Caterham Prep School

What Caterham Prep School does

Caterham Prep School is an IAPS-accredited co-educational day school located on a 200-acre campus at Harestone Valley Road, Caterham, Surrey, serving children from Reception through Year 6 (ages 4-11) as part of the Caterham School family. The school operates as a single-site institution offering a unified Pre-Prep (Reception to Year 2) and Prep (Years 3 to 6) programme, with a curriculum differentiated by several proprietary pillars: the Digital EDGE curriculum (coding and AI education), the Forest School outdoor learning programme in Old Park Woods, an award-winning Wellbeing programme, a Global Curriculum, and a co-curricular sports and music offering including Hockey Academy and a string/woodwind/brass programme. Founded in 1935 as the preparatory feeder for Caterham School (itself founded 1811) and merged with Eothen School's junior department in 1994 to introduce co-education, the school is governed by a Board of Trustees under the Caterham School charitable trust and continues to award foundation bursaries to children of United Reformed Church ministers.

The school's revenue is derived primarily from recurring day-school tuition (fees not publicly disclosed), supplemented by ancillary recurring streams including tiered wrap-around care (Breakfast Club at £13.50 per session, After School Care at £8.40-£22.00 per session bookable via Wisepay), Wildcats Holiday Camps, school catering (Food for Thought), and a Parents' Association-run Nearly New Uniform resale shop. Its go-to-market is direct-to-consumer, executed through scheduled Working and Themed Visitor Mornings, open days, prospectus downloads, and community events such as Fireworks Night and Summer Fair, with a secondary organic social presence on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Vimeo. The school's distribution and brand-building efforts are anchored in its 2026 Tes Schools Awards 'Independent Prep School of the Year' win, a November 2023 ISI Excellent inspection, the Eco-Schools Green Flag with Distinction, and an active partnership ecosystem (East Surrey Learning Partnership, Sal's Shoes, Lerang'wa School, Viewpoint Centre, 1811 Circle, Palace for Life, The Hygiene Bank).

Name

Caterham Prep School

Legal name

Caterham Prep School

Website

https://caterhamprep.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Caterham Prep School is an IAPS-accredited co-educational day school in Caterham, Surrey, educating children from Reception to Year 6 as part of the Caterham School trust, with proprietary Digital EDGE, Forest School, and Wellbeing curricula on a 200-acre campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Preparatory School Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Nursery School Wraparound Care (Extended Hours) (EDACACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Catering for School Events & Functions (On-Campus Catering) (EDAEAEAH), Catering, Pantry & Food Service (On-site Refreshments/Events) (IMAIALAD)

Keywords

• Independent day school
• Preparatory education
• Primary school tuition
• Early years education
• Co-educational prep school

Headquarters

HQ city

Caterham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition and School Fees: Day school fees for pupils from Reception through Year 6. The school is an IAPS co-educational independent day school providing education as part of the Caterham School family.
2. Wrap Around Care Services: Before and after school care services including Breakfast Club (£13.50 per session), After School Care (£8.40-£22.00 per session depending on duration and year group), and Sibling Class.
3. Uniform Sales: New uniform sold through School Blazer online store; Nearly New Uniform (NNU) shop run by Parents' Association offering discounted pre-loved uniform at 50%+ off RRP.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Caterham Prep School is an IAPS co-educational independent day school providing Reception-through-Year-6 education on a 200-acre campus in Caterham, Surrey, as part of the Caterham School family. The school delivers a core academic curriculum enhanced by specialized modules including the Digital EDGE programme (coding and AI), Forest School outdoor learning, Music, Wellbeing, Global Curriculum, and competitive sports academies. Ancillary paid services include Wrap Around Care (Breakfast Club and After School Care), Wildcats Holiday Camps, and the school's in-house catering.

