Inside Cothill: Carly & Laura sit down with Headmaster George May

Choosing a school is one of those decisions that can feel both hugely exciting and slightly overwhelming. For parents and particularly for mums. There can be so much noise around the independent-school world: league tables, scholarships, senior-school destinations, sport, academics, SEN provision, boarding, co-education, and, of course, the inevitable comparison with what everyone else’s children are doing.

So, rather than simply asking what makes a good school on paper, we sat down with George May, Head of Cothill, to talk about what really matters.

George joined Cothill three years ago from Radley College, where he was a senior Housemaster, having built a reputation for exceptional pastoral care, energy and empathy. His route into education was far from conventional. After Eton, he gained a First Class degree in Architectural History at Edinburgh University before being awarded a two-year postgraduate acting place at LAMDA. His twenties were spent writing, directing and performing across London, Europe and America, before joining Radley in 2006. He now leads Cothill alongside his wife, Emi-Lou, a writer and teacher.

And it turns out that perhaps the most important thing to understand about Cothill is not its results, its facilities or even its senior-school destinations…It is the children.

How would you describe the personality of Cothill?

Cothill is a small but mighty school where every child is genuinely known, understood and championed. It’s a place that combines high ambition with deep pastoral care — a home away from home where boys and girls can grow in confidence and resilience.

What sort of child thrives at Cothill?

Happy, busy, polite, kind and resilient children tend to thrive here. We want children to throw themselves into school life. To have a go. To discover what they are good at, but also to discover things they didn’t know they could do.

You’ve recently introduced girls to Cothill. How has that changed the school?

Welcoming girls has been transformative. It has broadened our community, strengthened our culture and brought fresh energy into every corner of school life. We are incredibly excited about what this means for the future of Cothill.

What are you most proud of at the moment?

Cothill is in a moment of real, energising growth, shaped by progress, ambition and the character of our children. We’ve had an unbeaten rugby season for the XI, which reflects not just talent but teamwork, resilience and the sheer joy our pupils bring to sport.

We’re also incredibly proud of our senior-school destinations. Our pupils continue to earn places at some of the UK’s most competitive schools, including Eton and Radley, which is a testament to their hard work and the strength of our academic preparation. And, of course, the introduction of girls has been a hugely exciting milestone.

For mums looking at prep schools, the senior-school destination question can feel like a big one. Where do Cothill children typically go?

We consistently send children to some of the top senior schools in the country, including Eton, Radley, Harrow and Marlborough. We have extremely strong relationships with both co-educational and girls’ senior schools, and we have no doubt that our first cohort of girls will continue in the same trajectory.

We’re very proud of our scholarship record too. Around a third of our leavers win awards to leading senior schools. But I think it’s important to remember that destinations are only part of the story. What matters is finding the right next school for the individual child.

There’s so much pressure on parents to get the school choice “right”. What advice would you give mums starting that process?

Get beneath the bonnet. Ask the awkward questions. Look for genuine alignment of values. Think about your child’s long-term academic ambitions, but also think about who they are and what they need day to day.

Ultimately, choose the school that feels like the right fit for your child. I think parents can sometimes become distracted by what other families are doing. The most important question is: is this the right environment for my child?

That leads nicely to our next question. What do you wish parents worried less about?

What other children are achieving. Childhood is not a competition, and constant comparison only distracts from what really matters: your own child’s growth and pathway.

Every child develops differently. The job of a school is to understand that individual child and help them become the very best version of themselves.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing children today?

Holding on to the joy of childhood. Children are growing up against a backdrop of increasing political and social anxiety, the pressures of social media and the constant pull of technology.

We need to give children space to be children. To play, explore, make mistakes, spend time outside, build friendships and discover what they love.

How important are sport and co-curricular activities at Cothill?

Hugely important. For us, breadth is king. Every child should have the opportunity to try new things, develop passions and discover where their strengths lie.

Sport is obviously a major part of school life, but so are music, drama, art and all the other opportunities that allow children to develop confidence, resilience and a sense of belonging. Sometimes the thing a child remembers most about prep school isn't a particular lesson. It’s the moment they discovered something they loved.

SEND and neurodiversity are understandably high on the list for many parents. How is Cothill evolving in this area?

We’re evolving rapidly. We were recently named runner-up for SEND in The Week’s Best of the Best prep schools, and we’re continuing to strengthen our provision with outstanding staff and an even sharper focus on the needs of each individual child.

We’re committed to the latest pedagogical thinking and to continually improving what we offer. For me, it comes back to knowing the child. If you genuinely know them, you are much better placed to understand how they learn and what support they need.

What qualities do you think children will need most in the future?

Resilience, empathy, kindness, humour and teamwork. Those qualities are going to matter enormously.

Academic achievement is important, of course, but children also need to know how to work with other people, how to bounce back when things don’t go their way, how to be kind and how to see the funny side of life.

What does a really good day at Cothill look like to you?

A busy one! A child might have had a brilliant lesson, played sport, made someone laugh, tried something new, overcome a small challenge and gone home feeling happy and proud. Those are the days I love.

What has been your favourite memory since becoming Head?

The moments when children surprise themselves. A shy child stepping onto the stage. A boy making his first ever rugby tackle. Those small, electric moments when a child realises they can do more than they ever imagined.

Those are the moments that stay with you.

What do you personally bring to Cothill as Head?

Energy, compassion, an emphasis on manners and vast experience of the senior-school world and beyond. I think manners matter. Kindness matters. How you treat other people matters.

And having spent many years at senior-school level, I also have a good understanding of where our children are heading and what they need to be ready for that next stage.

What do you hope children take with them when they leave Cothill?

A love of learning and a love of life. That would be the greatest compliment we could receive.

The Cothill quick-fire

We couldn’t sit down with George without finishing with a few quicker questions.

The most unique thing about Cothill?

The Weeklies. I read every single weekly report that our teachers write for every subject. Because we’re a small school, that’s possible, and it means I stay closely connected to every child’s development and progress.

It’s one of the ways we remain a family as well as a community.

Favourite school tradition?

There are too many to list! I love the traditions that anchor our community — from the school hymn to the joy of Rockhill and Cothill Chase, all the way to the magic of our Christmas Feast.

Those are the moments that bring the whole school together and remind us who we are.

Favourite local coffee spot or hidden gem?

Hamblin Bread in Oxford.

Something people might not know about you?

I volunteer once a week at the local church. And I have a phobia of injections.

Notable Cothill alumni?

Charlie Elwes, Tom Durant Pritchard and Hugh Pym.

So, what did we take away?

There is plenty that will catch a parent’s eye about Cothill right now: the introduction of girls, strong senior-school destinations, an impressive scholarship record, sport, boarding and its growing SEND provision.

But perhaps what comes across most strongly from talking to George is that the ambition is not simply to get children into the “right” senior school.

It is to make sure they arrive there ready. Ready to learn. Ready to contribute. Ready to cope when things don't go to plan. Ready to make friends. Ready to have a go. And, importantly, ready to enjoy being children along the way.

For mums navigating the independent-school world, where it can sometimes feel as though everyone is racing towards the next milestone, that feels like a refreshing message: look beneath the bonnet, know your own child, and don't let someone else's pathway become your measuring stick.

Because, as George puts it, childhood isn't a competition. And perhaps that's something we all need reminding of from time to time.

We hope you found our insight into Cothill and it’s head teacher helpful, if you have a school you’d like us to find out more about please let us know and we will be delighted to do so!

Laura & Carly x