Caterham School

Not to be confused with Caterham High School.

Caterham School
The front of Caterham consists of the first original building of 1884 by E. C. Robins, the tower having been now removed.
Location
Harestone Valley Road Caterham , Surrey , CR3 6YA England
Coordinates	51°16′21″N0°05′12″W / 51.2726°N 0.086651°W / 51.2726; -0.086651
Information
Type	Private schools in the United Kingdom Private day and boarding school (UK) Private school
Motto	Latin: veritas sine timore (Truth without Fear)
Religious affiliation(s)	Protestant (United Reformed Church)
Established	1811;214 years ago (1811)
Founder	John Townsend
Department for Education URN	125427 Tables
Chair	Ms Monisha Shah
Headmaster	Ceri Jones
Staff	~200
Gender	Co-educational (3-18)
Age	3to 18
Enrolment	~1100
Campus	200-acre (0.8km2)
Houses	9 (3 boarding)
Colour(s)	Black & Yellow
Publication	'The Caterhamian'; 'Omnia'; 'Cat Among the Pigeons'; 'Quantum Ultimatum'; 'Preview'; 'Caterham Medical Journal'
Affiliation	HMC Caterham Prep Copthorne Preparatory School The Hawthorns School
Alumni	Old Caterhamians
Website	Caterham School
"Caterham School, registered charity no. 1109508". Charity Commission for England and Wales.

Caterham School is a private co-educational day and boarding school located in Caterham, Surrey and a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference. ^[1] In 2023, Caterham was awarded 'Best Independent School of the Year' in the United Kingdom by the Times Educational Supplement. ^[2] In the same year, it was the first and only school in the UK to receive three 'Key Areas of Strength' in its latest ISI inspection. ^[3] It is also an 'Apple Distinguished School' ^[4] .

History

Caterham School was founded as the Congregational School in 1811 in Lewisham, by John Townsend to provide a boarding education for the sons of Congregational Ministers. ^[5] The abolitionist politician and philanthropist William Wilberforce was a governor of the school from its foundation until his death in 1833. ^[6]

By 1884, the school had outgrown its premises, and the 114 boys along with their teaching staff moved to the present site in the North Downs in Surrey. In 1890, Caterham School opened its doors to the sons of laymen and to day boys. Notably, the British historian D.G.E. Hall was Headmaster of Caterham from 1934 until 1949 ^[7] . 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 co-educational 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. Upon merger, the school adopted the motto of Eothen School ^[8] - prior to this merger, the motto was "Omnia Vinces Perseverando" ("Thou shalt overcome everything through perseverance"). ^[9]

Scholarships and bursaries

The school may award a scholarship if the applicant performs exceptionally well on the entrance exam tests. The scholarships can be for academics, art, design, innovation, music, sport, performing arts, or all-rounder. The academic scholarships are up to 30% off the school fees. ^[10] 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. ^[11]

Academics

Caterham School's GCSE academic results of 2025 saw 92% of pupils achieving an 7/9 grade ^[12] . The school's 2025 A-Level academic results saw 66% of pupils gaining an A*/A grade and 92% of pupils achieving an A*/B ^[13] .

Here are the latest academic results:

A-Level Results (2025)

• 66% A*/A ^[14]

GCSE Results (2025)

• 92% 9-7 ^[15]

Note: An English A is 80% and an English 7 is 70%.

General information

A new science block called the Davey Building 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. In 2015 a performing arts centre was built, with music and dance facilities. It also has a black box theatre and an end on theatre.

Caterham School is involved in sport. The school has coaches in the priority sports of rugby, hockey, and cricket for boys, and lacrosse and netball for girls.

The preparatory school has 280 pupils and the senior school (11 years to 18 years) has 950 pupils of which circa 200 board.

The current Headmaster is Ceri Jones, appointed in 2015.

Houses

There are 9 school houses at Caterham, 6 mixed for day pupils, 2 for boarding boys and 1 for boarding girls. ^[16] All are named after notable places associated with the school except for the boys boarding houses, named after two people associated with the school.

House	Type
Aldercombe	Day
Beech Hanger	Boarding (girls)
Harestone	Day
Lewisham	Day
Newington	Day
Ridgefield	Day
Townsend	Boarding (junior boys)
Underwood	Day
Viney	Boarding (senior boys)

Headmasters

There have been 14 headmasters of Caterham (or once called 'The Congregational School').

Notably, the British historian D.G.E. Hall was Headmaster of Caterham from 1934 until 1949. ^[7]

Headmasters of Caterham School ^[7]

1811-1815	Rev. J. Thomas
1815-1817	Rev. J.J. Richards
1817-1823	Rev. J. Simper
1823-1852	Rev. W.J. Hope
1852-1859	Rev. J. Lister
1859-1894	Rev. Thomas L. Rudd BA
1894-1910	Rev. Horace E. Hall MA
1910-1934	Mr. Allan Percival Mottram BSc
1934-1949	Dr. Daniel George Edward Hall MA, DLit, FR HistS, FRAS
1949-1973	Mr. Terry R. Leathem MA (Cantab), JP
1973-1995	Mr. Stephen R. Smith (Cantab)
1995-2007	Mr. Robert A.E. Davey MA (Palmes Academiques)
2007-2015	Mr. Julian P. Thomas BSc (Cantab), MBA, FRSA
2015-	Mr. Ceri Jones MA (Cantab), MEd

• 
  Allan Percival Mottram, Headmaster from 1910 until 1934.
• 
  D.G.E. Hall, prominent historian of Southeast Asia and the East India Company. Headmaster from 1934 until 1949.

