younger pupils; Moreton House School became Churcher’s Junior School. More recently, the Junior School pupils were relocated to their own 14-acre site in Liphook.

Now Churcher’s pupils enjoy expansive and impressive accommodation over two campuses with acres of greenfield space with the backdrop of the beautiful South Downs National Park.