Caterham prep or Reigate Grammar feeders

[Kittykin]

Hello all! Can anyone please provide any additional insights for Caterham or Chinthurst School which is a feeder for Reigate Grammar? Dd has offer for Y2 but we are so torn between the two. Location isn't an issue as we are relocating so can decide based on the school we decide.

One thing we are not sure if Saturday sports participation- is it mandatory for prep kids? We often go away for the weekend so not sure want to be tied into these. Also dd is not too sporty so she would probably prefer not to be part of that.

Any additional insights are greatly appreciated!! Things like class size, pastoral care, etc

Sat sports is not usually mandatory at prep level, but it is a great way of joining in with the school community. Given that these are feeder schools, have you looked around the secondary schools as they are very different.
Hawthorns which has joined the Caterham family has lovely grounds, great sports facilities. Chinthurst has limited space, small sports facilities, but a great parents association and close ties to the community. Very different schools.

Very few if any prep Saturday sports fixtures until you reach year 6 and then possibly only one or two if you are A team.
Possibly want to think of senior schools and whether you will want to follow Caterham or RGS pathway as the preps will prepare your dd for their senior schools and not necessarily for other options.

Caterham prep has access to the senior school facilities, a woodland classroom and lots of outside space. Chinthurst whilst has access to RGS facilities, they are 20-30 mins drive away.

As another poster said there is hardly any Saturday sport in the preps. Prep sport is usually a midweek afternoon so there might be a late finish if there is an away match. Different years do different days.

@Bellie99 @eurochick @gato21

Thank you so much for the insights! I somehow got the feeling that saturday sports fixtures are mandatory at caterham for everyone - maybe I need to double check with the school!

Re the senior school, Reigate Grammar and Caterham School are the reason why I chose the 2 prep schools as hopefully it'll be a smooth transition without the pressure of 11+. From the looks of it RGS seems to be better academically but Caterham is also strong. From all round development they both seem to be strong hence I'm really struggling to decide.

Can anyone shed some additional light on the 2 schools? How are they different? Thank you!!

The RGS pathway discussions starts in Year 4 within the feeder schools, there is no guarantee that there is a place but instead it is emphasised that they look for the right fit for your child. If RGS is not an option (due to academic achievement) then there are a large number of less selective schools in the area that I am very impressed by (Downsend sixth form is opening this year and looks amazing). However, a lot of families join the RGS feeder schools explicitly with the move to RGS in mind, so there is an expectation that students go there.

Feeder schools for RGS are Reigate St Marys, Micklefield and Chinthurst. Out of those I think Chinthurst is the farthest out and they don't really use the RGS facilities. RSM does as it is the closest. They do play fixtures against each other but there is not much movement between the schools at the moment. Each school has a different atmosphere - Chinthurst is often seen as having a strong SEN department (rightfully so) but less driven in terms of music and sports excellence (however does have a ethos that all students are welcome to join in and supports children in these areas). RSM is stronger in music (choir school) and I don't know much about Micklefield. The roads outside RSM and Chinthurst are very busy at pick up and drop off. I have been very impressed about how the Chint children play together across year groups, how good the lunches are, and the emphasis on community and kindness within the school. There is an active parents association who are eager to include all parents and students.

Caterham has a reputation for being quite a sporty school (but the Saturday matches are only for the senior school). It is climbing the ranks academically, both at senior and prep level. It has lovely grounds and the prep use them for outdoor learning. The prep children seem to like it there. The senior school seems to offer a huge variety of activities so there should be something for everyone.

I don't know much about RGS as it wasn't one we looked at.

As a comparison academics are similar but Caterham as a part boarding school has a more diverse and international community. RGS is probably more traditional in feel and its playing fields are offsite. Caterham has the Hawthorns and Copthorne as specific feeders.

And bear in mind there are other preps around the area such as Oakhyrst Grange, Aberdour and Hazelwood which have less defined progression routes.

@LIZS @eurochick @gato21

Thank you so much for your additional insights! Can I ask which school has a better reputation if I may? It seems that Caterham is a lesser known name vs RGS? Just a feeling i got when talking to others about it and I'm wondering why as they both seem to be great schools.

I think it is more a geographical issue . If you live in Reigate area, Caterham probably feels less leafy and more urban, being inside m25, although if you visit the opposite is true of the location. RGS has a more local community whereas Caterham pupils commute from Kent, Croydon, Epsom, Reigate,East Grinstead etc.

RGS is higher in the Times Parent Power table than Caterham - it's a while since I looked at the specific areas but I believe they outperformed Caterham in GCSE's and A Levels.

I would stick to the solid feeders to these schools (children are still assessed and for want of a better word filtered out - directed to more suitable schools if they don't meet requirements):

RGS - Reigate St Marys, Chinthurst, Micklefield.
Caterham - Caterham Prep and Hawthorns.

We looked at RGS, Caterham, Epsom College and CLFS (and their feeders). We ended up doing the 7 plus for CLFS and accepted their offer. We lived opposite to RGS / RGM - but preferred CLFS campus and their approach to teaching / connection between pupils & teachers seen on the private tours / working morning. Also, the significant rise in traffic and bad train connections in Reigate put us off schooling there.

We have friends at Chinthurst and they are enjoying it - meets their expectations.

I think you also need to think through location of where you want to live - do you need trains into London, access to M25 etc. Not sure where you are relocating from but Reigate especially can get gridlocked with traffic very easily which can make school drop off and commuting via redhill on train tricky for timings.
Caterham has a direct line to East Croydon and London Bridge but it is slow and not many an hour.
if you are thinking further afield Copthorne is also a feeder as part of the Caterham family of schools.

RGS got a lot of publicity as Starmer's school, particularly with the change in VAT under his watch. I don't think either is hugely well-known but both have a lot to offer.

Indeed, he was on an assisted place when it converted from state grammar to private in 1970s. David Walliams is also an alumnus but had a hard time there. RGS head is son of Alvin Stardust. Heads of both have been there a while, might be due a change over in coming years.

Very interesting insights thanks so much everyone!

My niece and nephew at/ went to Caterham and I've been totally underwhelmed if I'm honest. One gone to state sixth form. Other v sporty but considering leaving. I think probably with many private schools, you can get into the secondary but they are not very supportive with any special educational needs. It's hard to tell with a small child where their talents/ struggles may lie. I would personally choose a school where you had a lot of options at the end of prep so you can choose what's best for your child.

Hello, this post has been very useful. Any recent thoughts on these schools as we are also evaluating both. Thanks