Clayesmore thoroughly enjoys its sense of history and has now been in existence for well over 100 years. Founded in 1896 in Enfield by Alexander Devine, the school experienced quite a peripatetic existence for a number of years, moving from Middlesex to Pangbourne, thence, on to Winchester before acquiring Iwerne Manor and moving to Dorset in time for the summer term of 1933. These were difficult times, though, twixt the wars, and Clayesmore pupils had played their part in the First War, losing some 40 old boys and winning its only VC (Geoffrey Heneage Drummond in the second raid on Ostend in May 1918.) Sadly, a further 40 alumni gave their lives in the Second War, and we commemorate their lives in the school chapel which was built in 1957 in their honour at Remembrance time each November. Significant dates since coming to Iwerne Minster have been the joining together with Charlton Marshall School which had been founded in 1929 by RAL Everett and which subsequently became Clayesmore Preparatory School. In 1974, the Prep School moved into purpose built accommodation on the Iwerne estate and the following year we welcomed our first girls.
Major developments have included the building of the Sports Centre in 1986, the Jubilee Building in 2002, and the Spinney Centre, named after Ronald Spinney, CBE, OC, a recent but retired Chairman of the Governing Council, in 2005. A new Pre-Prep School was completed in 2007, while in September 2008, a wonderful new teaching block – the Everett Building – came into use at the Prep School. The architect for all our recent work has been Philip Proctor of Proctor Associates, Shaftesbury. Clayesmore’s affairs are governed by the Council of Clayesmore, chaired, at the present time by Dr Richard Willis, a doctor and a former parent. The governors represent, between them, a considerable range of skills, interests, professions and backgrounds and include at the present time a number who are present and former parents. They all share a very deep commitment to the wellbeing of Clayesmore, its pupils, its staff, and its future. The full Council meets every term as do all its sub-committees.
The present Headmaster, Martin Cooke, took up office in September 2000 having served previously as Headmaster of the Prep School for six years from 1994. He is a graduate of the University of Sussex and his degree is in Music and Education. He was educated at St Paul’s Cathedral School and was thus a chorister at St. Paul’s Cathedral for five years, singing at many major state occasions during this time. Before coming to Clayesmore he taught at Bembridge School, Isle of Wight as Director of Music and held the post of Deputy Head there for ten years. During this time, he was variously Organist and Choirmaster of Bembridge Parish Church and Director and Conductor of the Isle of Wight Youth Choir. He is married to Mrs Eleanor Cooke who is also a teacher, specialising in special needs education. Mr and Mrs Cooke’s son, Adam, completed his education at Clayesmore in 2005 and now runs his own IT company, whilst Anna completed her A-levels in the summer of 2008 and, having undertaken an Art Foundation year at University College Falmouth, she begins her degree course at the University of Bath in 2009.
During Mr Cooke’s tenure, Clayesmore has strengthened its position substantially with the Senior School expanding from 300 pupils to over 420 in five years, exam results burgeoning in a remarkable way, and the school has once again become a member of the prestigious HMC – the Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference.
Mr Richard Geffen joined Clayesmore as Head of the Prep School with his wife Ann in September 2006 after a long and highly acclaimed period as Deputy Head at Westbourne House Preparatory School, Chichester. Mr Geffen brings experience not just of the independent sector nor purely of younger children as prior to Westbourne he taught at Chichester High School for Boys and also underwent an exchange to Canada. They have two children, Sarah, who in the final stages of her nursing training, and Matthew, a distinguished young cricketer who is a member of the Sussex Cricket Academy.
The Bursar is a key figure in any independent school and he oversees the work of all the support staff and makes sure that we are well fed, and that the school is a clean, warm, attractive and safe environment for us all to live and work in. He and the Financial Controller, Mrs Lisa Amey, are responsible to the governors for managing all the schools finances, both Prep and Senior.