It occupies a palatial country house designed and built in 1889–94 by Richard Norman Shaw for Viscount Portman, the owner of large tracts in the West End of London, in the early version of neo-Georgian style[1] that Sir Edwin Lutyens called "Wrenaissance", to replace an earlier house, and is set in 400 acres (1.6 km2).

The school occupies a country house designed and built in 1889–1894 by Richard Norman Shaw and modelled on the chateau at Menars in the Loire valley.

The building and estate was the biggest in Dorset and the last of the grand stately homes to be built in England.

Jeffreys innovated while respecting traditions, as reflected in his choice of school motto, Et Nova Et Vetera.

Students are required to keep a daily record on a chart showing their use of working and leisure time, meeting with their tutors on a weekly basis to ensure effective monitoring of their progress.

[7] In 2012, the new boathouse was opened to facilitate the growing rowing programme and to prevent risk to the boats from flooding.