 Founded in 1960 by David and Josephine Wilding, as a day and boarding school for boys aged 6+ to 13, Claires Court grew quickly to 180 pupils by 1970.Ridgeway, originally acquired in 1964 to provide full and weekly boarding accommodation, was converted to be the junior school in 1975 when the age range at the Ray Mill Road East site was extended to 16 year-olds.By 1980 the school roll was approximately 280.