Product overview

Caterham Prep School is an IAPS co-educational day school that is an integral part of Caterham School, offering education from Reception through Year 6. The school operates a unified Pre-Prep and Prep program with core academic curriculum supplemented by specialized modules including Digital EDGE (technology and coding), Global Curriculum, Wellbeing Program, Music Program, and Forest School outdoor learning. Ancillary services include Wrap Around Care (Breakfast Club and After School Care), Wildcats Holiday Camps, Food for Thought catering, and a Parents' Association-run Nearly New Uniform shop. Sports programs include Hockey Academy and comprehensive co-curricular clubs and activities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pre-Prep School Programme (Reception to Year 2) Early years education for children aged 4–7, covering the Early Years Foundation Stage through Key Stage 1, with woodland adventures, foundation academic skills, and introduction to music (violin/viola) and basic French.
• Prep School Programme (Years 3–6) Primary school education for children aged 7–11 (Key Stage 2), preparing pupils for transition to senior school with a comprehensive curriculum including academic subjects, science laboratory, sports, music, drama, languages (French, Spanish, Mandarin), and co-curricular activities.
• Wrap Around Care (Breakfast Club & After School Care) Extended childcare for pupils from Reception through Year 6, comprising Breakfast Club from 7:30am (£13.50 per session) and After School Care from end of school day until 6:00pm (Pre-Prep £8.40–£22.00, Prep £13.60), bookable via Wisepay.
• Wildcats Holiday Camps Holiday camp program providing childcare and activities during school holidays for pupils across the Prep School community.
• Sports Academy Programmes (Hockey Academy and Lacrosse) Specialized sports programmes including Hockey Academy and Lacrosse with elite coaching and competitive fixture programmes against other prep schools.
• Music Programme Comprehensive music education including class instrumental schemes (strings, woodwind, brass, ukulele, guitar), individual lessons, choirs, orchestras, and ensembles such as Concert Band and String Orchestra.
• Forest School Outdoor Learning Programme Outdoor education programme utilizing the school's 200-acre woodland 'Old Park Woods' including a purpose-built yurt classroom, wildcats area with high ropes course and climbing wall, and hands-on nature-based learning.
• Food for Thought Catering School catering service providing nutritious daily meals, breakfast club, and after-school snacks, with vegetarian options and special dietary accommodations.
• Clubs and Activities Programme Extensive co-curricular programme offering sports (athletics, cricket, football, hockey, lacrosse, netball, rugby, swimming, tennis), enrichment clubs (chemistry, computing, crafts, languages), music ensembles, and recreational activities.
• Nearly New Uniform Shop (NNU) Parent-run uniform shop offering discounted pre-loved school uniform and sportswear at 50%+ off RRP, operated by the Parents' Association.

Quantifiable outcome

• Winner of Independent Prep School of the Year - Tes Schools Awards 2026
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• East Surrey Learning PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool partners with state-maintained primary schools across East Surrey through this partnership programme, supporting educational development in the local community. Part of the school's commitment to making a difference to the world around us.
• Lerang'wa School (Tanzania)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership with Lerang'wa School in Tanzania, Africa. Through Sal's Shoes charity relationship, 12 large bags of old-style sports kit were donated to the partner school.
• London Academy of Excellence – StratfordminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership supporting academic pathways and collaboration between institutions.
• Clifton Hill SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership arrangement with Clifton Hill School for educational collaboration.
• Sal's ShoescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChosen charity partner for four years. PA supports with footwear donations each term matched with financial donations. EDGE digital & innovation curriculum includes collaboration where First Year pupils sort and pack shoes and work on projects linking with pupils in Ghana. CJ Bowry, founder and Caterham parent, awarded OBE in New Year Honours.
• Viewpoint CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurrent chosen charity partner of the Parents' Association. Viewpoint Centre CIO runs equine-assisted behavioural change courses developed by TheHorseCourse, reducing social exclusion through horse-assisted interventions.
• 1811 CirclecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurrent chosen charity partner of the Parents' Association. Linked to the bursaries appeal supporting educational access.
• The Hygiene BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal branch collection partnership with The Hygiene Bank for hygiene product donations supporting families in need.
• Palace for LifeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFootball partnership delivering after school football clubs as part of community engagement and sports development programme.
• M&M Theatrical ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTravelling theatre company engaged to deliver pantomime productions for school community events (e.g., Peter Pan performance in Humphreys Theatre).

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• King's College School, Wimbledon: Highly prestigious independent co-educational day prep school in South West London preparing pupils for senior schools. Closely comparable to Caterham Prep on positioning, day-school model, academic stretch, and feeder relationship to a senior school.
• Dulwich Prep School: Independent day prep school in South London with strong co-curricular and sports programmes. Comparable to Caterham Prep in serving a similar affluent London commuter belt demographic and operating as a feeder to senior schools.
• Cumnor House School: Independent co-educational preparatory school in South Croydon, near Caterham in Surrey. Same catchment geography, same prep-age range, and similar feeder-to-senior-school model, making it a close direct competitor.
• Windlesham House School: Independent co-educational prep school in West Sussex covering Reception through Year 8. Comparable in size, age range, and full-boarding/extended-day service offering to Caterham Prep's wraparound care.
• Handcross Park School: Independent co-educational prep school in West Sussex with a strong sporting and outdoor ethos. Comparable in size, age range, and emphasis on holistic co-curricular provision.
• The Hawthorns School: Independent co-educational day school in Blanford, Surrey, serving pupils from Nursery through to Senior. Direct competitor in the same Surrey catchment and prep-school age range.
• Westminster Under School: Pre-prep and prep school feeding Westminster School, operating in central London. Directly comparable to Caterham Prep on the 'prep school for senior school' structure and academically selective intake.
• St Paul's Juniors: Prep school attached to St Paul's School in London, similar to how Caterham Prep sits within the Caterham School family. Direct comparable on integrated prep-to-senior model.
• Eaton House The Manor: Independent prep school in London with multiple sites, focusing on academic readiness and senior-school preparation. Comparable in operational model and target demographic to Caterham Prep.
• Cranmore School: Independent co-educational day school in West Horsley, Surrey, with extensive co-curricular and sports facilities. Comparable independent prep offering in the same Surrey geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CaterhamPrep
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/caterham-preparatory-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/caterhamprepschool

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Caterham Prep School