The school was founded in 1812 by the Reverend William Davison, the priest in charge of the Chapel-of-Ease, which was St Paul’s Church, now converted into a Community Centre. Initially, the school was for the poor, male children of the Parish and it was intended that they would receive a Christian education and have instruction in reading, writing and arithmetic.

The principle that inspired Davison to create the country’s first free school in Worthing remains as important today as it has ever been. Davison School now, as then, seeks to provide a secure Christian environment within which girls may develop and grow to their full potential.