Announcement

Wednesday 15 July 2026 

Dear Parents and Carers,

Please read this information in the letter carefully and keep it ready for the beginning of next term. This letter will also be on the school website, where it can be translated into different languages. 

Re: End of Term arrangements 

Arrangements for Friday 17th July 2026 are as follows: 

• All students come to school at the normal time at 8.20am 

• Students will be in some lessons for the morning and should bring appropriate equipment and books 

• Some lessons will be with form tutors and/or to attend celebration assemblies 

• All students will be dismissed during lesson 4 (11.20 to 12.10pm), with Year 7 dismissed at 12.10pm 

Lunch will be available for students entitled to free school meals at break time at 11am. All students will be off site by 12.20pm. 

Re: start of term – Thursday 3rd September 2026 

Tuesday 1st September 2026 and Wednesday 2nd September 2026 are Staff Training Days. No students are allowed to come to school on these two days. Students who come to school will be sent home. 

Thursday 3rd September 2026: There will be a staggered start to the first day of school. Please look at the information below carefully: 

• Year 7: Please arrive at school at 8:20am via the Heathcote Gate (main entrance) and proceed directly to the Main Assembly Hall, where staff will be there to welcome you. This is the same location used for Transition Day.

• Years 8, 9, 10 and 11: arrive at school at 11am, entering through the car park gate. Line up in Learning lines for a 11.20am start. 

• Year 12 The Bridge Pathway: Arrive at school at 9.50am entering through the car park gate. Go to the Youth Centre for a 10.10am start. 

• Year 12 (6th Form): arrive at school at 8.20am entering through the car park gate. Line up in Learning lines for an 8.25am start. 

• Year 13: arrive at school at 11am, entering through the car park gate. Line up in Learning lines for a 11.20am start. 

Travel arrangements: Please ensure that over the summer holiday you check travel arrangements ready for a punctual arrival at school. Apart from the first day of term (above), all students should be in school by 8.20am. Students must not be late for school as they will miss learning during the first lesson. 

Punctuality to school: The Caterham Avenue Gate will close promptly at 8.20am. Students arriving after 8.20am will be directed to the Heathcote Car Park Gate and will be deemed to be late to school as will those arriving after 8.20am at the Heathcote Avenue Car Park Gate. We expect students to be on time to school and will sanction those that do not arrive on time at 8.20am. 

This enables us to start learning promptly at 8.30am. Please remind your children that punctuality to school is very important. 

Lessons finish at 3pm. Students can leave by either the Heathcote Gate or the Caterham Avenue Gate. They will not leave by the main reception gate. If you are picking up your child, please ensure you know which gate they will use to exit the school.  

Breakfast club 

Breakfast club runs from 7.45am until 8.10am. Students must enter by the Heathcote Avenue Car Park Gate and walk down to the Youth Centre. Entry is via the ramp to the Youth Centre. Students will stay in the Youth Centre under the supervision of staff unless they are participating in a staffed extracurricular club. 

Getting organised over the summer! 

• Ready to Learn: Our expectation is that all students are appropriately equipped for school and to that end we will be checking equipment in regular “Ready to Learn” sessions with Form Tutors. Please ensure you have everything listed in the equipment list on the website. 

• Uniform: We have high expectations of our students with regard to uniform. Sixth Form students are expected to wear smart Business Dress. 

Uniform and equipment rules and guidance are on the website. If a family is facing financial hardship, then they should contact the Head of Year on welcome@ecaterham.net and we will see if we are able to help. 

Behaviour and Attendance Policy: Please also take a moment to read the Behaviour and Attendance Policy over the summer break so that you and your child are aware of, and are clear about, our high standards and possible sanctions when an expectation is breached.  

Please ensure you and your child have read the updated section about mobile phones. Parents and carers should also refer to Mr Casey’s letter regarding mobile phones, which has been shared previously (7th July 2026) and is available in the “Letters Home” section of the school website. 

Parent Pay: Please ensure your account is topped up ready for September 3rd 2026. If you have any issues with Parent Pay please contact Ms Curpen who will be happy to help you: r.curpen@ecaterham.net 

Please be aware that the school is closed for the summer holidays from Friday 17th July 2026 from 12.30pm until Tuesday 1st September 2026 at 9am. There are some exceptions for this for admissions to the 6th Form – please see the school website. This means that the telephone will not be answered, we will not respond to TEAMs messages and we will not reply to emails until term starts again.  

Goodbye and hello! 

In September 2026 we are opening a new provision on site for a group of children with special educational needs. This provision will be called The Maple. We are delighted to be welcoming new staff and our new children to become part of the Caterham family. 

This term, we sadly say goodbye to some staff who are heading off on new adventures.  

Mr Vincent, Ms Ahmed, Mr Tabassum, Ms Bashir (who works in The Arch), Ms Ashraf, Ms Goater and Ms Holder are all off on new paths and to new schools to develop their careers – we wish them all the best. We would like to thank all these teachers and staff who have given so much to the children of Caterham High School.  

We also say goodbye to Ms Lumsden, the Head of Year 7, who is returning to her family in Australia, and Ms Chakravarthi, Head of Year 11, who is moving into teaching children with Special Educational Needs and is very excited about her new career pathway. We would like to thank them both for their dedicated pastoral work to ensure that children at Caterham have thrived. 

This term we have recently welcomed Mr Zymberi as Subject Leader for IT & Computing, and Ms Willis-Jackson who leads The Base. Mr Delaney is moving from Access and Inclusion to join the Caterham Art & D&T department. 

We will be welcoming new staff and teachers in the Autumn Term. Ms Battiwala joins MFL and as a Head of Year 6th Form, Ms Yowane joins the Caterham staff as the 6th Form Supervisor. Mr Javed joins as the Subject Leader for Business; Mr Rahman joins as the Deputy Curriculum Leader for English; Mr Ramzy, Mr Ali and Ms Nahar join Science; and Mr Dixon joins the RPE department. We are appointing Mr Olumide and Mr Taylor-Crosswell as Pastoral Leaders for Years 7 and 8.  

We also welcome Mr Bhatt, Mr Brown, Ms Coker, Ms Majid, Ms Miah and Ms Woods to the Access & Inclusion team. 

Our administrative team is strengthened by Ms Khanom (SPS), and Ms Khan and Ms Graur (Attendance Officers). Ms Daniel also comes on board to support SEND Administration. 

It’s always a joy to bring new people into Caterham, where there is a warm welcome and a supportive ethos – for staff, children and young people. Our new colleagues will help our charges to grow and thrive.  

We have had a very busy term with many exciting, enlivening activities and trips that have helped so many children and young people to develop personally and academically. There are so many students who have shown of their best and made the most of the opportunities offered. We celebrate their achievements -  they make us all so proud! 

Thank you, as always, to all the parents and carers who are supportive of the school, the ethos and values, expectations and aspirations that we have for all the students at Caterham High. 

I wish you all the best for a peaceful summer holiday. 

 

Yours sincerely, 

Ms Chapple,  

Headteacher