Baily bought the land from the Titsey Place estate as he loved the views of the Weald and the Ashdown Forest and thought the site healthy and bracing.

The first cohort of 38 pupils was accommodated and taught in a purpose-built Victorian building that remains at the centre of the school today.

During the war, the site was bombed, which resulted in the loss of the original Victorian pavilion and fives courts.

These were rebuilt in the late 1940s along with the Oak and Chestnut cottages, which needed to house the growing number of boys and staff.

Despite the healthy numbers on roll, post-war austerity and rebuilding, necessitated by wartime bombing, meant that the school fell on hard times.

The school remained privately owned by Mr Dowling until 1968 when it became a registered charity and was incorporated as a limited company.

In the late 1970s, new headmaster Mr Bawtree had Chestnut cottage adapted for use as a pre-preparatory school for children aged 5–7 years.

In 1987, a violent storm caused the lavish Victorian chapel to be destroyed so plans were put in place for its replacement.

The new chapel formed part of a performing arts block, which housed the music department and a theatre.

In 1996, Mr Synge opened the new purpose-built Chestnut building to house the increasing number of pre-prep children attending the school.

[8][9] The Laverock site was developed to open as a 50-week nursery called the Larks, operating as part of the Hazelwood charity.