Caterham School

Caterham School

Motto	Latin: veritas sine timore ("Truth without Fear")
Established	1811
Type	Independent day and boarding school
Religion	Protestant (United Reformed Church)
Headmaster	Ceri Jones
Founder	The Rev. John Townsend
Location	Harestone Valley Road Caterham Surrey CR3 6YA United Kingdom
Staff	~200
Students	~1100
Gender	Co-educational (3-18)
Ages	3–18
Houses	9
Colours	Black & Yellow
Former pupils	Old Caterhamians
Website	www.caterhamschool.co.uk

Caterham School is an independent coeducational day and boarding school in Caterham, Surrey and a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.

History

Caterham School was founded as the Congregational School in 1811 in Lewisham, by the Reverend John Townsend to provide a boarding education for the sons of Congregational Ministers. The abolitionist politician and philanthropist William Wilberforce was a Governor of the School from its foundation until his death in 1833.

By 1884, the School had outgrown its premises, and the 114 boys with their teaching staff moved to the present site in the North Downs in Surrey. In 1890, Caterham opened its doors to the sons of laymen and to day boys. In 1995, after 184 years as a boys' day and boarding school, it merged with Eothen School for girls (founded by the Misses Pye in 1892) to become a coeducational school. Girls had been admitted to the Sixth Form education since 1981, but the merger integrated the schools and enabled co-education to be offered to pupils aged 3 years and upward.

Awards

The schools fees are comparable with other Independent Schools in the area. If the applicant performs particularly well on the entrance exam tests, the school may award a scholarship. The scholarships can either be academic, art, music, sport or all-rounder. The academic scholarships are up to 50% off the school fees. The school also has a bursaries scheme for children of United Reformed Church Ministers, for families in the armed forces or those on a low income.

Academics

Academic results have improved over the years. In the latest GCSE results, 99.5% of grades were A* to C. 2013 was a record breaking year for GCSE results. The majority of the Sixth Form go on to universities. At A Level 92.5% of grades were A*-B. The biology department has received Good School Guide awards for A Level results for the past 7 consecutive years.

Music Department

The music department has over 20 music groups, with regular music lessons. The music and drama department combine to put on a production. Many students are at Grade 8 standard with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. Some students even have diplomas in their chosen instrument.

General information

The 200-acre (81 ha) campus has facilities for extra curricular activity including 18 different sports, 20 music groups and over 36 clubs and societies. A new science block was completed in 2006. It contains fifteen laboratories: five physics, five chemistry and five biology. In 2008 the North Wing was rebuilt to create a new Sixth Form Centre and to provide a new location for the on-site health centre. The school has a Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and also participates in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

Caterham School is involved in sport. The school has coaches in the priority sports of rugby, hockey, cricket, lacrosse and netball. As well as being committed to supporting those with exceptional sporting talent, the school provides as many pupils as possible the chance to participate in sport.

The Preparatory School now has 280 pupils and the senior school (11 years to 18 years) has 870 pupils of which circa 165 board.

The current Headmaster is Ceri Jones, appointed in 2015.

The school has an exchange-based relationship with Western Reserve Academy, an American prep school.

The school has also established a supportive relationship with a primary school in Tanzania, for which it raises money as part of annual charitable fundraising activities. Each year Sixth Form students travel to Tanzania to aid in the development of the primary school. The School has more recently begun sponsoring schools in the Ukraine (Nagydobrony) and in India (as of summer 2012)

Notable Old Caterhamians

See also: Category:People educated at Caterham School

• James Benning (born 1983), cricketer
• Ali Brown (born 1970), cricketer
• Sir John Butterfill (born 1941), politician
• Ann Conolly (1917 - 2010), botanist
• Angus Deayton (born 1956), actor and television presenter
• Cuthbert Dukes (1890–1977), pathologist and author
• Sir Paul Dukes (1889–1967), journalist and MI6 officer
• Jon Finch (1941–2012), film and television actor (1970–2005)
• Jon Gilbert (born 1972), writer, bibliographer of Ian Fleming
• General Sir Alex Harley, Master Gunner, St. James's Park, 2001–2008
• Philip Henman (1899–1986), Chairman, General Lighterage Company, 1939–1969
• Sir Arthur James (1916–1976), Judge of the Court of Appeal
• Edward Jones, football manager who coached Egypt
• Harold Marks (1914–2005), educator
• Denis Mitchell (1911–1990), television and radio producer
• John Morgan (1876–1955), barrister and professor of constitutional law, University College London, 1915–1941
• Clement Price Thomas (1893–1973), pioneering surgeon
• David Sales (born 1977), cricketer

External links

• Official website