Our History

Shebbear College is a school with a Methodist heritage and a Christian ethos. Our Methodist history dates back to when the school was founded in 1829, but today we welcome pupils of all religious and non-religious beliefs into our thriving day and boarding school. 

Our School Values of Confidence, Courage, Courtesy, Creativity, Compassion and Curiosity stem from our Christian foundations. These core values permeate everything we do and reinforce our strong Shebbear community. Our pupils are ambitious, achieve highly and embrace every opportunity available to them.

Our History

Shebbear College began its life in 1829, when John and Samuel Thorne of the Bible Christians began a Christian school for 20 boys. At this time, the school was called Prospect College and the emblem ‘PC’ still remains engraved on the main gates here.

The school was re-founded by the Bible Christian Church in 1841 as Shebbear College. Eventually the Bible Christians became part of the Methodist Church and Shebbear College became part of the Methodist Independent Schools Trust (MIST).

The campus still includes many original buildings and features, blended with new site developments. The school, having been all-boys since it was founded, became co-educational in 1993.

In 2024, Inspired Learning Group (ILG) acquired Shebbear College from MIST. ILG comprises 25 independent schools and nurseries, catering to 3,000 pupils in the UK. 

"Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,

At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can."

John Wesley