Caterham Prep school

[FJaggar]

Hello
Any comments on Caterham Prep please? We are a family of 5 returning from Singapore this summer and looking at Caterham Prep for our two boys (going into yr4 & yr3). One is super bright and loves maths/science, the other isn't particularly academic but is obsessed with sport.
Any thoughts/comments would be much appreciated.
Thanks

Would you be choosing it with a view to going into the Senior school? Have you checked if they have places?

It is well regarded locally and most children move onto the Senior, a few are managed out if they aren't looking able enough. Probably only a good idea if you want to go onto the Senior school.

Local alternatives are those not attached to a seocific secondary - Hazelwood (Oxted) and Hawthorns (Bletchingly) go to 13 but send people to all the local independents and those further afield including boarding at both 11 and 13. Cheaper and possibly less well regarded local Preps which only go to 11 are Oakhyrst Grange and Essendene Lodge - both local to Caterham. All of these will send children to the Senior school in Caterham, plus other Seniors such as Seven Oaks, Reigate Grammar, Lingfield College, Tonbridge, possibly the state Grammars in Kent and Hawthorns and Hazelwood also send a few to boarding schools all over the place.

Caterham Prep is a school which is (currently) very keen on drama and sport, and less so on music and academics. Favours extrovert personalities, less supportive of quiet children. Teaching in English and French can be weak whereas science and history are currently strong. Prep schools (as opposed to feeder schools like Caterham Prep and Reigate St Marys) like Oakhyrst Grange and Priory Prep are stronger academically. There is a strong tendency to favour children who will progress on to the senior school (Caterham School) rather than state, grammar (progressing to a grammar school is virtually discouraged) or another independent senior/secondary school. While it is more laidback and sets significantly less homework than many preps, this also results in less coverage of syllabus work. Discipline and dealing with behavioural issues (eg bullying) can be weak in certain classes/year groups. However it still receives a lot of applications.