Ages 
You can tell a lot about a school from its match tea. What’s the spécialité de la maison here? ‘It’s coffee and a bacon sarnie,’ says one parent, ‘nothing fancy, but totally delicious and exactly what everyone’s after.’ That’s Caterham in a nutshell: a school which doesn’t rely on snazzy snacks to impress because its strengths speak for themselves. Dynamic teachers, inspiring leadership, happy teenagers and a whole valley to run around (or fly drones) in; throw in the odd bacon bap and you’ve got exactly what modern parents, and children, are looking for. Spot on.
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Overview & data
- Pupil numbers
- 900 ·
- Sixth form numbers
- 313 ·
- Offers boarding
- Yes ·
- Religion
- Christian
- Fees
- Day £27,630 - £28,950; Boarding £37,425 - £60,435 pa
- Local authority
- Surrey County Council
- Area guides
- Linked schools
Headteacher
Headmaster
Mr Ceri Jones MA Oxon
Since 2015, Ceri Jones. Educated at a Bradford comprehensive; thence to Cambridge for a degree in history and a football blue. ‘I didn’t get that ‘I’ve got to be a teacher’ thing immediately and probably didn’t appreciate just how much education
Entrance
At 11+ or 13+, ISEB pre-tests, school’s entrance tests, day of ‘fun activities’. 13+ entrants can be assessed in year 6 for deferred entry (nice to have it in the bag); others in years 7 or 8. Places at 13+ are very limited. At 16+, school’s own
- Open days
- Check school website
Exit
Nearly all (99 per cent in 2023) stay on after GCSEs. Nottingham, Southampton and Imperial the most popular universities. Growing interest in degree apprenticeships though few actual takers yet. Sixth formers have protected time in which to find out
Latest results
In 2024, 85 per cent 9-7 at GCSE; 71 per cent A*/A at A level (92 per cent A*-B).
A level - Average points score (2024)
What is this?
These figures tell you the average grade and average points that pupils achieved in their academic qualifications. A maximum of 60 points are available for a grade A* at A level.
Teaching & learning
It’s ‘learning and teaching’ here: learning comes first. School making pupils think for themselves (shock horror), encouraging ‘productive struggle’: ‘We expose them to enquiry, awe, wonder, but we don’t avoid the road bumps.’ Expect your child to
- Qualifications taken in 2024
- A level
- EPQ
- GCSE
Learning support & SEN
SENCo assesses those requiring individual support as they join the school. Very accommodating. ‘It’s not just that she’s tolerated there; they actually celebrate people thinking differently.’ School ‘worked with us to find the best way to support
Arts & extracurricular
Oodles of opportunities from symphony to soul via close harmony, musical theatre, gospel. Around 35 per cent learn an instrument. Always a joy to see a couple of double bassists lurking at the back of a strings group. MAD Live is popular showcase of
Sport
With 180 acres to play with, it’s no wonder the list of facilities is as long as a lax stick: we’d never come across a school with not one but two gyms (‘standard’ and ‘performance’ – sadly we know where we’d fit in). Major sports are rugby, hockey,
Boarders
Just under 20 per cent board, of whom 70 per cent are from overseas. Currently full or weekly, though from 2023 school offers half-weekly boarding (two or three nights a week). Girls in Beech Hanger, nestled behind sports centre a short stroll from
Ethos & heritage
Founded in 1811 by one Rev John Townsend to educate the sons of Congregationalist ministers – a niche market, clearly, and the school subsequently opened its doors to laymen (1890) and girls (1995). Started life in Lewisham but made the move to
Pastoral care, inclusivity & discipline
‘Wellbeing is foundational – success follows,’ says school, which holds a National Children’s Bureau Wellbeing Award (‘There are 64 criteria: this is real, not glossy PR’). Wellbeing curriculum includes emotional literacy, helping pupils develop
Pupils & parents
Lots local, others from as far as Sevenoaks and Tonbridge (where Caterham competes with the grammars), Horsham, Dorking, Epsom. Significant contingent down from London. Fifteen coach and minibus routes in all compass directions. Do check whether your
Money matters
Scholarships, awarded for exceptional talent, worth up to 30 per cent fee remission. Transformational bursaries (up to 110 per cent) are means tested. School works closely with Royal National Children’s SpringBoard Foundation charity, recently
- Fee information
- Day £27,630 - £28,950; Boarding £37,425 - £60,435 pa
The last word
You can tell a lot about a school from its match tea. What’s the spécialité de la maison here? ‘It’s coffee and a bacon sarnie,’ says one parent, ‘nothing fancy, but totally delicious and exactly what everyone’s after.’ That’s Caterham in a nutshell:
