Caterham's schools are strong, and the county around them is stronger. More than nine in ten graded Surrey schools are rated good or better. Primary pupils here do better than expected in maths. One private school carries the town's name. Getting a good school isn't the hard part. Getting a place at one is.
There are 13 mainstream state primaries around Caterham. Their pupils average a maths score of about 106 at the end of primary school, which is above the expected standard. That's a good result, and not the kind of number that comes from a few parents paying for extra tutoring on Saturdays. On this measure, the primary years here work well.
Secondary results are more mixed. The three mainstream state secondaries in the area average an Attainment 8 score of about 44, weighted by pupil numbers. de Stafford School in Caterham on the Hill is the main state secondary. Warlingham School and Riddlesdown Collegiate also serve the surrounding area. Sunnydown School, also on the hill, is a state secondary for boys with special educational needs. Caterham School has been on its current site since 1884 and is the private option most families here have heard of. A strong primary result followed by a middling secondary one explains why a school's name gets mentioned often in local house viewings.
Across the whole of Surrey, not just Caterham, Ofsted has graded 147 of 159 settings good or better, which is more than nine in ten. Thirty are outstanding, seven require improvement and five are inadequate. Some settings haven't been graded yet and aren't counted. Few counties can match that, and it gives most families plenty of options within reach.
No school named here guarantees your child a place. Admissions work on the council's criteria and the year's applications, not on how close the house looked to the school gates in the estate agent's photos. Check each school's admission arrangements before you make an offer, not after exchange.
Schools are one of Caterham's real strengths, with a primary stage that performs well above expectations and a county system few places can beat.