Heritage & Future

The year 2021 marks the school’s 125th anniversary and we are proud to be introducing LEX this September which is set to frame the next phase of Clayesmore’s remarkable history.  LEX is a bold and ambitious weekend programme to equip every Clayesmorian with the essential skills to live their lives well.

LEX is named after Lex Devine, Clayesmore’s founder, whose guiding principle was to offer ‘an all-round education’ to each pupil.  Devine understood the importance of a traditional academic education but he also recognised that, without a strong foundation of values and attitudes, focusing solely on the adacemic would not deliver his principle. That core ethos remains at the heart of a Clayesmore education today.

We have torn up the rule book of a traditional 6 day a week independent education, and replaced academic lessons on a Saturday with a supercharged weekend of trips, experiences and events.  All designed to enable pupils to seize new opportunities, develop new skills and provide them with memories and mastery to draw upon forever.

‘It has become abundantly clear that alongside a strong core academic curriculum, young people need more than ever to be outdoors; developing an appreciation and a passion for the environment with all the opportunities for physical fitness, exhilaration, adventure and sheer good fun that includes!’ Jo Thomson, Head of Clayesmore