Gallery

• 
  Rev. John Townsend (1757-1826), the founder of Caterham
• 
  William Wilberforce (1759-1833) was an early founding governor of Caterham. The school's oldest hall and bursary scheme is named after him.
• 
  West Square, Newington. The school first was founded at a house here in 1811 before moving in 1816 to Lewisham. 'Newington' is now a school house at Caterham.
• 
  The school in Lewisham after 1816, before its move in 1884 to Caterham. 'Lewisham' is also a school house.
• 
  An engraving of the school at Caterham designed by E. C. Robins. An original is held in the Wellcome Collection ^[17] as well as the school's archive.
• 
  Samuel Morley MP (1809–1886), the political radical and abolitionist illustrated satirically here in Vanity Fair, was once the Chair of Caterham. He laid the foundation stone on E.C. Robins' building in 1884.
• 
  The herbaceous border along The Master's Garden, taken when D.G.E. Hall was Headmaster.
• 
  The Memorial Hall at Caterham, opened in 1925 and designed by architect Walter Monckton Keesey, an Old Caterhamian. It was built to honour pupils killed in World War I. Later, the antiquarian booksellers Maggs Bros Ltd enabled its conversion into the school's Maggs Library. ^[18]
• 
  William Lever, 2nd Viscount Leverhulme, was a benefactor of Caterham and its President from 1932 to 1945.
• 
  Cricket being played on the school's main field, 'Home' as seen from the Court.
• 
  Shirley Goss House, once a boarding house and now the site of Caterham Prep.
• 
  The Foxburrow Estate, renamed 'Mottrams' was another boarding house which now houses Caterham Pre-Prep.
• 
  The Sports Centre in 2006, recently redeveloped in 2023.
• 
  Rugby played on Home in 2006.
• 
  The front of Caterham in 2014 from Harestone Valley Road.

Notable alumni

See also: Category:People educated at Caterham School

• 
  Sir Paul Dukes KBE (1889-1967), or 'The Man with a Hundred Faces'. MI6 spy posted by Mansfield Smith-Cumming in St. Petersburg during the 1905 Revolution.
• 
  Imogen Holst CBE (1907-1984). Composer and arranger, also the daughter of Gustav Holst who wrote 'The Planets' suite.
• 
  W. David McIntyre OBE (1932-2022). Historian of the British Empire and Commonwealth.
• 
  Roger Griffin (1935-2021) Astronomer and emeritus professor at Cambridge.
• 
  Chukwudi Iwuji (born 1975). Actor of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Marvel Cinematic Universe films.

• 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
• Roger Griffin (1935-2021), astronomer
• Chukwudi Iwuji (born 1975), actor
• Walter Monckton Keesey, O.B.E (1887–1970), architect and artist
• Harry McInley (born 1993), cricketer
• W. David McIntyre, O.B.E (1932 - 2022), New Zealand historian and professor emeritus, University of Canterbury
• Sir Alex Harley, Master Gunner, St. James's Park, 2001–2008
• Philip Henman (1899–1986), chairman, General Lighterage Company, 1939–1969
• Imogen Holst (1907-1984), composer, and daughter of Gustav Holst
• 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
• Pam Royds (1924-2016), publisher and children's book editor ^[19]
• David Sales (born 1977), cricketer
• Eric Thiman (1900-1975), composer, conductor and organist
• Claudia Williams (born 1933), artist ^{[20] [21]}

Further reading

'A History of Caterham School' by Hugh Stafford (1945)

'A Century at Caterham: 1884-1984' by Ernest de C. Blomfield (1983)

'Independent Spirit: Two hundred years of Caterham School' by Nigel Watson (2011)

References

1. "Caterham School". HMC. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
2. Graydon, Hannah (11 July 2023). "Caterham School Tes Independent School of the Year". Caterham School. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
3. "ISI Inspection Report". Caterham School. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
4. "Schools - Apple Distinguished Schools". Apple (United Kingdom). Retrieved 18 August 2025.
5. "School History and Tradition" Caterham School. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
6. School press release Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine
7. Watson, Nigel (2011). Independent Spirit: Two Hundred Years of Caterham School. Third Millenium Publishing. p. 149. ISBN   978-1-906507-25-1.
8. St John's New Barnet Church Record, 2012, p5 Archived 2017-02-10 at the Wayback Machine
9. "School Badge Database: Caterham School (to 1995)". Archived from the original on 11 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
10. Gorcsosova, Eva. "Scholarships". Caterham School. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
11. Gorcsosova, Eva. "Bursaries". Caterham School. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
12. https://www.instagram.com/p/DNnUlFXhxJX/
13. https://www.instagram.com/p/DNViTdRO0of/
14. https://www.instagram.com/p/DNViTdRO0of/
15. https://www.instagram.com/p/DNnUlFXhxJX/
16. "Boarding Houses". Caterham School. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
17. "The new building for the Congregational School, Caterham, Surrey. Wood engraving after E.C. Robins". Wellcome Collection. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
18. "School Library". Caterham School. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
19. "Pam Royds obituary". TheGuardian.com . 4 July 2016.
20. "Pm Pays Tribute to Oc Prof. Nicholas Hart". 19 May 2020.
21. https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/boris-johnson-baby-nicholas-hart-18194546 | Meet ex-Surrey schoolboy who Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds named their son after