Who Owns Sherborne House?

Sherborne House School opened on 19 January 1933, founded by Mrs Eva Wise and her daughters Nancy and Dorothy. The Wise family were educators by background, with Mr Wise having previously served as head of Sherborne St John Primary School in Dorset, which inspired the choice of name for the new school. On her mother's retirement, Miss Dorothy Wise became Head Teacher, a position she held for over 30 years, establishing the school's foundational culture of academic rigour and individual care.

The school remained under private family ownership through the mid-20th century. Between 1984 and 2003, two further families ran the school under private ownership. During this period, Sherborne House expanded both in size and in educational scope, while preserving the founding ethos of traditional family values and the nurturing of each individual pupil.

In 2003, GEMS Education acquired Sherborne House as part of its strategy to build a presence in the UK independent preparatory school market. GEMS invested in the school's development and modernization, maintaining its non-selective admissions policy and its emphasis on academic achievement tailored to individual pupil needs.

In 2013, the school benefited from a significant capital investment, with a new block of classrooms and an additional hall added to the campus. This expansion enhanced the school's capacity and supported continued curriculum development. Sherborne House also became an accredited member of the Independent Schools Council during this period, with regular inspections by the Independent Schools Inspectorate providing external quality assurance.

In 2016, Sherborne House became part of the Bellevue Education group, a UK-focused group of exceptional independent schools. Bellevue Education's model emphasizes preserving each school's individual identity and ethos while providing centralized support in governance, finance, and strategic planning.

The school maintains a strong record of academic performance, with students consistently performing above national and local averages at every stage of their education. Sherborne House has built a reputation for gaining significant numbers of scholarships for entry to senior schools at 11+ across a range of academic and co-curricular disciplines. The school maintains long-standing relationships with senior schools in Hampshire and beyond, supporting smooth transitions for its Year 6 leavers.