About Us

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.

These are vital qualities in a world which will require gifted, flexible young people of character, dedication and compassion.

The College was founded under the will of Richard Churcher in 1722, a wealthy local businessman and philanthropist. Churcher decreed that the College would be formed ‘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.

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 with new buildings added to the Ramshill campus including a teaching block of 20 classrooms and the Sports Hall. In 1993 the college expanded its horizons to include younger pupils with Moreton House School becoming Churcher’s College Junior School. In 2004, the Junior School needed space to expand and relocated to its 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.

Notable Recent Events

• 2010 - the Gallagher Swimming Pool was opened at the Senior School. This indoor, heater pool was designed by architect and Chair of Governors, Michael Gallagher.
• 2017 - the purpose-built Churcher’s College Nursery opened its doors, nestled in the grounds of the Junior School.
• 2018 - a new war memorial was completed on the grounds of the Senior School to commemorate the centenary of the end of WW1.
• 2021 - the new Music School and Goodfield Building was opened at the Senior School, offering 2,500m² of new teaching space for pupils.
• 2022 - the School celebrated its 300th anniversary with various events including planting a Tercentenary Wood and staging an outdoor Grand Summer Concert on the Senior School field. 

View Tercentenary Brochure

Churcher’s provides a thoroughly supportive pastoral care system which underpins everything we do. It aims to nurture our pupils’ education and development, fostering a sense of community, friendship and respect.

We encourage an environment in which our pupils can grow personally, socially, spiritually and intellectually developing confidence, self-belief and resilience for life beyond school.

Read more about our pastoral care here:

Junior Pastoral   Senior Pastoral

Physical Education

At Churcher’s College students are all offered the opportunity to engage in physical activity at the level they feel comfortable with.  This may include competitive sport fixtures on a Saturday, recreational clubs or simply activity through physical education and games lessons.  

The school enjoys very high levels of participation, especially in the junior years where all those keen to represent the school are given the opportunity to do so.

Food & Nutrition

Complementing the physical activities is an unrivalled healthy food offering delivered by catering provider Sodexo. All food is made fresh every day as well as being responsibly and ethically sourced.

Our focus is on healthy options in a pleasant and welcoming environment with a good range of choices for all tastes including special dietary requirements.

For more about our food you can visit the Sodexo website.

Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE)

PSHE is taught in order to prepare pupils for life and ensure that they leave Churcher’s as happy, healthy and well-rounded individuals.

The programme focuses on personal relationships and developing self-awareness, as well as empathy for others and an understanding of the responsibility we have for our own actions. Pupils are encouraged to question what goes on around them, their rights and how to gain the respect of others.